Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 29, 1918.djvu/156

 CLASSIFIED CATALOGUE BRAND MATERIAL.

OF

{Cotithiued frotn Vol. XXIX. p. 74.)

[k) Strolling Visitors.

Waits (instrumental musicians : 1

generally perform during

night of Dec. 24-25).

Employed by municipality

[obs] - - - -

Licensed to solicit money

within definite area (down

to 1820-30) Entirely independent ; and

lingered into 19th century " Timbrel-waits " (tin-kettle

music by boys, before

Christmas)

" Bletherhead bands " (nigger minstrels) perambulate streets -. -

Carol-singers (perform at house- doors, night or day, some- times with instrumental accompaniment Sing on church-tower -

At holy wells. - _ In Minstrels' Gallery -

LOCALITY.

Berwick, Scarboro", Don- caster, Nottingham, Cambridge, Leicester, Chester, etc.

London Parishes. Country towns (sporadic).

Wolverhampton, York- shire towns.

Bradford.

General.

Berks. (Newbury), Hants.

(Crondall). West Cornwall. Exeter Cathedral.

'But the name i.s often applied to .singers, e.g. "The singing waits, a merry throng " (Clare, The Shep/ierifs Kalendar).