Upper Broughton (SK6828), Nottinghamshire

S.Race Collection (1924, E.R.Granger)

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.

Nottinghamshire Local History Council Collection (1960, E.L.Brooks)

Miss E. L. Brooks (Auth.)
UPPER BROUGHTON: MEMORIES OF A VILLAGER [Plough Monday]
Nottinghamshire Local History Council Collection, Written 29th Mar.1960, Ref.DD/121/1/14, 12pp.,letter

Entry to an essay competition on old village life at Upper Broughton, Notts. Includes the following on page 3 [original all written in capital letters];

"Plough Monday, boys used to dress up and black their faces, sing, come to the door and say please remember the Plough Boys. They were pleased with a few pennies in those days."