Stamford (TF0207), Lincolnshire

Lincoln, Rutland & Stamford Mercury (1858)

[Anon.] (Auth.)
*(Stamford)
*Lincoln, Rutland & Stamford Mercury, 15th Jan.1858, pp.4b

"The Plough Monday begging was a complete nuisance in Stamford on the 11th inst. There was a much larger number than usual of farm servants, dressed up in fantastic style, with blackened and ochred faces; and their attempts to levy contributions from the tradesmen and other inhabitants were carried on with rude inportunity some of them entering houses and penetrating to the sitting-rooms of the residents. Many of the "plough-witches", as they call themselves are idle vagabonds, and the custom they assume to maintain ought to be "honoured in the breach rather than in the observance."

Lincoln, Rutland & Stamford Mercury (1859)

[Anon.] (Auth.)
*(Stamford)
*Lincoln, Rutland & Stamford Mercury, 14th Jan.1859, pp.4b

"The rustic fooleries usually tolerated on Plough Monday brought to Stamford on the 11th inst. a large number of agricultural labourers, who with painted faces and tawdry disguises importuned the inhabitants for contributions. One stalwart fellow tried to do "the state some service" by bringing into ridicule the prevelant mania for crinoline. He had borrowed some flowing locks to adorn his cheeks, and had surmounted those with a pimping thing called a bonnet, and his nether limbs were enclosed in what ladies call a "skeleton", that is, a kind of network of steel, whalebone, or some other substance used to puff out gowns. This appandage is said to have caused many who saw his figure to blush; but the extraordinary apparel answered the purpose, as the man obtained many donations. Plough Monday is an English institution, just within the ancient boundary which, as regards some observances becomes more and more effaced. The day is so called because for the first time after Christmas the husbandman formerly resumed his ploughing. Brand's Antiquities describe a Plough Monday performance at Revesby Abbey, the seat of Sir Jos. Banks, Bart, in 1779, the dancing ploughboys being decorated in ribbons, each having a sword."

Lincoln, Rutland & Stamford Mercury (1865)

[Anon.] (Auth.)
*[Stamford]
*Lincoln, Rutland & Stamford Mercury, 13th Jan.1865, pp.4b

"The fooleries practised on Plough-Monday by the young agricultural labourers of the neighbourhood kept the youth of Stamford in a state of excitement throughout last Monday, and many of the tradesmen were subject to considerable annoyance by their importuities. Some of the cacicatures of ladies'fashions were, however, exceedingly laughable. Stalwart fellows with painted faces dressed in shawls, crinolines, little pork-pie hats; frilled, furbelowed, and decked out with flaunting ribbons; paced the streets from noon to misty eve; and many of them departed to their homes "fresh" with drink but anything rather than fresh in their appearance. This custom of begging in disguise and marching about with worn-out besoms seems to increase as the years roll on, instead of diminishing as education progresses."

Lincoln, Rutland & Stamford Mercury (1871 - b)

[Anon.] (Auth.)
*(Stamford)
*Lincoln, Rutland & Stamford Mercury, 13th Jan.1871, pp.4c

"There were several parties of farming lads in the town on Monday dressed up in fantastical fashion and with charcoal-bedaubed faces, to represent "plough-witches".They of course attracted the jeering salutes of the juveniles, and proved to be a great nuisance to the tradespeople."

Lincoln, Rutland & Stamford Mercury (1876)

[Anon.] (Auth.)
*(Stamford)
*Lincoln, Rutland & Stamford Mercury, 14th Jan.1876, pp.4c

"The bumpkins who had been accustomed to daub their faces, dress fantastically, and dun the tradesmen for backsheesh on Plough Monday, were scarce in Stamford on Monday last. We may therefore hope that the nuisance of the "plough witches" is dying out. Formerly the ploughmen, or the loafers who represented agricultural labourers, were so importunate and so unruly as to cause disturbances in the town, and such was their indulgence in drink that very few went to their homes in a state of sobriety."

Lincoln, Rutland & Stamford Mercury (1877 - a)

[Anon.] (Auth.)
*(Stamford)
*Lincoln, Rutland & Stamford Mercury, 12th Jan.1877, pp.4b

"The vagaries of the farming men and boys on Plough Monday are, it is, hoped, going out of fashion. Very few "plough-witches" troubled the inhabitants of Stamford on Monday last, and the nuisance might be altogether suppressed if householders and shop-keepers would generally refuse to countenance their begging. What the fellows obtain is generally spent in drink."

Lincoln, Rutland & Stamford Mercury (1897)

[Anon.] (Auth.)
*(Stamford)
*Lincoln, Rutland & Stamford Mercury, 10th Jan.1897, pp.4c

"The old mummeries and mendicancy of Plough-Monday are happily dying out. Formerly the streets of Stamford were invaded by men and hobbledehoys from the rural district, some of them fantastically dressed, who were pertinacious in their demands for beer-money, and who often forced themselves into houses to gain their object. On Monday last the town was free from these intruders, much to the relief of tradesmen and others."

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