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Jack in the Green in the Thames Valley |
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Click on regional maps above to see distribution. |
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May Day 1836 |
Chimney Sweepers on May Day 1826 |
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George Cruikshank's picture from "The First of May" by Charles Dickens |
From Hone's Book of Days |
| Formerly a pleasant character dressed out with ribands and flowers figured in village May-games under the name of Jack-o'-the Green. The Jack-o'-the Greens would sometimes come into the suburbs of London and amuse the residents by rustic dancing. The last of them that I remember were at the Paddington May-dance, near the "Yorkshire Stingo" about 20 years ago from whence as I have heard they diverged to Bayswater, Kentish Town and adjoining neighbourhoods. A Jack-o'- the Green always carried a long walking stick with floral wreaths; he whisked it about in the dance and afterwards walked with it in high estate like a lord mayor's footman. (Hone 1827) |
| SO9422 | Cheltenham | 1830-1912 | |
| SP2512 | Burford | 1854 | |
| SP3103 | Bampton | 1850 | . |
| SP3509 | Witney | 1875 - 1938 | . |
| SU4666 | Newbury | . | . |
| SP5203 | Iffley | 1895 | . |
| SP5305 | Oxford | 1823- | |
| SU5999 | Chislehampton | 1895 | . |
| SP7006 | Thame | . | |
| SU7272 | Reading | 1830 | . |
| SU7394 | Wormsley Park | 1840 | . |
| SP7627 | Winslow | 1879 - 1882 | . |
| SU8785 | Cookham Dean | . | |
| SP8213 | Aylesbury | 1846-1899 | . |
| SU8446 | Farnham | 1860 | |
| SU8573 | Farnborough | . | |
| SU8587 | Marlow | 1886-1890 | |
| SU8593 | High Wycombe | 1887 | |
| SP8710 | Halton | 1910 | |
| SP9007 | Berkhamstead | 1882 | |
| SP9211 | Tring | 1911 | |
| SP9214 | Marsworth | . | |
| SU9597 | Amersham | 1890 | . |
| SP9601 | Chesham | 1890 | |
| TQ0049 | Guildford | 1853 | . |
| TQ0466 | Chertsey | 1871 | . |
| TQ0583 | Uxbridge | 1850 | |
| TL1507 | St. Albans | 1872 | |
| TQ1649 | Dorking | 1878 | . |
| TQ1781 | Ealing | . | |
| TQ1874 | Richmond | 1893 | |
| TQ1869 | Kingston | 1860 - 1911 | |
| TQ2077 | Chiswick | 1894 | . |
| TQ2480 | Notting Hill | 1870 | |
| TQ2569 | Merton | 1887 | |
| TQ2764 | Carsholton | . | . |
| TQ2875 | Clapham | 1887 | |
| TQ2673 | Wandsworth | 1890 | |
| TQ2677 | Chelsea | 1875 | . |
| TQ2681 | Paddington | . | |
| TQ2683 | St.John's Wood | 1870 | |
| TQ2771 | Tooting | 1820 | |
| TQ2778 | Kensington | 1913 | |
| TQ2783 | Primrose Hill | 1895 | |
| TQ2880 | Westminster | 1840 | |
| TQ2881 | St. Marylebone | 1829-1890 | |
| TQ2980 | Picadilly | 1850 - 1905 | |
| TQ2985 | Kentish Town | 1860 | |
| TQ3080 | Trafalgar Square | 1860 | |
| TQ3080 | Whitehall | 1860 - 1870 | |
| TQ3177 | Kennington Oval | 1893 photograph Paul Martin (V&A Museum) | |
| TQ3280 | Borough | 1923 | |
| TQ3365 | Croydon | 1850-1887 | |
| TQ3376 | Camberwell | 1860 | |
| TQ3575 | Peckham | 1880 | |
| TQ3579 | Bermondsey | 1900 | . |
| TQ3674 | Lewisham | 1892-1903 | |
| TQ3676 | Deptford | 1900 photograph by Thankfull Sturdee | |
| TQ3681 | Limehouse | 1900 | |
| TQ3779 | Millwall | 1913 | |
| TQ3788 | Walthamstow | 1892 | |
| TQ4068 | Bromley | 1907 | |
| TQ4086 | Wanstead Flats | 1983 | |
| TQ4077 | Greenwich | 1910-1913 | |
| TQ4767 | St. Mary Cray | 1889-1893 | |
| TQ5474 | Dartford | 1883 | . |
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Selected National Events
| TQ7467 | Rochester | Rochester Sweeps Procession | . |
| TL2796 | Whittlesey | Straw Bear Day and Festival : January. A figure similar to Jack in the Green but made out of straw. Jack probably represents Summer and the Straw Man Winter |  |
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International Perspective
Germany
Ausburgh
Jack in the Green and Straw Man
"Das Sommerspiel in der Pfalz" by C Roux
1865
Mothering Sunday (4th Sunday in Lent) is Rejoicing Day in Germany.
In Ausburgh boys carry plaited bread on long sticks and 2 men dressed as
Summer and Winter engage in a mock fight in which
Summer wins.
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