S.Race Collection (1924, E.R.Granger)
Source:
Mr. E. R. Granger (Col.)
Plough Monday Play [from Cropwell Bishop, Notts., etc.]
S.Race Collection,
Com. 13th Jan.1924 & 16th Jan.1924
Two letters mainly concerning a Plough Monday play from Cropwell Bishop,
Notts. The first replies to S.Race's enquiry after information, and says
little, other than that the play had been performed up to the First World War
and then discontinued. Two other points are of note;
"A friend of mine here who then lived at Hickling can also remember a party of
players coming every year from Broughton. He says he was only a lad at the
time, & that they were generally very frightened - & that the players generally
got quite drunk on the proceeds of the play - & painted the place red before
they went home."
"One interesting Plough Monday custom on old lady neighbour of mine told me
last night. On that date the lads used to remove all mops & brooms from the
back doors, & hold them to ransom on the church wall."
"The old lady tells me that a party used to come every year from Harby when she
was a girl. They called them then 'Molly dancers'. - evidently a corruption
of Morris"
The second letter contains the text (95 lines) of the play, including the tune
to the final song in doh-ray-me form. The characters were; Tom Fool, Bold Tom,
Recruiting Sergeant/Flasher, Farmer's Man, Beelzebub, Easem Squeasem, Dame Jane
and Doctor. Evidently some lines were omitted. Reference is made to
information quoted in the "Guardian" - i.e. the Nottinghamshire Guardian -
probably E.M. (1924). The writer's enquiries prompted an immediate revival of
the play by four young men.
Variant: a
Scans/Images
Variant: b
Scans/Images
Variant: c
Scan/Image
Index Terms:
| Locations: |
Cropwell Bishop, Notts. (SK6835); Hickling, Notts. (SK6929); Harby, Leics. (SK7431); Broughton, Notts. (SK6828)
|
| Years: |
Perf. before 1914; Rev. 1924; Col. 1924
|
| Subjects: |
Full Text; Plough Monday; Play; Tom Fool; Bold Tom; Recruiting Sergeant; Flasher; Farmer's Man; Beelzebub; Easem Squeasem; Dame Jane; Doctor; Tune; Mop and Broom Ransom; Molly Dancers; M.,E. (1924); Revival
|
| People: |
Sydney Race (Col.)
|
| Archives: |
TDRG Archive, Ref. TD00435
|
Last Updated Apr 1989 by Peter Millington.
|
