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Fairs took place in Pocklington from early mediaeval times. The earliest recorded being a grant made for a four day fair to be held annually for the feast of St. Margaret (July 19-22) in 1245. More fairs were added until by the 17th century there were seven fairs held annually in the town. The infamous highwayman Dick Turpin was known to have attended Pocklington Fair, as it was mentioned in his trial evidence. His real name was John Palmer, a horse dealer who turned to horse stealing and highway robbery. He was hung in York on 7th April 1739.
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An old newspaper report in the Yorkshire Herald has an article on Thomas Towle  of Pocklington who had recollections of Pocklington going back to the 1870's. In the article he vividly remembers Pocklington Fair. He was brought up by his grandfather Joseph Lister the cab proprietor, he recalled the days when all the local villages had their own feasts and fairs. He tells how they travelled to them all providing penny waggonette rides for the children. The season of fairs ended up with Brigg Fair (Stamford Bridge Fair) each year. He recalled the balmy days of the Pocklington May Fair when horses were shown and sold in George street, beasts in Railway Street near to Wilberforce House, and sheep in another part of town. The Pig Market was in Market Street (Swine Market) near the old Horse Shoe Inn. The Saturday market was a great thing in those days, for Pocklington was the shopping centre for the Wolds. The Market Place and Market Square were packed with traders stalls and carrier carts laden with passengers coming into the town to stay in the many hotels or frequent the large number of Inns serving the fairs and markets. An important fair of the year was the martinmas hirings in November.
If you have any information of Pocklington Fair, or would like to correct any of the above information, then please contact me.
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