General Chat

sOME REALLY INTERESTING STORIES AND SOME FUNNY ONES.i AM RACKING MY BRAINS TO TRY AND FIND SOME OTHER REALLY BRITISH TRADITIONS. tHE yULE LOG.WASSAILING ,BEATING THE BOUNDS,tHE DUNMOW fLITCH.cAN YOU ADD ANY MORE

Yes I remember some of these things and lots are still going.. My Grandpa died in 1977 (he was Great Grandfather) and his coffin was brought to the house and opened and everyone came and paid their respects etc. I was there too as were my young cousins.. it was just the norm for us. Also when I was flower girl at my aunts weding I got to throw the money out for the 'Scramble' and also joined in with lots of other Scrambles as I grew up... it was great diving in and grabbing what you could then waiting for the Icey to come round. And my Uncle still has the tassle from the end of the chord that he held whilst lowering Grandpa into his grave. And its not just weddings and funerals.. I still carry out the custom of opening my front and back door after the Bells... to let the old year out and the New Year in.... Shaz x

YAY!!! The Dunmow Flitch, thanks for mentioning that Rose... made me feel special :-) becx

Could I please be nosy and ask what the Dunmow Flitch is?Sounds like some kind of Scottish dance , you know, like The Gay Gordon! Joanx.

Reading what everyone was saying about funerals. My father hated black (you look like you're going to a fruneral), chrysanthemums, lilies and funerals themselves. I never asked him why, but it creates a picture in my mind of the tiny front room that was never ever used, the blinds down on a hot, stuffy day and the flowers not quite doing their duty. Or am I being fanciful? B

my husbands family bring the body and coffin home the night before then an all night vigil is kept until the funeral next day so that people can visit laugh cry and pay their respects

One great British tradition is (I think) still going strong - on Spring Bank Hol a large wooden cheese is rolled down Coopers Hill in Gloucester and is chased by a number of (mad) people! Whoever gets to the bottom first in one piece wins a Double Gloucester cheese. If you've ever been up Coopers Hill, you'll know why they're mad - it's about a 1 in 3 slope! Good day out for St Johns Ambulance! No doubt another one for the health police to ban...

The Ball Game has been held in Atherstone, Warwickshire on Shrove Tuesday for over 800 years. Shop keepers spend the morning boarding up their windows before it starts at 3pm. I understand that the winner is the person in possession of the ball at 5pm. Heather

Dunmow Flitch Still goes on to this day The most often quoted reason as to why a flitch was originally awarded to the happy couple, recounts how Sir Reginald Fitzwalter and his wife, disguised as humble folk, went to the Priory of Dunmow and begged the blessing of the Prior, a year after their marriage. The Prior was impressed by the devotion of the young couple supposedly so poor, and hailed a passing cook who was carrying a flitch of bacon on his back, and gave it to the couple with his blessing. Sir Reginald then revealed his identity, and gave lands to the Priory on condition that a Flitch should in future be given to any couple who could claim that they were similarly devoted. Look at this wevb site http://sparklew.veriouk.net/flitch/flitch_02.html

Elizabeth, thanks for the Dunmow flitch explanation! I'd never heard of a flitch of bacon before. And Karen, yes, that is true, there's room for two!Double decker or bunk stlye! Dosent mean its always full however! Joanx.