HANKINSON NEWSLETTER SPECIAL EDITION for CHRISTMAS 2002 |
The inaugurators of the newsletter wish to add a little light heartiness to our family genealogy |
Les HANKINSON |
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Alan TAYLOR |
HOW THEY SPENT CHRISTMAS IN THE YEAR 1550 Here are some facts about the 1500s given in a lighthearted manner. Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May but still smelt pretty strong by June. Since they were starting to smell, the brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odour. Hence the custom of carrying a "bouquet" when getting married. Baths consisted of big tubs filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children -- last of all the babies. By then, the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water." Houses had thatched roofs, thick straw piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm so all the dogs; cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof. Hence the saying, "It's raining cats and dogs." There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem where bugs and other droppings could really mess up your clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy (4 poster) beds came into existence The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying, "Dirt poor." The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter and the floor would be covered with a layer of thresh (straw) to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they kept adding more thresh until, when you opened the door it would jam the door. A piece of wood was placed in the door entrance to hold back the thresh, hence a "thresh hold." In those olden days they cooked in a kitchen with a big caldron that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and didn't get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes the stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while, hence the rhyme, "Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot, nine days old." Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came, they would hang up their side of bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that the man could "bring home the bacon." They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and "chew the fat." Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach into the food, causing lead poisoning and death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so tomatoes were considered poisonous. Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, family got the middle, and guests got the top and became known as "upper crust." Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination would sometimes knock them out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait to see if they would wake up hence the custom of holding a "wake." England's landowners were greedy and unhelpful to their fellow men and the poor local folk would often run out of places to bury their dead. They would have to dig up and open the coffins, take the bone to the "bone-house" and re-use the grave and "recycle" the coffin. When re-opening these coffins, 1 out of 25 were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. To allay the fears of the village folk they would tie a piece string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up to the surface and tie it to the church bell. For three nights after a burial a relative would have to sit out in the graveyard all night to ensure the corpse was dead. This became known as the "graveyard shift" If the bell rang, then someone would be "saved by the bell" if it didn't ring they were considered a "dead ringer." |
CHRISTMAS BRAIN TEASER Two men were looking at a photograph and one said to the other. "Brothers, sisters have I none, that man's father is my father's son" What relation is the person in the photograph? Answer in the spring issue of the HANKINSON NEWS LETTER. It's a MERRY CHRISTMAS from him And a HAPPY NEW YEAR from me! |
WHAT'S IN A NAME It goes back a long, long way only to change its form along the way. Travelling and sailing around the world to start new families in a swirl. Sometimes running out only to turn up with a clout. Intelligent men they knew best spelt it differently at your behest. We peep and seek at all things written to find that name that has been christened The bible names were their passion but now its quirky and what's in fashion. Then one day upon the phone a baby's new name is a groan. Law enforcer may drive it to ground but wedding bells make it sound. When at last that name is done the solemn bell will ring a glum. Les Hankinson 2002 Christmas Night in a Warrington Workhouse. It was Christmas night in the Workhouse, the pudding steaming hot, in came the workhouse master and scoffed the flaming lot. Now Martha and kids would starve that night and all would love to have a bite. Holding bairn to bosom, and grabbing shawl they legged it to the Mission. Bread and soup was their fancy but all had been eaten by the Dandy. "Fear not" said Martha, with tearful eyes; "we'll raid the mouse trap at St Ives". But tales of woe they did find, the mice had left their tails behind. "Come quickly" said young Rita "lets try begging at St. Peters". Sing up called the Priest and sidelined them to the street. Shivering and shaking to the Quakers but were told to go and pray to their Maker. Cold and sad they walked the streets, till poor Thomas fell asleep. Desperate and tired they did return to Warrington Workhouse to do their turn. Poor and humbled they prayed to God to make things right and he took them that very night. Let us thank our God for how lucky we are!!!!! Les Hankinson 2002 |
