Hone's Every-Day Book

William Hone, The Every-Day Book, or Everlasting Calendar of Popular Amusements (2 vols, 1825-1827).

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Two volumes, 1825 to 1827. Later editions bind it with the Table Book, and old sets turn up second-hand.

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326 to 350 of 411 entries

15 October, not tied to the day

17 October

17 October, not tied to the day

18 October

21 October, not tied to the day

25 October

27 October

28 October

31 October

Folklore from the old calendars

Ale for Shony No longer kept Outer HebridesAt Hallowtide the people of Lewis met at the church of St Mulvay, each family bringing malt that was brewed into ale.
Burning the Nuts Lore and belief England, Ireland, ScotlandOn Hallowe'en a pair of nuts was named for a lad and a lass and laid in the fire.
Coel Coeth No longer kept North WalesOn All Saints' Eve every family in North Wales lit a large bonfire, called Coel Coeth, in the most prominent spot near the house.
Cyniver No longer kept WalesAmong the Hallowe'en customs he gathered, Hone gave a Welsh game from Owen's Welsh Dictionary.
Fathoming the Stack No longer kept ScotlandAnother Scottish Hallowe'en charm from Burns was to slip out unnoticed to a stack of barley, called a bear stack, and measure round it three times with outstretched arms.
Hallowe’en fires in the White Cart at Paisley No longer kept RenfrewshireOn Hallowe'en the boys of Paisley built round hearths of clay walled with stones and sods out in the shallows of the river White Cart and lit bonfires on them.
Lamb’s-wool on Holy Eve No longer kept IrelandA writer in the Gentleman's Magazine said that no merry-making on Holy Eve in Ireland was without lamb's-wool, made by bruising roasted apples into ale or sometimes milk; in better houses white wine had once been used instead.
Nutcrack Night Still kept Northern EnglandIn the north of England Hallowe'en was called Nutcrack Night, from the nuts cracked, eaten and thrown on the fire.
Oidhche Shamhna No longer kept IrelandOn the eve of Samhain, according to General Vallancey, Irish country people went from house to house carrying sticks and clubs, collecting money, bread, butter, cheese and eggs for the feast and reciting verses.
Pulling the Kail Stocks No longer kept ScotlandThe first rite of a Scottish Hallowe'en was to go out hand in hand, eyes shut, into the kailyard and each pull the first cabbage stalk they touched.
Sowens for the Hallowe’en Supper No longer kept ScotlandSowens was a thin dish made by steeping oat husks and meal in water until it soured, and in many parts of Scotland it was the proper supper for Hallowe'en.
Sowing Hemp-seed No longer kept Ireland, ScotlandOn Hallowe'en a girl crept out unseen and sowed a handful of hemp-seed, dragging something behind her to harrow it in, and saying a rhyme over and over.
The Apple and the Looking-Glass Lore and belief ScotlandA girl who wanted to see her future husband went alone with a candle to a looking-glass on Hallowe'en and ate an apple in front of it, some said while combing her hair.
The Black Short-tailed Sow No longer kept North WalesThe autumn fire lit in North Wales on the eve of 1 November came with a round of ceremonies, according to an account Hone quoted from Owen.
The Blue Clue No longer kept Ireland, ScotlandOne of the Hallowe'en spells Burns described among the country people of the west of Scotland had to be tried alone and in the dark.
The Buchan Hallow Fire No longer kept Aberdeenshire, MorayIn Buchan a Hallow Eve fire was lit on rising ground, and in Moray the eve of 1 November had been kept as a thanksgiving for the safe gathering of the harvest.