The St Thomas’s Day wardmotes

21 December · City of London

No longer kept

London

On St Thomas’s Day every ward of the City of London held its wardmote to elect the inquest, the common councilmen and the other ward officers for the coming year. Hone complained that most inhabitants of many wards cared nothing for these elections and let their franchise run to waste, like housewives careless of their water. As a result, he wrote, important offices often fell to men who did not understand their duties.

In London, on St. Thomas’s day, wardmotes are held for the election of the inquest and common councilmen, and other officers, who are annually chosen for the service and representation of the respective wards.

From Hone's Every-Day Book, vol. 1, col. 1588. Read the original

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Folklore from the old calendars

Going a-gooding No longer kept Kent, Staffordshire, WarwickshireOn St Thomas's Day, the shortest day, poor women went round the parish begging money or food for Christmas, and gave sprigs of holly, mistletoe, palm or primroses in return.
Apple wassailing on St Thomas’s Day No longer kept Staffordshire, WorcestershireSt Thomas's Day falls on the shortest day, as the couplet has it, St Thomas gray, St Thomas gray, the longest night and the shortest day.
St Thomas’s onion Lore and belief EnglandMother Bunch's Closet Newly Broke Open, printed under St Thomas's Day, told a girl that this was the best time of year to learn who her husband would be.
Blowing the Yule-Girth at York No longer kept YorkshireAn old custom book of the city of York, printed by Leland, set down that on St Thomas's Day before Yule the sheriffs heard a mass of St Thomas at All Hallows on the Pavement.
Broughton for St Thomas’s night No longer kept NorthumberlandOn St Thomas's night the old Northumbrian dish of broughton came out again, as it did on Midsummer Eve.
St Thomas’s Day for killing fat swine Lore and belief Northern EnglandSt Thomas's Day, 21 December, was held to be a good day for brewing, baking and killing fat pigs.
Going a-Thomasing for wheat No longer kept YorkshireOn St Thomas's Day poor widows in the West Riding went round the farms asking for Christmas gifts, and were usually given a small measure of wheat.
Five shillings in the Thornton tombstone No longer kept DorsetBefore noon on St Thomas's Day the tenants of the manor of Thornton put five shillings into a hole in a certain tombstone in the churchyard.
A turf for Fingan’s Eve No longer kept Isle of ManManx people once went into the mountains before Christmas to catch deer and sheep, and in the evening lit a large fire on top of every cliff.
Doleing Day in Staffordshire No longer kept StaffordshireOn St Thomas's Day in a Staffordshire parish, old women, widows and someone from every poorer family went round asking for alms, and the clergyman gave each a shilling.
The St Thomas’s Day weathercock Lore and belief WorcestershireWorcestershire people looked at the weathercock at noon on St Thomas's Day, believing the wind would stay in that quarter for the next three months.
Mumping for wheat in Herefordshire No longer kept HerefordshireAt Christmas the Herefordshire poor went mumping, mostly on St Thomas's Day, and the farmers gave each a small dishful of wheat, with smaller gifts from other houses.
The iron rattle at Guildhall before the St Thomas’s Day elections No longer kept LondonBefore the court of common council on St Thomas's Day, the members of the London council used to gather in the great hall of Guildhall until an officer of the lord mayor's household summoned them to their chamber with a harsh iron rattle.

The St Thomas’s Day wardmotes

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