Shuttlecock Day.

[Guest mags]

Does anyone remember Shuttlecock Day? My elder sister said she remembers our grandma buying us shuttlecocks when we were very young. They were made of real feathers. I vaguely remember them but neither of us know why we were given them. What was the meaning of Shuttlecock Day?

[Bayleaf]

Does anyone remember Shuttlecock Day? My elder sister said she remembers our grandma buying us shuttlecocks when we were very young. They were made of real feathers. I vaguely remember them but neither of us know why we were given them. What was the meaning of Shuttlecock Day?

It was a tradition on Shrove Tuesday. We used to have shuttlecocks and battledores, the latter being a bat like a table tennis bat. My mind's going somewhat now but I think you had to keep the shuttlecock in the air and there was a rhyme that went with it. Any one remember?

As to the connection with Shrove Tuesday, I've no idea, but it was apparently played by children in Japan as part of New Year celebrations.

The other similar thing I remember was whip and tops The whip was a wooded handle with a thin leather strip attached, with which you kept the top spinning. I thought it was a Shrove Tuesday custom as well but my missus reckons they were associated with Whitsun.

[vox]

I remember having shuttlecock and battledore and also whip 'n' top at some point during the year but which time was which I couldn't say.

I only remember them as being something you got, in the same way as you got whitsuntide clothes and easter eggs.

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ARTICLE

from the Encyclopædia Britannica

battledore and shuttlecock, children's game played by two persons using small rackets called battledores, which are made of parchment, plastic, or rows of gut or nylon stretched across wooden frames, and shuttlecocks, made of a base of some light material, such as cork, with trimmed feathers fixed around the top. Players try to bat the shuttlecock back and forth as many times as possible without allowing it to fall to the ground. Ancient Greek drawings represent a game almost identical with battledore and shuttlecock, and it has been popular in China, Japan, India, and Thailand for at least 2,000 years.

[RichardB]

Does anyone remember Shuttlecock Day? My elder sister said she remembers our grandma buying us shuttlecocks when we were very young. They were made of real feathers. I vaguely remember them but neither of us know why we were given them. What was the meaning of Shuttlecock Day?

Never heard of it Mags, still, never stopped us before ...

Source - beware 'orrible font

[RichardB]

Never heard of it Mags, still, never stopped us before ...

This is better, at least its local, so local, I attended this very School (aged about 6-8).

St Mary's, Walkley

[RichardB]

It was a tradition on Shrove Tuesday. We used to have shuttlecocks and battledores, the latter being a bat like a table tennis bat. My mind's going somewhat now but I think you had to keep the shuttlecock in the air and there was a rhyme that went with it. Any one remember?

Nope Bayleaf, never heard of any of it;

Try this and let me know please.

[RichardB]

Does anyone remember Shuttlecock Day? My elder sister said she remembers our grandma buying us shuttlecocks when we were very young. They were made of real feathers. I vaguely remember them but neither of us know why we were given them. What was the meaning of Shuttlecock Day?

Nice site Toys & Games - An Oral History

(East Midlands Oral History Archive)

[RichardB]

Does anyone remember Shuttlecock Day? My elder sister said she remembers our grandma buying us shuttlecocks when we were very young. They were made of real feathers. I vaguely remember them but neither of us know why we were given them. What was the meaning of Shuttlecock Day?

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Not bad considering I'd never heard of it