[Not located], Derbyshire

L.Jewitt (1853)

Llewellynn Jewitt (Auth.)
ON ANCIENT CUSTOMS AND SPORTS OF THE COUNTY OF NOTTINGHAM
*Journal of the British Archaeological Association, 1853, Vol.8, pp.229-240

A rambling general summary of customs in Notts. It followed two similar papers concerning Cheshire and Derbyshire, and a certain amount of extrapolation from these counties is evident.

Among the customs covered are; drawing lots for Valentines near Mansfield, the blessing of St. Ann's Well, Nottingham on Easter Monday and of another well at Newark, a May-pole at Hucknall Folkard [presumably meant to be Hucknall Torkard], divination on All Hallows at Lenton, the perambulation of crib called a Wassail Cup at Christmas, and Groaning Cakes & Cheeses - a birth custom.

He quotes Deering's description of the Midsummer's Eve watch at Nottingham.

The description of Christmas says "... the mummers, or guisors, pass from house to house, and still perform their play of St. George..."

Also; "On Plough Monday, as well as during the Christmas holidays, the plough bullocks are still to be seen in various parts of the country. This extremely picturesque and popular custom, - with its plough, drawn by farmer's men, gaily dressed in ribbands, its drivers, with their long wands and bladders, its sword-dancers, its fool and its celebrated Bessy, and hobby-horse, - I have described in my Derbyshire paper; it will therefore be sufficient to say, that amongst other places the neighbourhoods of Newstead, Mansfield, and Southwell, are still famous for its observance, and that it has been well described by Washington Irving in his Newstead Abbey."

M.H.Mason (1877)

M. H. Mason (Auth.)
NURSERY RHYMES AND Country Songs: BOTH TUNES AND WORDS FROM TRADITION [The Old Horse: Christmas Play from Notts.]
London: Metzler & Co., 1877, pp.49-50

This includes a song headed "The Old Horse: CHRISTMAS PLAY". There are two songs with tunes, one headed "Prologue" (12 lines in 3 stanzas), and the headed "Enter the Old Horse" (20 lines in 4 verses). A footnote reads:-

"It is an old Christmas custom in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire to go from house to house with the skull of a horse, painted black and red, and supported on a wooden fore-leg. A man in a stooping posture, and covered with a cloth, represents the body of the horse, and, from the inside, snaps its formidable jaws at the company. The custom also survives in South Wales, but the tune is different. There are many variations in the words. This is a Nottinghamshire version."

Marianne Mason lived at Morton Hall near Ranby, Notts., from 1869. As she collected the songs in this book from her family and the people around her, it seems likely that this play came from the vicinity of Morton Hall.

T.Ratcliffe (1883)

T. Ratcliffe (Auth.)
CHRISTMAS OBSERVANCES IN DERBYSHIRE [Guisers]
Retford & Gainsborough Times, 28th Dec.1883, No.713, p.3 c

Article about Christmas customs in Derbyshire including the following sections:

"The lads of the house, with those of the neighbours', have been learning their parts, and getting ready their dresses for the 'Christmas guising' and the house-hold daily talk is full flavoured of Christmas."

"Romping games are the order of the eve, broken only when the 'guisers' - of which there are always several sets - or waits arrive. The guisers are admitted indoors, and go through the several acts of their play. At the conclusion 'Betsy Beelzebub' collects coppers from the company, and glasses of ale and wine are given to the players."

B. (1886)

B. (Auth.)
PLOUGH MONDAY
Nottingham Guardian, 6th Jan.1886, No.9338, p.6 e

*Covers; Plough Monday Plough Lights, House Visiting, Plough Trailing, and Plough Bullocks. Mentions Derbyshire.

Nottinghamshire Guardian (1894)

*[Anon.] (Auth.)
*LOCAL NOTES AND QUERIES: CHRISTMASTIDE [Derbys.]
*Nottinghamshire Guardian, 21st Dec.1894

Long general article describing various Christmas customs. In the middle it quotes verbatim the full text of Thomas Ratcliffe's 1883 article on Derbyshire Guising.

T.Ratcliffe (1896)

T. Ratcliffe (Auth.)
LOCAL NOTES AND QUERIES: CHRISTMASTIDE [Guising in Derbys.]
*Nottinghamshire Guardian, 26th Dec.1896

Article identical to T.Ratcliffe (1883) - TD00203.

Nottinghamshire Guardian (1897b)

[Anon.] (Auth.)
LOCAL NOTES AND QUERIES. No.807: OLD OBSERVANCES [Plough Monday Play at Wyverton Hall, Notts.]
*Nottinghamshire Guardian, 9th Apr.1897

Extracts from P.H.Ditchfield (1896) and other sources concerning various customs from Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. These include: hanging a Kissing Bunch at Christmas in Derbys., Wassailing in Notts., the Maypole at Wellow, Oak and Nettle Day in Notts., maidens' garlands in Derbyshire churches, and a long passage on Derbys' well dressing. The following is quoted from Ditchfield:

"'The Plough Monday play', one of the few remaining specimens of English folk drama, still survives. It resembles in some ways the Christmas and Easter play but has several distinguishing features. In the Plough Monday play there is no St. George and the principal feature is the sword dance. The play, as performed recently at Wyverton Hall, Nottinghamshire is printed in Mrs Musters's 'A Cavalier Stronghold'"

T.Ratcliffe (1898)

Thos. Ratcliffe (Auth.)
"CHRISTMAS-TUP"
Notes & Queries (Series 9), 24th Dec.1898, Vol.II, p.511

Description of plays variously known as the "Christmas-Tup", "The Derby Ram", "Darby Tup", "t'owd tup" and "a little tup", performed by Guisers in Derbys., North Notts. (implying Worksop), and Yorks. Several verses of the texts are given, and quotes from Llewellynn Jewitt's (1867) "Ballads and Songs of Derbyshire". The "mummering play" incorporating dialogue is also described, which had five characters besides "t'tup", including a woman, the owner, a butcher, and a female devil - Betsy Belzebub. Additionally, "th'poor owd hoss" is also mentioned as being taken round Worksop and parts of Derbys., at Christmas.

Retford & Gainsborough Times (1898)

[Anon.] (Auth.)
NUDGES, NOTCHES, NOTIONS, FROM WORKSOP [Christmas Plays]
Retford & Gainsborough Times, 7th Jan.1898, No.1447, p.2a

Article lamenting the changes in Christmas customs from previous years. Initially it talks about 'Christmas singing' and then continues as follows:

"The 'mummers' still go about, but in a different style, and neither 'St. George,' the 'King of Spain,' the 'Doctor,' nor 'Devil Doubt' with his grimy ace and stubbly broom, are the same. The 'Owd Tup' and 'T'Owd Hoss' still go about under a changed aspect, but the dear old 'Morris Dancers' are all dead. At any rate Worksop knows them not. It is some years since the last set of 'Morris Dancers' performed in the Golden Ball square, and their interesting and really clever dance did not seem to be greatly appreciated. The Morris Dance is still kept up in some of the rural districts of Derbyshire, where old customs seem to linger longer than in other parts.

By the way, mention of the 'Owd Tup' - or as the lads here have it 'a little tup' - reminds me that the verses which are sung when the 'Little Tup' comes to this door, are a very-much-hashed version of 'The Darby Ram,' or 'The Darby Tup,'as given in the hilly county and supposed to be a true version. The verses are to be found in Jewitt's 'Ballads and Songs of Derbyshire,' and are too long for quotation here. However, I may say that the Worksop lads who take the 'Little Tup' round give many of the wonderful details of this remarkable 'Derby Ram' and on the whole what they say is well worth listening to, although sadly mutilated. The 'Owd Hoss' has also lost many of its best features, and the only one who I ever met who could give a fair rendering of the old rhymes was an inmate of the Workhouse, who died some years ago. He was good enough to write out his version for me, and I found that even he - the old stager that he was - had mixed up parts of the 'Tup' and the 'Ran-Tan' with it. The fact is, nothing remains as it was."

Nottinghamshire Weekly Express (1906a)

[Anon.] (Auth.)
LOCAL NOTES AND QUERIES: FACTS, CUSTOMS AND LEGENDS OF OLD-TIME CHRISTMASES IN NOTTS I
*Nottinghamshire Weekly Express, 7th Dec.1906

Article describing various Christmas customs. One section, taken from a correspondent to 'Notes and Queries' in 18— writing about 50 years previously in villages and towns in North Notts. refers to mummers visiting on Christmas Eve. This sounds like the correspondent referred to in Nottinghamshire Weekly Express (1920)

Another section taken from Notes and Queries 5th series, vol 8, p.481 refers to the Christmas period in Derbyshire and quotes: "The lads of the house with those of their neighbours, have been learning their parts, and getting ready their dresses for the 'Christmas guising' and the household daily talk is full flavoured of Christmas."

This section is identical to parts of T.Ratcliffe (1883).

Nottinghamshire Weekly Express (1906b)

[Anon.] (Auth.)
LOCAL NOTES AND QUERIES : FACTS, CUSTOMS, AND LEGENDS OF OLD-TIME CHRISTMASES IN NOTTS. - (Continued)
*Nottinghamshire Weekly Express, 14th Dec.1906

Continuation of Nottinghamshire Weekly Express (1906a). The first paragraph is repeated from the previous part and includes the section taken from Notes and Queries 5th series, vol 8, p.481 which refers to the Christmas period in Derbyshire and quotes:

"The lads of the house with those of their neighbours, have been learning their parts, and getting ready their dresses for the 'Christmas guising' and the household daily talk is full flavoured of Christmas."

Later the article quotes:

"Romping games are the order of the eve, broken only when the 'guisers' - of whom there were always several sets - or waits arrive. The 'guisers'are admitted indoors and go through the several acts of their play. At the conclusion 'Betsy Beelzebub' collects coppers from the company and ale and wine are given to the players."

All the text is identical to T.Ratcliffe (1883).

Nottinghamshire Weekly Express (1907a)

[Anon.] (Auth.)
Local Notes and Queries: PLOUGH MONDAY MUMMING: A NOTABLE LOCAL CUSTOM
*Nottinghamshire Weekly Express, 4th Jan.1907

A rambling description of Plough Monday customs, from throughout the country, including Lincs., Yorks., Cambs., Derbys., and Great Gransden, Hunts. Mostly taken from P.H.Ditchfield (1896) and E.K.Chambers (1903), but also includes an anecdote relating to a village "not a hundred miles from Nottingham". Chaworth-Musters (1890) Wyverton Hall, Notts., play is cited "...as given last week". Her correspondence with T.F.Ordish, as reprinted by Dichfield, is extensively quoted.

M.H.Mason (1908)

M. H. Mason (Auth.)
NURSERY RHYMES AND Country Songs: BOTH TUNES AND WORDS FROM TRADITION [2nd ed. - The Old Horse: Christmas Play from Notts.]
London: Metzler & Co., 1908, pp.49-50

2nd edition of M.H.Mason (1877), which includes a dramatised song headed "The Old Horse: CHRISTMAS PLAY". The footnote is extended as follows:-

"...Mr. Dixon prints, he says, for the first time, a version of these words, without the prologue, in his 'Songs of the Peasantry.' He thinks the 'Old Horse' to be of Scandinavian origin, a reminiscence of Odin's Sleipnor. The horse's head is, or was, however, used in Ireland in connection with customs most probably Phenician. It is placed at the end of a double row of bonfires, between which the people run up to it."

The reference is to James Henry Dixon, "Ancient poems ballads and songs of the peasantry of England", London: Percy Society, 1846

Mason is likely to have collected this play from the vicinity of Morton Hall near Ranby, Notts., where she lived from 1869.

"Derwent" (1914)

"Derwent" (Auth.)
LOCAL NOTES AND QUERIES: No. 42: St. George's Day Folk-Play
*Nottinghamshire Guardian, 18th Apr.1914

"There was but one play that I am aware of, which was enacted locally on St. George's Day, the mum known variously as 'St. George,' 'The Pasche Egg,' 'Pace Egg,' or 'Peace Egg.' In the middle years of the last century it was nearly invariably styled 'St. George' by the country lads of Derbyshire. Indeed, I have never heard it otherwise referred to until long afterwards, and was surprised when I met with a printed version under the title of 'The Peace Egg; an Easter Play.'"

R.Hutchinson (1914)

R. Hutchinson (Auth.)
LOCAL NOTES AND QUERIES: No. 30: "Guisers" or Disguisers [Derbys.]
*Nottinghamshire Guardian, 24th Apr.1914

"The Derbyshire mummers are remembered under the name of 'guisers.' The fool-plough was, and is yet in the North, attended by the sword-dancers who accompanied their performance, which is probably a relic of the war dance of our Saxon ancestors, with stirring songs. These latter, however, seem to have been less widely popular and enduring than some of the antic rhymes of the mummers."

T.Ratcliffe (1914a)

Thos. Ratcliffe (Auth.)
LOCAL NOTES AND QUERIES: No. 27: Worksop and Derbyshire Variants
*Nottinghamshire Guardian, 3rd Jan.1914

"Some of the lads about here used to give a 'nominy' made up out of 'St. George,' 'Th' Owd Hoss,' and 'The Darby Tup'; a frightful mixture enough to give one a nightmare a month long.

The characters that I have known are Betsy Beelzebub, Fool, St. George, Knight, or Slasher (a man of many parts in the play), the Doctor, and Devil Doubt, or Dowt. Betsy Beelzebub and Devil Dowt are one and the same; one a female devil, the other a male ditto.

The 'Morrises' or 'Sword Dancers' is quite a different matter; all sword play and dance, with no dialogue, yet a bit of carolling. 'Th' Owd Hoss' is a sort of rough play in uncouth language; and 'The Darby Tup,' or 'Ram,' is a version of an old song well known in the town and shire. It, too, has variations, one of which is in Jewitt's 'Songs and Ballads of Derbyshire.' It begins:-

As I was going to Darby, sir,
All on a market day.
I met the finest tup, sir,
That ever was fed on hay.
Fa-fa, lal-a.

Given in dialect the broadest Derbyshire, with gestures and in costumes, it is a most remarkable composition, and introduces a lot of characters besides the one who is 'Th' Owd Tup.'

I have a number of items, odd-bits, rants and verses, very distinct from the ballad itself, which would take some dealing with and occupy too much space.

T.Ratcliffe was based in Worksop, Notts.

T.Ratcliffe (1914)

Thos. Ratcliffe (Auth.)
LOCAL NOTES AND QUERIES: No. 28: Mummings and mysteries.
*Nottinghamshire Guardian, 10th Jan.1914

Cites the East Retford mummers' play published by E.Sutton (1913). Gives the speeches for Betsy Beelzebub and Devil Dowt from a Derbys., St. George play. Also briefly describes two other plays from Notts., and Derbys., - "Th' Owd Hoss" and "The Darby Tup"

Nottinghamshire Guardian (1918)

*[Anon.] (Auth.)
Local Notes and Queries: The Old-Time Ploughmen's Guild: Notts Mumming Play Revived.
*Nottinghamshire Guardian, 16th Feb.1918

Blurb taken from P.H.Ditchfield (1896) about ploughs being trailed round on Plough Monday to support plough lights, and plough up the doorsteps of those who did not contribute. Mentions Lincs., Plough-bullocks, Yorks., Plough-stots and the City of London's Plough Monday banquet. Re-quotes Ditchfield's quotation relating to Mrs. Chaworth-Musters' account of the play at Wyverton Hall, Notts.

E.B. (1919)

E. B. (Auth.)
LOCAL NOTES AND QUERIES : Plough Monday in Derbyshire, "Plough Bullocks" in Lincolnshire
*Nottinghamshire Guardian, 11th Jan.1919

Quotations from "A Derbyshire antiquary of the early fifties" relating to 'plough Bullocks' on Plough Monday.

"Quotations from „A Lincolnshire writer of about the same period describing the customs in that county" are very similar to K.D.(1897)

T.Ratcliffe (1920a)

Thos. Ratcliffe (Auth.)
LOCAL NOTES & QUERIES: Derbyshire Sword Dancers
*Nottinghamshire Guardian, 10th Sep.1920

Description of sword dancing in Derbyshire about 1851, including an attempt to describe the figures.

T.Ratcliffe (1920b)

Thos. Ratcliffe (Auth.)
LOCAL NOTES AND QUERIES: Derbyshire Christmas Mummers
*Nottinghamshire Guardian, 24th Dec.1920

"Christmas is here, and with it may come the 'guisers and mummers' if they still survive. In Derbyshire they were looked forward to at Christmas when I was a lad, and I have pleasant memories of the 'Owd Hoss' and 'Darby Tup' with its butting horns. St. George and Slasher used to delight me in those days, and the doctor whose seasonable advice was 'Take a sup down thy throttle.' An old Derbyshire Christmas was nothing without the guisers and mummers.

T.Ratcliffe (1922)

Thos. Ratcliffe (Auth.)
LOCAL NOTES & QUERIES: Christmas Mummers
*Nottinghamshire Guardian, 15th Dec.1922

"Do Christmas waits, guisers and mummers still go round in Notts. and Derbyshire villages? I scarcely know which come first in my memory, for they seem to crowd upon the other. The waits, however, recall the most pleasant memories. The guisers and mummers were more or less a terror to me. I expect it was the dress and make-up - for instance, that of Devil Doubt. Are they still known in the district?"

"Old Timer" (1925)

"Old Timer" (Auth.)
LOCAL NOTES AND QUERIES: Notts. and Derbyshire "Guisers."
Nottinghamshire Guardian, 7th Feb.1925

Description of Plough Monday plough trailing, similar to W.Hone (1837), and highlighting the characters Bessy and Fool. The play text published by G.Richardson (1925) is mentioned. Concerning Nottingham it states;

"... in some streets of Nottingham in the early '80's men with blackened faces calling themselves 'Plough Bullocks' went from yard to yard threatening to plough up doorsteps, although they had no plough, and demanding money for ale."

P.Herring (1926)

Paul Herring (Auth.)
PLOUGH MONDAY REVELS IN THE MIDLANDS
Nottinghamshire Guardian, 9th Jan.1926, No.4208, p.1 a-b,e-f

This extensive feature article describes Plough Monday activities of Plough Bullocks, Guisers and Plough-licks in Notts., the East Midlands and Norfolk using information derived from published sources.

A Notts. Plough Bullocks' play is described, with textual fragments, and the characters; [an Introducer], St. George, Turkish Knight, Doctor, Old Squire, Beelzebub. This seems to be taken from C.Brown (1891) and W.Hone (1837).

Plough Bullocks collecting money in Nottingham are mentioned.

S.R.Hole's (1902) account of morris dancers at Caunton, Notts. is extensively quoted. including the play with characters; Robin Hood, Little John, Maid Marion and Fool.

A description of the trailing of a Fool Plough, with its attendant dancers and Bessy, also seems to be taken from W.Hone (1837).

Finally there is a brief account of the plough boys' daily life, taken from Gervase Markham's (1653) "Farewell to husbandry", and J.Prior's novel "Forest Folk"

[I recollect having seen the actual newspaper containing this article at one time, and thought I saw two illustrations taken from W.Hone (1837). However, these are lacking from the clippings in Notts. County Library's folklore box. On the other hand these illustrations are included with clippings of M.W.M. (1926a & 1926b) where they appear to be a little out of context. I suspect a mix up.]

A.Sharp (1929)

*Arthur Sharp (Auth.)
THE MUMMER'S PLAY: OLD COUNTRY CUSTOM STILL SURVIVING: "OWD HOSS" IN NOTTS
Nottingham Evening Post, 3rd Jan.1929, No.15762, p.3 f

*Article on "mumming" and its putative ritual origins. A typical play is said to have the characters; St. George, Fool, Slasher, Doctor, Beelzebub and Devil Doubt. "A version that was popular in the Midlands during the last century" had the characters; Herald, Hero, St. George and Doctor. This would appear to refer to E.Sutton's (1912) play from East Retford. Other characters and fragments are given from Chambers (presumably 1903). These include; Father Christmas, Grand Turk/Turkish Knight and Dragon. Other Notts., fragments are also quoted, the plays being current. "The Owd Hoss" or "Hooden Horse" is mentioned from North Notts.

Some doubt as to the correctness of the author. A.Sharp may just be a cited author.

A.Sharp (1936)

*Arthur Sharp (Auth.)
OLD REVELS OF TWELFTH NIGHT AND PLOUGH MONDAY: Notts Versions of Ancient Mummer's Play: "Hooden Horse" That Sang Verses in Villages
Nottingham Evening Post, 30th Dec.1936, No.18246, p.6 a-b

Brief description of Twelfth Night customs, including the Twelfth Cake and King of the Bean. The description of Plough Monday Mummers' plays mentions the characters of Selston, Notts.; Fool, Saint George, Slasher, Doctor, Beelzebub, and Devil Doubt. A North Notts., version (evidently E.Sutton, 1912) had the characters; Herald, Hero, St. George and Doctor, and a couple of fragments of text are quoted. Another custom was the Hooden Horse or Owd 'Oss, which the author appears to have performed in himself. He calls the performers "hoodeners", and the play used to be found in both Notts., and Derbys. Discussing the origins of Plough Monday, mention is made of Plough Lights, and the trailing of a "Fool Plough" by Plough Bullockers, and accompanied by Morris Dancers and a "Bessy". Mention is also made of the horn dance at Pagets Bromley in Staffs. This is another name for Abbots Bromley

A.Sharp (1944)

Arthur Sharp (Auth.)
YULETIDE WEATHER AND CUSTOMS
*Nottingham Guardian [?], 23rd Dec.1944

*Mostly describes very cold Christmases but part relates to the "Owd 'oss" in Notts. and Derbys., and quotes 2 lines. The actors are also called "hoodeners". It finishes by saying that "No Christmas in the North Notts. village would have been complete without a visit from the 'plough bullockers,'..."

Nottinghamshire Guardian (1945b)

[Anon.] (Auth.)
Decay of Christmas Customs
*Nottinghamshire Guardian, 22nd Dec.1945

Article quoting William Howitt (1834) and Llewellyn Jewitt (1853)

"WILLIAM HOWITT, the local writer of a century ago, lamented the decay of Christmas customs in his time, noting, however, that Plough Monday celebrations had become so depraved that no-one could regret their cessation."

"...Llewellyn Jewitt writing a quarter of a century later found a fair number of customs being observed in Notts. and Derbyshire. 'Christmas festivities in Notts'. he said 'are nearly synonymous with those at Derby; ...the mummers or guisers pass from house to house and still perform their play of St. George with all the precision and care of a band of regularly organised strolling players."

Other Christmas customs are also discussed, including a 'Wassail Bowl' house-visiting custom in the Hucknall district up to 1873.

M.W.Barley (1951)

M. W. Barley (Auth.); E. F. H. D. (Col.)
Plough Plays in Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire Countryside, Oct.1951, Vol.13, No.2, pp.1-2

This is a request for information on Plough monday plays. Brief descriptions are given of the sort of information wanted, together with outlines of the possible historical implications of Plough Monday and of the questions it is hoped to answer. The names Plough Boys, or Jacks, or Jags, or Stots, or Bullocks are mentioned. He particularly asks for information on plough trailing, sword dances, and customs from western Notts., similar to those found in Derbys. & Yorks., such as Christmas Mummers, sword dances and Morris dances. In a brief mention of Hobby Horses, he notes the Christmas play of the "Poor Owd 'Oss" from Mansfield in the A.S.Buxton Collection, and other occurrences at Cuckney and Elkesley. He already had information on Plough Monday plays from the Notts. villages of; Blidworth, Mansfield, East Bridgford, Bothamsall, Cropwell, Clayworth, Flintham, Selston, Walesby, Whatton, Worksop, Norwell, Averham, Tollerton, and North Leverton.

Appended is the final song of a play from Blidworth, Notts., collected in 1925 by E.F.H.D. This was in fact first published in 1948 (E.F.H.D., 1948).

"J.Granby" (1952a)

"John Granby" (Auth.)
Local Notes and Queries: (Part One) [Plough Monday]
Nottinghamshire Guardian, 5th Jan.1952, No.5564, p.10 a-b

General notes on Plough Monday, mentioning revivals in Derbys. and Yorks. ("with or without the sword-dance"), and the play at Tollerton, Notts. Cites M.W.Barley's (1951) appeal for information on plough-bullocks (incorrectly given as Mr.M.W.Bramley.)

A.S. (1952)

A. S. (Auth.)
A BULLOCKING WE WILL GO
*Nottingham Guardian, 13th Dec.1952

General discussion of Plough Bullocking at Christmas and New Year in Notts. and Derbys. The actors played "St. George and the Dragon". A revival at Tollerton, Notts. is mentioned.

H.J.Smith (1952)

*H. J. Smith (Auth.)
*[Appeal for Information on Plough Plays.]
*Nottingham Evening News, 10th Jan.1952

*An appeal for information on Plough Plays and celebrations on the border of Notts. and Derbys.

[From a note in the M.W.Barley Collection]

R.A.Harris (1966)

R. A. Harris (Auth.)
Letters to the Editor [Appeal for Notts., folk songs and plays]
*Nottinghamshire Countryside, 1966, pp.13-14

This letter is primarily an appeal for information on folk songs in Notts., and Derbys. Harris also mentions a number of other traditions he is interested in hearing about - Mumming plays, Guising, Tupping, Plough Monday, Riding the Stang, Wassailing, and the "Poor old Horse".

P.T.Millington (1971)

Peter T. Millington (Auth.)
OUT GOES I SAINT GEORGE? [Notts. & Derbys. Guysers]
Heanor Observer & Langley Mill Chronicle, 30th Dec.1971, No.4021, p.4 d

This article aims to make readers aware of the decline of Christmas Guysers' plays on the Notts./Derby border, and the reasons for it. Ways are suggested in which the continuance of the plays can be encouraged. The need to keep a written and photographic record of the plays for future generations is stated, and information requested. This article was originally submitted to the 'Eastwood and Kimberley Advertiser', but was also syndicated to this sister newspaper.

P.T.Millington (1972a)

Peter T. Millington (Auth.)
OUT GOES I SAINT GEORGE? [Notts. & Derbys. Guysers]
Eastwood & Kimberley Advertiser, 14th Jan.1972, Vol.75, No.4064, p.4 f

This article aims to make readers aware of the decline of Christmas Guysers' plays on the Notts./Derby border, and the reasons for it. Ways are suggested in which the continuance of the plays can be encouraged. The need to keep a written and photographic record of the plays for future generations is stated, and information requested.

* indicates data that not yet been validated against the original source and/or has yet to be completely indexed.