The General Chat Room

[Dave2002]

Apparently in some parts of Britain, Twelfth Night is not until 17th January - as they are more than 250 years behind with a calendar update.

Why does it matter, anyway?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelfth_Night_(holiday)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregorian_calendar#Difference_between_Gregorian_and_Julian_calendar_dates

[MrGongGong]

Back to normal!

NEVER

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Apparently in some parts of Britain, Twelfth Night is not until 17th January - as they are more than 250 years behind with a calendar update.

Why does it matter, anyway?

Indeed.

Happy Plough Monday to all Forumistas.

[Dave2002]

Indeed.

Happy Plough Monday to all Forumistas.

Thanks. Anything special for Tuesday?

Years ago we went to Nice and Cannes after Christmas. As I recall all the lights were on, and the Christmas trees still up.

[antongould]

Indeed.

Happy Plough Monday to all Forumistas.

You’ve been listening to Petroc again ......!!!!

[vinteuil]

Thanks. Anything special for Tuesday?

... o yes : Battle of New Orleans Day (8 Jan 1814), Andrew Jackson inflicted a crushing defeat on the British forces. Jackson Day a legal holiday in Louisiana, and also Massachusetts : in much of America it became a Democratic beanfeast - "in 1911 the previous year's congressional victories were celebrated at Baltimore by speeches and a banquet of 7,000 oysters, 75 gallons (US) of terrapin, 1,500 lb of capon, 500 canvas-back ducks, 45 Smithfield hams, 3,000 cigars, and 500 bottles of champagne."

"In Greece St Domnike, a fifth century deaconess at Constantinople. On this day women of child-bearing age bring the village midwife presents, pour out water for her, and kiss a phallic schema ('shape') made from a large leek or sausage proffered by her attendants, over which they weep; adorned with gilded flowers, onion and garlic tresses, and necklaces of dried figs, currants, and carob beans, with a large onion in lieu of a watch, she proudly presides from a makeshift throne, revered as if she were Genetyllis, the goddess of childbirth. After a bibulous banquet she is led through the streets on a carriage like a bride and sprinkled with water at the fountain; the women sing, dance, and tell lewd jokes; the men stay indoors."

[Beef Oven!]

Indeed.

Happy Plough Monday to all Forumistas.

The only plough I'm interested in belongs to a bloke and contains cheese and pickle!

[edashtav]

The only plough I'm interested in belongs to a bloke and contains cheese and pickle!

There's not a hint of Plough Monday in the R.3 schedules. Perhaps, we need to phone and request Virgil Thomson's Suite " The Plow that Broke the Plains".

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Thanks. Anything special for Tuesday?

Plough Tuesday - which might mean the Straw Bears activities in certain parts of Cambridgeshire.

I should, of course, have mentioned that 7th January is also St Distaff's Day - as the men resumed work at the Plough after the Christmas break, so the women would resume their spinning (with cotton etc - not themselves personally, you understand). The young 'uns had a little more fun on Plough/Distaff day - Farm Maids would run into the fields that the ploughs had just turned to grab a clod of earth; they would then run back to the farm house, chased by the Plough Lads brandishing whips (this is England, after all) - if the girls reached the farm house and managed to stick a handful of feathers into their clod before the lads managed to reach the kitchen table and place their whips on it; they'd won. Or, rather, the boys lost - and were denied a portion of plum pudding. They could get some consolation from the Plough Plays, (also known as "Wooing Plays", so you can see what might have been going on) performed by the youngsters in the farmhouse in the evening. (The tradition is referred to in Birtwistle's Down By the Greenwood Side.)

You’ve been listening to Petroc again ......!!!!

Now - there's no need for such unpleasantness, anton!

[cloughie]

Plough Tuesday - which might mean the Straw Bears activities in certain parts of Cambridgeshire.

I should, of course, have mentioned that 7th January is also St Distaff's Day - as the men resumed work at the Plough after the Christmas break, so the women would resume their spinning (with cotton etc - not themselves personally, you understand). The young 'uns had a little more fun on Plough/Distaff day - Farm Maids would run into the fields that the ploughs had just turned to grab a clod of earth; they would then run back to the farm house, chased by the Plough Lads brandishing whips (this is England, after all) - if the girls reached the farm house and managed to stick a handful of feathers into their clod before the lads managed to reach the kitchen table and place their whips on it; they'd won. Or, rather, the boys lost - and were denied a portion of plum pudding. They could get some consolation from the Plough Plays, (also known as "Wooing Plays", so you can see what might have been going on) performed by the youngsters in the farmhouse in the evening. (The tradition is referred to in Birtwistle's Down By the Greenwood Side.)


Now - there's no need for such unpleasantness, anton!

Mention of the ‘Greenwood Side’takes me back around 55 years and an early Joan Baez album which contained the song.

[BBMmk2]

The only plough I'm interested in belongs to a bloke and contains cheese and pickle!

Anyone know thatfolk tune The Plough Boy?

[edashtav]

Anyone know thatfolk tune The Plough Boy?

I'd forgotten The Plough Boy. Here's why:

And when I'm tired on my legs, then I'll sit down a peer.
In court or city honour so great a man I'll be,
So great a man, so great a man, so great a man I'll be,
You'll forget the little plough boy who whistled o'er the lea.
You'll forget the little plough boy who whistled o'er the lea.

[BBMmk2]

I'd forgotten The Plough Boy. Here's why:

And when I'm tired on my legs, then I'll sit down a peer.
In court or city honour so great a man I'll be,
So great a man, so great a man, so great a man I'll be,
You'll forget the little plough boy who whistled o'er the lea.
You'll forget the little plough boy who whistled o'er the lea.

Yes, how true. The poor lad!

[Lat-Literal]

Yes, how true. The poor lad!

Which reminds me, brassbandmaestro, not of rural green but industrial orange.

Poor lad....still got your mind on that pit?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zo8hIc7DpuE

[edashtav]

Ha ha, Pat-Piteral!