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Title: The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland (Vol 1 of 2)

Author: Alice Bertha Gomme

Release date: December 29, 2012 [eBook #41727]

Language: English

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Please see Transcriber’s Notes at the end of this document.

This is Volume I of a two-volume work. Volume II (including the Addenda) is available on the Project Gutenberg website here. The hyperlinks to Volume II work when this book is read on the Project Gutenberg website; when read elsewhere or when the files have been downloaded, the hyperlinks to Volume II may not work.

A DICTIONARY
OF
BRITISH FOLK-LORE

EDITED BY
G. LAURENCE GOMME, Esq., F.S.A.
PRESIDENT OF THE FOLK-LORE SOCIETY, ETC.

PART I.
TRADITIONAL GAMES

THE
Traditional Games
Of England, Scotland, and Ireland

WITH
TUNES, SINGING-RHYMES, AND METHODS OF PLAYING
ACCORDING TO THE VARIANTS EXTANT AND
RECORDED IN DIFFERENT PARTS
OF THE KINGDOM

COLLECTED AND ANNOTATED BY
ALICE BERTHA GOMME

VOL. I.
ACCROSHAY-NUTS IN MAY

LONDON
DAVID NUTT, 270-71 STRAND
1894

TO
MY HUSBAND

PREFACE

Soon after the formation of the Folk-lore Society in 1878 my husband planned, and has ever since been collecting for, the compilation of a dictionary of British Folk-lore. A great deal of the material has been put in form for publication, but at this stage the extent of the work presented an unexpected obstacle to its completion.

To print the whole in one alphabet would be more than could be accomplished except by the active co-operation of a willing band of workers, and then the time required for such an undertaking, together with the cost, almost seemed to debar the hope of ever completing arrangements for its publication. Nevertheless, unless we have a scientific arrangement of the enormously scattered material and a close comparison of the details of each item of folk-lore, it is next to impossible to expect that the full truth which lies hidden in these remnants of the past may be revealed.

During my preparation of a book of games for children it occurred to me that to separate the whole of the games from the general body of folk-lore and to make them a section of the proposed dictionary would be an advantageous step, as by arranging the larger groups of folk-lore in independent sections the possibility of publishing the contemplated dictionary again seemed to revive. Accordingly, the original plan has been so far modified that these volumes will form the first section of the dictionary, which, instead of being issued in one alphabet throughout, will now be issued in sections, each section being arranged alphabetically.

The games included in this collection bear the important qualification of being nearly all Children’s Games: that is to say, they were either originally children’s games since developed into games for adults, or they were the more serious avocations of adults, which have since become children’s games only. In both cases the transition is due to traditional circumstances, and not to any formal arrangements. All invented games of skill are therefore excluded from this collection, but it includes both indoor and outdoor games, and those played by both girls and boys.

The bulk of the collection has been made by myself, greatly through the kindness of many correspondents, to whom I cannot be sufficiently grateful. In every case I have acknowledged my indebtedness, which, besides being an act of justice, is a guarantee of the genuineness of the collection. I have appended to this preface a list of the collectors, together with the counties to which the games belong; but I must particularly thank the Rev. W. Gregor, Mr. S. O. Addy, and Miss Fowler, who very generously placed collections at my disposal, which had been prepared before they knew of my project; also Miss Burne, Miss L. E. Broadwood, and others, for kindly obtaining variants and tunes I should not otherwise have received. To the many versions now printed for the first time I have added either a complete transcript of, where necessary, or a reference to, where that was sufficient, printed versions of games to be found in the well-known collections of Halliwell and Chambers, the publications of the Folk-lore and Dialect Societies, Jamieson’s, Nares’, and Halliwell’s Dictionaries, and other printed sources of information. When quoting from a printed authority, I have as far as possible given the exact words, and have always given the reference. I had hoped to have covered in my collection the whole field of games as played by children in the United Kingdom, but it will be seen that many counties in each country are still unrepresented; and I shall be greatly indebted for any games from other places, which would help to make this collection more complete. The tunes of the games have been taken down, as sung by the children, either by myself or correspondents (except where otherwise stated), and are unaltered.

The games consist of two main divisions, which may be called descriptive, and singing or choral. The descriptive games are arranged so as to give the most perfect type, and, where they occur, variable types in succession, followed, where possible, by any suggestions I have to make as to the possible origin of the game. The singing games are arranged so as to give, first, the tunes; secondly, the different versions of the game-rhymes; thirdly, the method of playing; fourthly, an analysis of the game-rhymes on a plan arranged by my husband, and which is an entirely novel feature in discussing the history of games; fifthly, a discussion of the results of the analysis of the rhymes so far as the different versions allow; and sixthly, an attempt to deduce from the evidence thus collected suggestions as to the probable origin of the game, together with such references to early authorities and other facts bearing upon the subject as help to elucidate the views expressed. Where the method of playing the game is involved, or where there are several changes in the forms, diagrams or illustrations, which have been drawn by Mr. J. P. Emslie, are inserted in order to assist the reader to understand the different actions, and in one or two instances I have been able to give a facsimile reproduction of representations of the games from early MSS. in the Bodleian and British Museum Libraries.

Although none of the versions of the games now collected together are in their original form, but are more or less fragmentary, it cannot, I think, fail to be noticed how extremely interesting these games are, not only from the point of view of the means of amusement (and under this head there can be no question of their interest), but as a means of obtaining an insight into many of the customs and beliefs of our ancestors. Children do not invent, but they imitate or mimic very largely, and in many of these games we have, there is little doubt, unconscious folk-dramas of events and customs which were at one time being enacted as a part of the serious concerns of life before the eyes of children many generations ago. As to the many points of interest under this and other heads there is no occasion to dwell at length here, because the second volume will contain an appendix giving a complete analysis of the incidents mentioned in the games, and an attempt to tell the story of their origin and development, together with a comparison with the games of children of foreign countries.

The intense pleasure which the collection of these games has given me has been considerably enhanced by the many expressions of the same kind of pleasure from correspondents who have helped me, it not being an infrequent case for me to be thanked for reviving some of the keenest pleasures experienced by the collector since childhood; and I cannot help thinking that, if these traditional games have the power of thus imparting pleasure after the lapse of many years, they must contain the power of giving an equal pleasure to those who may now learn them for the first time.

ALICE BERTHA GOMME.

Barnes Common, S.W.,
Jan. 1894.

LIST OF AUTHORITIES

ENGLAND.
Halliwell’s Nursery Rhymes.
Halliwell’s Dictionary, ed. 1889.
Holloway’s Dictionary, ed. 1838.
Strutt’s Sports and Pastimes, ed. 1831.
Brand’s Popular Antiquities, ed. 1875.
Nares’ Glossary, ed. 1872.
Grose’s Dictionary, 1823.
Notes and Queries.
Reliquary.
English Dialect Society Publications.
Folk-lore Society Publications, 1878-1892.
Bedfordshire—
	Luton	Mrs. Ashdown.
	Roxton	Miss Lumley.
Berkshire		Lowsley’s Glossary.
	Enborne	Miss Kimber.
	Fernham, Longcot	Miss I. Barclay.
	Newbury	Mrs. S. Batson, Miss Kimber.
	Sulhampstead	Miss Thoyts (Antiquary, vol. xxvii.)
Cambridgeshire—
	Cambridge	Mrs. Haddon.
Cheshire		Darlington’s, Holland’s, Leigh’s, and Wilbraham’s Glossaries.
	Congleton	Miss A. E. Twemlow.
Cornwall		Folk-lore Journal, v., Courtney’s Glossary.
	Penzance	Miss Courtney, Mrs. Mabbott.
Cumberland		Dickinson’s Glossary.
Derbyshire		Folk-lore Journal, vol. i., Mrs. Harley, Mr. S. O. Addy.
	Dronfield, Eckington, Egan	Mr. S. O. Addy.
Devonshire		Halliwell’s Dictionary.
Dorsetshire		Barnes’ Glossary, Folk-lore Journal, vol. vii.
Durham		Brockett’s North Country Words, ed. 1846.
	Gainford	Miss Eddleston.
	South Shields	Miss Blair.
Essex—
	Bocking	Folk-lore Record, vol. iii. pt. 2.
	Colchester	Miss G. M. Francis.
Gloucestershire		Holloway’s Dictionary, Midland Garner.
	Shepscombe, Cheltenham	Miss Mendham.
	Forest of Dean	Miss Matthews.
Hampshire		Cope’s Glossary, Miss Mendham.
	Bitterne	Mrs. Byford.
	Liphook	Miss Fowler.
Hampshire[xii]—
	Hartley, Winchfield, Witney	Mr. H. S. May.
	Southampton	Mrs. W. R. Carse.
Isle of Man		Mr. A. W. Moore.
Isle of Wight—
	Cowes	Miss E. Smith.
Kent		Pegge’s Alphabet of Kenticisms.
	Bexley Heath	Miss Morris.
	Crockham Hill, Deptford	Miss Chase.
	Platt	Miss Burne.
	Wrotham	Miss D. Kimball.
Lancashire		Nodal and Milner’s Glossary, Harland and Wilkinson’s Folk-lore, ed. 1882, Mrs. Harley.
	Monton	Miss Dendy.
Leicestershire		Evan’s Glossary.
	Leicester	Miss Ellis.
Lincolnshire		Peacock’s, Cole’s, and Brogden’s Glossaries, Rev. —— Roberts.
	Anderby, Botterford, Brigg, Frodingham, Horncastle, North Kelsey, Stixwould, Winterton	Miss Peacock.
	East Kirkby	Miss K. Maughan.
	Metheringham	Mr. C. C. Bell.
Middlesex		Miss Collyer.
	Hanwell	Mrs. G. L. Gomme.
	London	Miss Chase, Miss F. D. Richardson, Mr. G. L. Gomme, Mrs. G. L. Gomme, Mr. J. P. Emslie, Miss Dendy, Mr. J. T. Micklethwaite (Archæological Journal, vol. xlix.), Strand Magazine, vol. ii.
Norfolk		Forby’s Vocabulary, Spurden’s Vocabulary, Mr. J. Doe.
	Sporle, Swaffham	Miss Matthews.
Northamptonshire		Baker’s Glossary, Northants Notes and Queries, Revue Celtique, vol. iv., Rev. W. D. Sweeting.
	Maxey	Rev. W. D. Sweeting.
Northumberland		Brockett’s Provincial Words, ed. 1846.
	Hexham	Miss J. Barker.
Nottinghamshire		Miss Peacock.
	Long Eaton	Miss Youngman.
	Nottingham	Miss Winfield, Miss Peacock.
	Ordsall	Miss Matthews.
Oxfordshire		Aubrey’s Remains, ed. 1880.
	Oxford	Miss Fowler.
	Summertown	Midland Garner, vol. ii.
Shropshire		Burne’s Shropshire Folk-lore.
	Madeley, Middleton	Miss Burne.
	Tong	Miss R. Harley.
Somersetshire[xiii]		Elworthy’s Dialect, Somerset and Dorset Notes and Queries, Holloway’s Dictionary.
	Bath	Miss Large.
Staffordshire—
	Hanbury	Miss E. Hollis.
	Cheadle	Miss Burne.
	Tean, North Staffordshire Potteries	Miss Keary, Miss Burne, Mrs. T. Lawton.
	Wolstanton	Miss Keary.
Suffolk		Moor’s Suffolk Words, Forby’s Vocabulary, Lady C. Gurdon’s Suffolk County Folk-lore.
Surrey—
	Barnes	Mrs. G. L. Gomme.
	Clapham	Miss F. D. Richardson.
	Hersham	Folk-lore Record, vol. v.
	Redhill	Miss G. Hope.
Sussex		Parish’s Dialect, Holloway’s Dictionary, Toone’s Dictionary.
	Hurstmonceux	Miss Chase.
	Shipley, Horsham, West Grinstead	Miss R. H. Busk (Notes and Queries).
	Ninfield	Mr. C. Wise.
Warwickshire		Northall’s Folk Rhymes, Notes and Queries, Northants Notes and Queries, Mr. C. C. Bell.
Wiltshire—
	Marlborough, Manton, Ogbourne	Mr. H. S. May.
Worcestershire		Chamberlain’s Glossary.
	Upton-on-Severn	Lawson’s Glossary.
Yorkshire		Atkinson’s, Addy’s, Easther’s, Hunter’s, Robinson’s, Ross and Stead’s Glossaries, Henderson’s Folk-lore, ed. 1879.
	Almondbury	Easther’s Glossary.
	Epworth, Lossiemouth	Mr. C. C. Bell.
	Earls Heaton, Haydon, Holmfirth	Mr. H. Hardy.
	Settle	Rev. W. S. Sykes.
	Sharleston	Miss Fowler, Rev. G. T. Royds.
	Sheffield	Mr. S. O. Addy, Miss Lucy Garnett.
	Wakefield	Miss Fowler.
SCOTLAND.
Chambers’ Popular Rhymes, ed. 1870.
Mactaggart’s Gallovidian Encyclopædia, ed. 1871.
Jamieson’s Etymological Dictionary, ed. 1872-1889.
Folk-lore Society Publications.
Aberdeen—
	Pitsligo	Rev. W. Gregor.
Banffshire—[xiv]
	Duthil, Keith, Strathspey	Rev. W. Gregor.
Elgin—
	Fochabers	Rev. W. Gregor.
Kirkcudbright—
	Auchencairn	Prof. A. C. Haddon.
Lanarkshire—
	Biggar	Mr. Wm. Ballantyne.
	Lanark	Mr. W. G. Black.
Nairn—
	Nairn	Rev. W. Gregor.
IRELAND.
Folk-lore Society Publications.
Notes and Queries.
Antrim and Down		Patterson’s Glossary.
Clare—
	Kilkee	G. H. Kinahan (Folk-lore Journal, vol. ii.)
Cork—
	Cork	Mrs. B. B. Green, Miss Keane.
Down—
	Ballynascaw	Miss C. N. Patterson.
	Belfast	Mr. W. H. Patterson.
	Holywood	Miss C. N. Patterson.
Dublin—
	Dublin	Mrs. Lincoln.
Louth—
	Annaverna, Ravendale	Miss R. Stephen.
Queen’s County—
	Portarlington	G. H. Kinahan (Folk-lore Journal, vol. ii.)
Waterford—
	Lismore	Miss Keane.
WALES.
Byegones.
Folk-lore Society Publications.
Carmarthenshire—
	Beddgelert	Mrs. Williams.

The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland (Vol 1 of 2) / With Tunes, Singing-Rhymes and Methods of Playing etc.

About This Book

The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland (Vol 1 of 2)

THE
Traditional Games
Of England, Scotland, and Ireland

PREFACE

LIST OF AUTHORITIES

LIST OF GAMES

The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland (Vol 1 of 2) / With Tunes, Singing-Rhymes and Methods of Playing etc.

About This Book

The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland (Vol 1 of 2)

THE Traditional Games Of England, Scotland, and Ireland

PREFACE

LIST OF AUTHORITIES

LIST OF GAMES

THE
Traditional Games
Of England, Scotland, and Ireland