Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 20, 1909.djvu/246

 2o6 Collectanea.

born, as he was fond of saying, " the year before Waterloo," at his father's house at Northenden, a parish about fifteen miles from Bury, adjoining the boundary of Lancashire and Cheshire. It is actually on the Cheshire side of the Mersey, but was in close touch with Manchester, even in my uncle's youth. I gleaned the following items during a conversation I had with him on February loth, 1S91, on the subject of his early days. I give them from notes written down at the time.

On " Pancake Day " it was a point of honour with the boys,, (himself and his brothers), to eat as many pancakes as possible, and it used to be said that the last to finish must be carried out on to the midden ! {i.e., the dunghill). Whether the boy, — as " cock " or champion consumer — was placed there as a reminiscence of Shrove Tuesday cock-throwing, my uncle could not say; but cock-throwing on Shrove Tuesday was formerly a recognized custom in north-country grammar-schools, and an Easter Monday archery contest, in which a cock figured as a prize, was only abolished at Manchester Grammar School by the head-master. Dr. Smith, under whom ray uncle received his education.^

" Mothering Sunday " was not kept at Northenden, but was kept at Congleton. " My old friend, John Darcey, used to speak of it."

On Easter Monday the boys used to eat as many eggs as they liked.

" Peace-eggers " came round at Easter, begging for eggs. They were children carrying baskets, with sticks, and thumping on the ground, asking for "Aister eggs! pace-eggs!" "Were they dressed up at all ? " I asked. " I think they disfigured their faces," was the reply. I tried to find out whether they sang or acted, but he had no recollection of it. He remembered that at some time in the year, he could not recollect when, but thought it was probably before Christmas, as it was always after dark, parties used to come round in the evenings and sing verses with a burden, one for every member of the family, thus :

(Drawing near to the merry month of May)."
 * ' Rise up, Master William, and take your pen in hand,


 * HarIand and Wilkinson, Lancashire Folklore, p. 219.