Kleen-Sweep

Lucky Chimney Sweep

As genuine chimney sweeps, Kleen-Sweep are often asked to attend weddings, to provide the services of a lucky chimney sweep serving the Glossop and Derbyshire area. This time-honoured tradition is believed by many to bless the bride and groom with luck, as well as a long and happy marriage.

History of the lucky chimney sweep

Our lucky chimney sweep, as photographed for the Halifax Courier in March 1999.

For many years, chimney sweeps 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, and 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.

If a chimney sweep meets a bride and groom at their wedding, it is considered in folklore to be a very good omen for their future, especially if he wishes them good luck.

Even though lucky chimney sweeps have been giving luck for over 100 years, it is still prestigious for a sweep to turn up at a wedding, so special in fact that pictures of the encounter often make their way into the local press.

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 wring his grubby hand for chimney sweep’s luck.

Our lucky chimney sweep, attending a recent wedding

Lucky chimney sweeps follow a tradition that started over 200 years ago, when a London chimney sweeper saved the life of King George III. When the Kings horses had bolted, taking their carriage and the stricken King with them, the sweep had been the only person brave enough to halt the horses, and put an end to the stampede.

By Royal Decree, the King proclaimed that all sweeps are good luck bearers and should be treated with respect.

Folklore was established, and to this day chimney sweepers are still invited to attend weddings and kiss the bride for good luck.

Our lucky chimney sweep service

Our lucky chimney sweep can appear at the church after the ceremony, and at the reception, depending on your preference. He arrives in full Victorian sweep attire with blackened face, brushes and flat cap.

Furthermore, depending on the timing of your wedding, we may be able to arrange a ’sweep and boy’ service, where your ceremony can be attended by our lucky chimney sweep and his son (aged 6), both dressed in genuine Victorian chimney sweep attire.

A photo opportunity is also available with the lucky sweep, enabling guests and the official wedding photographer to capture this traditional custom.

Serving the Glossop and Derbyshire area, our lucky chimney sweep packages and prices depend on your requirements, and are extremely competitive. Please contact us for a quotation.

For regular chimney and stove services, please see chimney sweep Glossop, and stove installer Glossop.