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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Sussex => Topic started by: suey on Tuesday 10 January 06 09:42 GMT (UK)
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Over on the Lighter Side Board under 30,000 Rootschatters thread I happened to mention that 'The First of May is Pinch Bum Day'
Well is it?, my family always said this and my brothers always gave me a hefty pinch? Was that just a cunning ploy to have a go at their little sister or has anyone else heard this saying?
Suey
ps Perhaps Chris could consult his 'oracle' ;D
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Hi Suey,
I've definitely heard of pinch bum day - our family used to say it too - but I can't remember which day it was - 1st of May sounds as good as any. In Henfield, wher Igrew up, ther is also a 'pinch-nose' green (presumably used to be a smelly site?). ;D
Have agood day all, :)
Mark
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Suey
My Oracle says:
It is the day to celebrate King Charles II escape from Cromwell's troups during the English Civil War. Held on 29th May, his birthday. you are meant to wear a sprig of oak. - In the olden days if you didn't do this then young boys could pinch your bottom hence is was known as Pinch-Bum Day.
The Chelsea pensioners celebrate the day by drinking beer and eating plum pudding. Charles II over ruled Cromwell's ban on merry-making and invented this day for people to party.
Chris in 1066
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Woo hoo ;D I knew Chris's 'Oracle' would come up trumps!! Thanks Chris.
I'm going to remember the 29th and pick myself a sprig of oak.
Must also tell my brother he can stop pinching me on my Birthday now...he got the wrong date :D
Suey
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I've never heard of pinch bum day, but as a child we had a saying of pinch punch first of the month, so the pinch wasnt restricted to 1st May ;D
Nashua
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I'm sure I have heard of Pinch Bum Day and I seem to think it was separate from Pinch Punch first of the month.
Perhaps it depends what part of Sussex, you or your ancestors came from?
Kerry
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And this year it's a bank holiday in the UK. ;)
Perhaps it's time to revive traditions.
I've just spoken to a friend of mine whose Dad is a Chelsea Pensioner. She didn't know it was called Pinch bum day but said that each pensioner gets an oak twig and they have a big celebrations of Charlie II, this year the Queen's attending!!
There are normally rhymes attached to this sort ofthing too -anybody know of any?
Mark
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I know 'a pinch and a punch first of the month' too but this was something my brothers took delight in on the 1st of May, they are much older than me and I got two lots of pinches ???
Being a bit of a Royalist I'm sticking with the 'oracle' on this one.
Talking of reviving traditions why should the chelsea Pensioners have all the fun; think I'll dig out a Chris'mus pud and half a beer and celebrate with them :D
Suey
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Hiya!
I have made a note of this date and am organising a 'Pinch Bum' day for my mates! All except one of course who is in NO way a Royalist.
All the very best!
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"Oak Apple Day" seems to crop up fairly regularly on The Archers. I've just read that another name for 29th May is "Nettle Day", as whipping with nettles was another favourite punishment for anyone not wearing oak leaves.
Dimps
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I'm beginning to be glad we did away with some these traditions!!!
Ouch!!!
Kerry
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Hi there
A little bit more from the 'oracle'
In some villages within the Yorkshire moors, people who did not wear oak on that day were smothered in powdered chalk, and so it was known as Chalky Back Day. Yorkshire children also expected a day off school on Royal Oak Day, and if they did not get it, they locked the teacher inside! They would then sing: "Royal Oak Day, Twenty ninth o' May, if thoo disn't gi' us a holiday, we'll all run away."
Royal Oak Day can also be known as Oak Apple Day, and in Berkshire and other parts of England it may also be known as Shick-Sack day. One theory for this, is that oak-apples used to also be called 'shick-shacks'.
Oak Apple Day by Raymond Wilson
Charles the Second, so they tell,
Hid in an oak at Boscobel.
Later, the entire nation
Rejoiced to see his Restoration,
And named the 29th of May
(Quite properly) Oak Apple Day!
Chris in 1066
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we should make up a calendar of all the events and the days they fall on - it would be so interesting to see if any of our birthdays fall on those days!! - or when we shouldnt venture out the house!! lol ;D
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Sounds like a plan. :)
Here during Carnaval - the week before lent - there's a day called merengada when anyone in the street is a target for meringue throwing. Originally it was only meringues, nowadays the kids use shaving foam too.
Not a day to go out in your best coat!! ;D ;D
Mark
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;D ;D ;D
Don't forget Tomorrow is
PINCH BUM DAY
29.5.2006
;D ;D ;D
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Thanks Mark for the timely reminder. I'm going to sit down all day!
Kerry
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Thanks for the reminder!
When I was at junior school it was called Oak Apple Day (I think) and the boys used to go round with bunches of nettles to sting the girls. As we all had our knees exposed in the gap between our socks and skirts we made an easy target :'(
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Has anyone else noticed the size of the oak apples this year?, I was looking again today, can't fail to see them, they seem enormous.
Suey.
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We commented on that just the other day, and I don't think I've ever seen quite as many as this year either.
Kerry
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I have just joined this forum as I was searching for "Pinchbottom Day" on the web. Apologies if reviving an old thread is the wrong thing to do.
Many years ago, when I started my first real job, one of the ladies used to chant "The First of May is Pinchbottom Day" either before or after the action mentioned. This was in Huntingdonshire, but I think she was not originally from the county, possibly from London.
But it was certainly 1st of May, not 29th.
Henry
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Hi Henry and welcome to Rootschat....I have never heard of it before...not in common use in East Yorkshire that I know of.
Carol
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When we were Kids
1st May Pinch Bum Day
2nd of May Stinging Nettle Day ,if you got caught,legs would smart :'(
omega from 1066 land
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I wonder why the day varies so much?
Pinch-bum and nettle-whipping are both mentioned here
http://projectbritain.com/calendar/May/oakday.html
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I wonder why the day varies so much?
Pinch-bum and nettle-whipping are both mentioned here
http://projectbritain.com/calendar/May/oakday.html
It does seem strange, but then who can tell with old traditions?
I've never met anyone else who actually pinches bottoms on May 1st, but I suppose it would be a no-no in these times. I remember the day (in the mid seventies) when Annie (the lady in question) pinched Frank. Now, Frank was a senior member of staff, and out-eyebrowed Denis Healey. I have not seen anyone look quite so surprised!
Henry
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In North Yorkshire we used to have May Gosling on the 1st May. It was similar to 1st April being April Fool's Day. Tricks were played up to noon and the victim was called the May Gosling.
Also when out and about if you saw a car with registration XG (local to Middlesbrough), it was a good hard pinch to sibling saying "XG and no nips back".
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When I was a child, 1st May in NZ was called Smugglers Day! I have no idea why it was called Smugglers day, but on that day, you could " smuggle" your friends marbles somehow, With the onset of wintry weather, and muddy grass, it was the last day we were allowed to play marbles at school - and we could cheat and steal their marbles. Always wondered why... But found this
http://www.arundelcastle.org/whats-on/events/british-victory-morris.html
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My family is from Seaford, East Sussex and my Mum always taught us that the 1st of May is pinch bum day. So get pinching!
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My family is from Seaford, East Sussex and my Mum always taught us that the 1st of May is pinch bum day. So get pinching!
That's interesting - there does seem to be some connection with Sussex. My father came from Sussex, though I never heard hi mention it - but I suspect he would have regarded it as too undignified!
Henry
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If anyone ever tries to pinch my bum on ANY day! LOOKOUT - I'll take them to court and have them charged with sexual harassment!
Mmm ... Could be quite a profitable exercise ;D ;D