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Whatever Happend To ??


syrup

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In reply to the original question, - "whatever happened to Whitsuntide?"

When exactly did Whitsuntide cease to exist as a Christian calendar event?

These days its just a "Spring Bank Holiday" (Banks get more holidays than teachers, - and more pay, and MASSIVE bonuses even if they are incompetant :angry: )

But these days, no kids in new clothes, no parades and celebrations, not even bible readings about the resurection and assencion of Christ.

Just what has happened to Whitsuntide?

..and in a similar way, in autumn, whatever happened to harvest festival?

Good questions Dave - wish I had the answer. :huh:

My memories of when we lived on Milton Lane at Whitsuntide were that we all got new clothes (right down to the white socks and undies) and all the old folk brought out their wooden chairs and sat in a row on the street. All the kids then marched past them, very proud in their new outfits and occasionally one of the very old ladies even lifted up our layered skirts to admire our brand new frilly knickers. There was no harm intended and it was from an innocent bygone age. My Mum also used to put me and my sisters hair in pipe cleaners the night before (very uncomfortable to try and get a good nights sleep) so that we both had wavy hair the next day and topped it off with hair ribbons : must try and dig out some photos lol

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Good questions Dave - wish I had the answer. :huh:

My memories of when we lived on Milton Lane at Whitsuntide were that we all got new clothes (right down to the white socks and undies) and all the old folk brought out their wooden chairs and sat in a row on the street. All the kids then marched past them, very proud in their new outfits and occasionally one of the very old ladies even lifted up our layered skirts to admire our brand new frilly knickers. There was no harm intended and it was from an innocent bygone age. My Mum also used to put me and my sisters hair in pipe cleaners the night before (very uncomfortable to try and get a good nights sleep) so that we both had wavy hair the next day and topped it off with hair ribbons : must try and dig out some photos lol

That's more or less how I remember it suzy.

The decline in church attendance and religious values, the decline of local community spirit and comeraderie and the fact that most people can now afford new clothes several times a year or whenever they fancy has probably had a major effect on the loss of Whitsuntide as we knew it.

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The decline in church attendance and religious values, the decline of local community spirit and comeraderie and the fact that most people can now afford new clothes several times a year or whenever they fancy has probably had a major effect on the loss of Whitsuntide as we knew it.

Agree Dave - a piece of history never to be repeated I feel :(

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Agree Dave - a piece of history never to be repeated I feel :(

What about dancing around a Maypole at this time of year?

That was something we used to do in the infant / juniour school which then seemed to die out.

..and was there any religious significance in that ?

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Just happend to find a photo of my Sister and me in what i think would have been our Whitsuntide clothes.( Quite smart i think )

Me in my Whitsuntide clothes.

Photo is either 1959 or 1960

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Me in my Whitsuntide clothes.

Photo is either 1959 or 1960

Wow how posh do you look with the Bow tie i feel jealous that i didn't have one.

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What about dancing around a Maypole at this time of year?

That was something we used to do in the infant / juniour school which then seemed to die out.

..and was there any religious significance in that ?

The maypole is/was a pagan ceremony. The whole thing was to do with fertility rites.

(As with some other pre-Christion ceremonies which were adapted into the Christian calendar)

I think the "new clothes" at Witsuntide was probably helped on it's way out with the greater prosperity of the working classes.

People no longer had to save up for so long to buy new clothes. In the 50's if I recall, getting anything new to wear was a really big thing, let alone a complete new outfit.

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Wow how posh do you look with the Bow tie i feel jealous that i didn't have one.

You had to be careful with bow ties and certain types of childrens ties as instead of fastening them with a conventional knot they were already knotted and held in place with a piece of elastic around your neck hidden under the collar.

You always got some wise guy bully who realised this and would pull your tie, stretching the elastic, and then let go. :o

I always fancied but never had a "novelty bow tie"

There were ones which lit up, ones which spun around like a propellor, joke ones which squirted water...

..and best of all ones with hidden cameras for taking secret pictures.

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Me in my Whitsuntide clothes.

Photo is either 1959 or 1960

Missed this one yesterday, great photo Dave, you have not changed one bit

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Missed this one yesterday, great photo Dave, you have not changed one bit

Are you going to put a 50 year old photo of yourself in your best Whitsun clobber on here then Stuart?

Go on, - dare'se yer ;-)

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Are you going to put a 50 year old photo of yourself in your best Whitsun clobber on here then Stuart?

Go on, - dare'se yer ;-)

Might be a bit tight 50 years on.

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Might be a bit tight 50 years on.

Don't know about that syrup, me and you have already managed it in this very thread.

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You had to be careful with bow ties and certain types of childrens ties as instead of fastening them with a conventional knot they were already knotted and held in place with a piece of elastic around your neck hidden under the collar.

You always got some wise guy bully who realised this and would pull your tie, stretching the elastic, and then let go. :o

I always fancied but never had a "novelty bow tie"

There were ones which lit up, ones which spun around like a propellor, joke ones which squirted water...

..and best of all ones with hidden cameras for taking secret pictures.

Remember the ones with the elastic as my elder brother wore his, also with short trousers, like yourself. lol

Seems you missed your vocation : either to be a clown or James Bond he he

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Remember the ones with the elastic as my elder brother wore his, also with short trousers, like yourself. lol

Seems you missed your vocation : either to be a clown or James Bond he he

Probably a clown! lol

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Guest DIZZINICK

I was in the 37th Boys Brigade at Hatfield house lane methodist church, what a thrill it was at Whitsuntide marching to firth park, I used to play Side Drum,and remember in between the Bugles playing we used to do different drum "tunes", my favorite "tune" was one called chop sticks where we clicked our drumsticks together, we used to save that one till we got to the Roundabout at Firth Park, I think that would have been about 1961/2.

Hi, What a co-incidence, I was also in the 37th Sheffield at about the same time, maybe up to about 1964/5. For a period of time I was also a Bugler with the band (not very good ) My christian name is Keith and I lived in one of the houses that overlooked Shiregreen Cricket Club from Shiregreen Terrace. I can't remember any names from back then as it seems so long ago. If you could refresh my memory it would be good. We did have some fun.

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In reply to the original question, - "whatever happened to Whitsuntide?"

When exactly did Whitsuntide cease to exist as a Christian calendar event?

These days its just a "Spring Bank Holiday" (Banks get more holidays than teachers, - and more pay, and MASSIVE bonuses even if they are incompetant :angry: )

But these days, no kids in new clothes, no parades and celebrations, not even bible readings about the resurection and assencion of Christ.

Just what has happened to Whitsuntide?

..and in a similar way, in autumn, whatever happened to harvest festival?

Well it looks like somethings do still happen in Sheffield at Whitsuntide or Whitfest as it seems to be called now,

but we have missed most of the events.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/sheffield/hi/people_and_places/religion_and_ethics/newsid_8682000/8682817.stm

http://www.whitfestsheffield.org.uk/Whitfest_Sheffield.html

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Well it looks like somethings do still happen in Sheffield at Whitsuntide or Whitfest as it seems to be called now,

but we have missed most of the events.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/sheffield/hi/people_and_places/religion_and_ethics/newsid_8682000/8682817.stm

http://www.whitfestsheffield.org.uk/Whitfest_Sheffield.html

It's not exactly well publicised these days is it :(

..and it's not quite when I expected it to be as the school holiday, which now coincides with the Bank holiday, is the week AFTER Whitsuntide! :o

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