The Mop Fair: centuries of hiring, stalls and tradition
Kings Norton’s Mop Fair has roots in the hiring fairs of the 16th century.
Birmingham City Council says a Mop Fair has been held on The Green since the 16th century, traditionally on the first Monday of October.
A mop fair was originally a hiring fair: people seeking work would gather to meet potential employers. The employment function faded, but the event continued as an annual local tradition with stalls, fairground attractions and the traditional ox roast.
That continuity means the fair is not simply a modern community event; it belongs to a much older social and labour history of the village.