Folk Calendar

Tuesday 20 July

Wednesday 21 July

Happy birthday to Cara Dillon (52 today) and Kenna Campbell (90 today)

Thursday 22 July

Saturday 24 July

Sunday 25 July

Folklore from the old calendars

The Mutton Pie at Cliffe No longer kept KentSt James's Day was reckoned the day oysters came in, and Hone records the vulgar belief that whoever ate oysters on it would never want money.
Knill’s Games at St Ives Still kept CornwallJohn Knill of St Ives left the income of an estate to trustees to pay for prizes in racing, rowing and wrestling, to be held every fifth year for ever round the mausoleum he built in 1782 on a high rock near the town.
Hops before St James’s Day Lore and belief HerefordshireAmong the folk lore of St James's Day Chambers gives a Herefordshire saying about the county's hop crop.
Garlands on the Graves on St James’s Day No longer kept LondonThe Argus newspaper of August 1790 reported that on St James's Day, which had fallen on a Sunday, crowds went to St James's churchyard to honour the graves of their friends.
St James’s oysters Lore and belief LondonOysters came in in London on St James's Day, Old Style, and it was believed that whoever ate oysters on that day would never want for money all the year.
London against Westminster on St James’s Day No longer kept LondonThe citizens of London held a yearly public wrestling trial on St James's Day.
St James’s Fair forborn No longer kept LondonA fair was held every year at St James's in Westminster on or about 25 July, St James's Day.

Monday 26 July

Happy birthday to Ian A. Anderson (80 today)

Tuesday 27 July

Born on this day: Tony Capstick (1944)

Saturday 31 July

Sunday 1 August

Lammas

Born on this day: Kenneth Loveless (1911), Paddy Moloney (1938) and Seán Ó Riada (1931)

Folklore from the old calendars

Lammas in the old calendars 11 entriesLammas Towers, The Exeter Lammas Glove, St Wilfrid’s Feast at Ripon, Lammas, the Loaf-Mass, Glove Silver, At Latter Lammas, A live lamb for York Minster, Up Snaefell and Barrule on the first Sunday of August, Lammas, called August’s Wheel, The feast round Hitchingstone, Geese with straws on Lammas Day
Doggett’s Coat and Badge Still kept LondonThomas Dogget, a Dublin-born comic actor and a keen supporter of the Hanoverian succession, gave a waterman's coat and silver badge to be rowed for on 1 August 1715, the first anniversary of George I's accession, and at his death left money to keep the prize going for ever.
Burning Fern for Rain Lore and belief Scotland, StaffordshireA letter of 1 August 1636 from the Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery to the high sheriff of Staffordshire said that the king was about to pass through the county.
Swimming the Cattle in Westmeath No longer kept LeinsterSir Henry Piers, describing County Westmeath in 1682, wrote that on the first Sunday in harvest, that is in August, the people were sure to drive their cattle into some pool or river and swim them.

Monday 2 August New moon

Wednesday 4 August

Happy birthday to Jackie Oates (44 today)

Born on this day: Moya Brennan (1952)

Thursday 5 August

Happy birthday to Joe Boyd (85 today) and Paddy Glackin (73 today)

Born on this day: James Scott Skinner (1843)

Friday 6 August

Monday 9 August

Born on this day: Lucy Broadwood (1858)

Tuesday 10 August

Born on this day: Jim Halcrow (1934)

Sunday 15 August

Born on this day: Norma Waterson (1939)

Monday 16 August

Tuesday 17 August Sturgeon Moon

Wednesday 18 August

Tuesday 24 August

Folklore from the old calendars

The Croyland Knives No longer kept LincolnshireBecause St Bartholomew was flayed alive, a knife became his emblem.
Strewing Rushes at Dorrington No longer kept LincolnshireOn St Bartholomew's Day at Dorrington, near Sleaford, maidens in their best clothes used to walk in procession to a small chapel in the parish and strew its floor with rushes.
The Scholars’ Disputation on Bartholomew Eve No longer kept London, YorkshireA correspondent from Morley, near Leeds, reminded Hone of a custom little noticed by antiquaries: on the eve of St Bartholomew scholars from different schools met for disputation, to try their proficiency in learning, as Stow and the astrologer Lilly both mention.
Rabbits for the Boys at Bartholomew-tide No longer kept LondonThe German traveller Hentzner, in England in 1598, wrote that every year on St Bartholomew's Day, when the fair was held, the mayor with the twelve principal aldermen walked in a neighbouring field, in his scarlet gown with a gold chain about his neck.
Bartholomew Pig and Fairings No longer kept LondonBy the time of Ben Jonson's comedy of 1614 Bartholomew Fair had lost nearly all its trading character and was given over to eating, drinking and amusement, and it had become an established custom to eat roast pig there.
St Bartholomew’s Dusty Mantle Lore and belief EnglandSt Bartholomew's Day falls forty days after St Swithin's, when the forty days of rain promised by a wet St Swithin's Day should be over.
Shooting at the Standard in Finsbury Fields No longer kept LondonStow wrote that before his time the lord mayor, sheriffs and aldermen of London used to go out at Bartholomew-tide into the fields at Finsbury, where the citizens had gathered, and shoot at the standard with broad and flight arrows for games.
Beggar’s Bush Fair at Rye No longer kept SussexRye held a small pedlars' fair at Beggar's Bush on St Bartholomew's Day, and chose its mayor on the same day.
Lee Fair and its disputations No longer kept YorkshireThe great fair at Lee, in Woodkirk parish near Leeds, ended on St Bartholomew's Day.
The sunflower, a star for Bartholomew Lore and belief EnglandThe sunflower, in full bloom by late August, was given to St Bartholomew as his star.
Butter and cheese at Bartlemytide No longer kept CambridgeshireAt Bartholomewtide, or at Stourbridge Fair near Cambridge, the farmer bought what his house needed for repairs and sold his butter and cheese.
Jack Pudding and gape-seed at Bartholomew Fair No longer kept LondonAt Bartholomew Fair in Smithfield, crowds watched Jack Pudding the clown do his tricks while cutpurses went through their pockets.

Tuesday 20 July

Wednesday 21 July

Thursday 22 July

Saturday 24 July

Sunday 25 July

Monday 26 July

Tuesday 27 July

Saturday 31 July

Sunday 1 August

Monday 2 August New moon

Wednesday 4 August

Thursday 5 August

Friday 6 August

Monday 9 August

Tuesday 10 August

Sunday 15 August

Monday 16 August

Tuesday 17 August Sturgeon Moon

Wednesday 18 August

Tuesday 24 August

Wednesday 25 August

Thursday 26 August

Monday 30 August

Tuesday 31 August New moon

Image credits

What’s on: folk sessions, morris, customs and folklore

Tuesday 20 July

Wednesday 21 July

Thursday 22 July

Saturday 24 July

Sunday 25 July

Monday 26 July

Tuesday 27 July

Saturday 31 July

Sunday 1 August

Monday 2 August🌑 New moon

Wednesday 4 August

Thursday 5 August

Friday 6 August

Monday 9 August

Tuesday 10 August

Sunday 15 August

Monday 16 August

Tuesday 17 August🌕 Sturgeon Moon

Wednesday 18 August

Tuesday 24 August

Wednesday 25 August

Thursday 26 August

Monday 30 August

Tuesday 31 August🌑 New moon

Image credits

Monday 2 August New moon

Tuesday 17 August Sturgeon Moon

Tuesday 31 August New moon