[South Nottinghamshire], Nottinghamshire

C.Brown (1874)

Cornelius Brown (Ed.)
NOTES ABOUT NOTTS.: A COLLECTION OF SINGULAR SAYINGS, CURIOUS CUSTOMS, ECCENTRIC EPITAPHS, AND INTERESTING ITEMS, HISTORICAL AND ANTIQUARIAN
Nottingham: T.Forman and Sons, 1874, pp.83-85

A compilation of items previously published in the "Local Notes and Queries" column of "The Nottingham Daily Guardian". There are two non-specific items on Plough Monday, also published later by J.P.Briscoe (1876). A general description corresponds with Briscoe's description of Shelford, Notts. The other main item is an unlocated South Notts. text, with the characters Bold Anthony, King of England, Prince George, Selina and Doctor

J.P.Briscoe (1876)

John Potter Briscoe (Ed.)
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE FACTS AND FICTIONS [2nd ed.]
Nottingham: Shepherd Bros., 1876, pp.6-8

This small miscellany on Nottinghamshire includes a description of Plough Bullocking (plough trailing), in Shelford, a text from South Notts., (previously published by C.Brown, 1874), and quotes Washington Irving's (1835) description of Plough Monday at Newstead Abbey. The South Notts., text has the characters; Bold Anthony, King of England, Prince George, Selina, and Doctor.

N.b. the "first edition" was not published separately, but as part of a Shepherd's Almanac.

T.F.Ordish Collection (1901, M.Peacock)

Mr. Bell (Inf.); Miss Kirby (Inf.); [Mabel Peacock] (Col.)
Mummers in South Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire [Plough Monday - also in Northants.]
T.F.Ordish Collection, c.1901, Vol.III, pp.146-149

Transcript of two letters originally sent to Mabel Peacock;

The first letter from Mr. Bell of Epworth, Lincs., relates to mummers called Plough-Bullocks in South Notts., South East Derbys. and Leics.

From his own recollections of his youth in Notts. (probably mid 19th Century), Mr. Bell remembered that the customs consisted of plough trailing, with singing, dancing and horse-play in costume, but without dialogue. If people did not give money, gardens might be ploughed up or other retribution taken.

He describes a particular incident involving his niece, Mrs. H.N. She was stopped by a party in about 1881 when returning from school at Long Eaton to her home at Toton. They made her give up all the money she had on her (eightpence) under threat of being thrown into the canal.

Mentions enclosure of a copy of J.P.Briscoe's 'Nottinghamshire Gleanings', which contains notes on the subject.

One of the mummers wore a top-hat and frock-coat (the "old lord") and another was dressed as a woman, the rest had no distinctive dress, but were covered with bright-coloured ribbons stitched to their clothes.

Boys were still going round at Stapleford, with whitened faces, and singing a song which ended -

"If you haven't got a penny a halfpenny will do.
If you haven't got a halfpenny, God help you."

At one time they used to carry a plough round, - as at Hickling and if money was not given them would jag up the ground round the door (hence, it is conjectured locally the name of 'plough-jaggers.')

It is not easy to tell which of Mr. Bell's statements relate to which location. In particular, because it is not a usual Notts term, the explanation of "Plough-Jaggers" may relate to Epworth, Lincs.

The second letter from Miss Kirby, Oxendon, Northants., says that there;

"The mummers used to come on Christmas Eve and go through some performance. On Plough Monday the boys came to the door with masks on, but there was no acting. In some villages, I have been told they took a plough round to the houses. The custom has almost died out, though a few little boys still come for money."

W.Page (1910)

William Page (Auth.)
THE VICTORIA HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF NOTTINGHAM
London: Constable and Company Limited, 1910, Vol.2, pp.410-413

The chapter on "Old-Time Sports" gives details of a number of Notts., customs taken from published accounts. These include; Bull-baiting, Bear-baiting, Badger-baiting, and Cock-fighting, throwing at the cock and thrashing the fat hen at Shrovetide, May-poles and May-day customs, Oak and Nettle Day, the Eakring Ball-play on Easter Tuesday, Midsummer's Eve bonfires, wrestling and the St. Ann's Well Shepherd's Race or maze.

The description of Plough Monday or Plough Bullock Day covers plough trailing and malicious ploughing. A fragment is given from a play from South Notts, with the characters; bold Anthony, St. George, Selina and a doctor. Washington Irving's (1835) account of a Plough Monday and Morris Dancers at Newstead Abbey is also quoted.