Weddings

The Lucky Chimney Sweep Tradition

Since pagan times, the images of fire and the hearth have been associated with luck - when a new bride inherited the fire irons, she symbolically inherited a home and a new family. It's because of his blackened face and his relationship with hearths and fires that the chimney sweep carries the luck with him where ever he goes, and when you meet him, his luck rubs off onto you.
Coal, again connected with fire and hearths, is also believed to be lucky. When given by a sweep the luck is multiplied. Soldiers have carried small lumps of coal into battle to ensure survival, and sailors kept coal in their pockets while at sea.

It is reputed that a chimney sweep came forward to calm the horses of King George lll when he appeared in London and by Royal decree chimney sweeps were regarded as bearers of good luck.

Indeed one very famous meeting was reported in a newspaper of the 1950s :-... not by mere chance was a sooty chimney-sweeper sauntering in front of Kensington Palace on the wedding morning of Prince Philip and Princess Elizabeth, thereby affording the excited bridegroom an opportunity to dash out from the royal apartments to shake his hand for chimney sweep's luck.

Bryan Pearce is available to attend weddings and kiss the bride for good luck, dressed in traditional top hat and sweeps attire, to further enhance the happy occasion.