Figure 1.--Here we have a group of English school children with teir ribbons and May poll, we think during the 1920s. They look to be about 7 years old. The photograph looks to have been taken in a school hall. Noticethe old fashion lighting We would say that the teacher sent home instructions to dressup the children smarly for the day. It looks like they have begun to wrap the poll and the photogrpher stopped them for the portrait in a pose to a greater or lesser degree of success. If you look losely in the backgrund you can see the May Queen on her thrown. The photograph was mounted on a card.

May Day involves two very different celebrations, a traditional event and a day honoring labor. There is a connection, but the celebrations are destinct. Traditinal May Day is aother important holiday is May which commonly included school celebrations. The traditional May Day rites and celebrations in England involve include Morris dancing, crowning a May Queen, and children decorating May polls. Child dancers commonly circle with ribbons. The English traditions developed from various pagan roots. The Old English language name for the month of May meant 'Month of Three Milkings'. Earlier Celtic traditions were incorportdinto the Anglo-Saxon celebratins. May Day festivities have been delebrated through the centuries. May Day celebrations contnue to be most important in agricultural towns and villages celebrating the springtime fertility of the soil, livestock, and people. The traditional revelry with village fetes and community gatherings has been toned down a bit in recent years. Important farm tasks like seeding hadnormally been accomplishged in April. Thus May Day was a convenient to give farm workers a day off. This tradition was the basis for May Day as a day to honor labor. Another connection was St Joseph's Day. (Here the Catholic calendar has varied over time.) St. Joseph was a carpeter and became the patron saint of worker. Most workers at the time were farm workers, but in the 19th century with the Industrial Revolution. industrial workers became the dominant work force. Thus in the 20th century, May Day was chosen as International Workers' Day. In London and other cities, the labor celebration has largely replaced the more trditional May Day celebrations. London May Day Committee (South East Region Trades Councils) oganize a massive parade. They gather at Clerkenwell Green near the Karl Marx Memorial Library before marching to Trafalgar Square for a huge rally. Representatives of local, national and international trades unions and campaigning organisations deliver impassioned speeches. The labor May Day always takes place on May 1st regardless of what day it falls on meaning that workrs oftn do not get a day off.

Traditional Celebrations

Traditinal May Day is aother important holiday is May which commonly included school celebrations. Spring and modern May Day festivities have been delebrated through the centuries. The traditional May Day rites and celebrations in England involve include Morris dancing, crowning a May Queen, and children decorating May polls. Child dancers commonly circle with ribbons. The English traditions had various pagan roots. There was Flora in ancient Rome as well as Celtic traditios. Perhaps the most important were Anglo-Saxon customs which were observed during 'Þrimilci-mōnaþ'. The Old English language name for the month of May meant 'Month of Three Milkings'. Spring festivals reached their height in England during the Middle Ages. Traditionlly, on the first day of May, English villagers awakened at daybreak to roam the countryside gathering blossoming flowers and branches. A towering maypole was set up on the village green. This pole, usually made of the trunk of a tall birch tree, was decorated with bright field flowers. The villagers then danced and sang around the maypole, accompanied by a piper. Usually the Morris dance was performed by dancers wearing bells on their colorful costumes. Often the fairest maiden of the village was chosen queen of the May. Sometimes a May king was also chosen. These two led the village dancers and ruled over the festivities. In Elizabethan times, the king and queen were called Robin Hood and Maid Marian. Maypoles were usually set up for the day in small towns, but in London and the larger towns they were erected permanently. They were considered heathen eyesores by the Puritans. May Day festivals became so gay and wild that the Puritans were able to force the government to forbid them. They soon sprang up again, however, and still continue in many English villages. In cities like London children begn going from house to house bringing flowers in return for pennies. After the pennies are collected, they are thrown into a wishing well. Special wishes are made with hopes they will be granted. The pennies are later collected and given to different charitable organizations. May Day celebrations contnue to be most important in agricultural towns and villages celebrating the springtime fertility of the soil, livestock, and people. The traditional revelry with village fetes and community gatherings has been toned down a bit in recent years.

Labour Celebration

Important farm tasks like seeding hadnormally been accomplishged in April. Thus May Day was a convenient to give farm workers a day off. This tradition was the basis for May Day as a day to honor labor. Another connection was St Joseph's Day. (Here the Catholic calendar has varied over time.) St. Joseph was a carpeter and became the patron saint of worker. Most workers at the time were farm workers, but in the 19th century with the Industrial Revolution. industrial workers became the dominant work force. Thus in the 20th century, May Day was chosen as International Workers' Day. In London and other cities, the labor celebration has largely replaced the more trditional May Day celebrations. London May Day Committee (South East Region Trades Councils) oganize a massive parade. They gather at Clerkenwell Green near the Karl Marx Memorial Library before marching to Trafalgar Square for a huge rally. Representatives of local, national and international trades unions and campaigning organisations deliver impassioned speeches. The labor May Day always takes place on May 1st regardless of what day it falls on meaning that workrs oftn do not get a day off.

Created: 3:15 PM 4/30/2015
Last updated: 8:35 AM 6/19/2015