G.G. Pierce writes of 1900 – 1930’s
Although there have been many far-reaching changes in the past century, Christmas celebrations have been altered little.
Villagers take a pride in maintaining the old order of things as far as possible.
Many villagers who in the past used to go along the lanes and hedges to collect holly and mistletoe find today that town’s folk in their cars have beaten them to it!
Carol singing is still a traditional style in town and country alike, although’ it is torches now rather than candle lanterns. One of my earliest recollections is of tramping several miles with other children and our schoolmaster to sing carols and collect for Dr. Barnado’s.
We use to be invited into the Squire’s hall at Marwell, and our eyes would goggle at the vast rooms, and all the guests in evening dress.
They used to fill our box for us and send us home with pockets full of sweets and fruit, which kept us going in the long walk home in the dark.
Before the Welfare State there was much poverty in the village, and villagers could call at the Hall (Marwell) where the Squire distributed rabbits, blankets, coal, bread and beef to the needy. Farmers and others a little higher up the social scale would have a brace of pheasants delivered to their door.
There was also a local charity, (the Alice Long charity) the funds of which were used to buy groceries for needy widows in the district.
(The villages ‘poor houses’ were situated at the bottom of White’s Hill). Wives usually survived their husbands and there were several old widows invited to tea on Christmas Day.
After tea my father read extracts from a Christmas Carol to them.
They used to say it was lovely, though two of them were stone deaf and one or two more would drop off to sleep while he was reading!
Very old people will tell you when ‘they’ were young; there was nearly always snow and skating at Christmas. Many Hampshire people will remember the storm, which blew up on Christmas night 1927. It had rained all day with a high wind.
In the night it changed to snow and winds reached gale force. The next morning huge drifts filled sunken lanes (the village had no tarmac roads then!) and covered cottages to a depth of fifteen feet.
The blizzard continued for another day, and although the downs and fields were almost bare, deep drifts built up against hay rick’s and buildings.
Many hamlets and villages were completely cut off, and food was dropped by aeroplane to isolated houses. It wasn’t until February 6th that the last snow disappeared.
Indoors we find that some of our old-fashioned games stand up feebly against T.V. “Old Mother Somebody’s Dead” and other games are treated withering scorn by the young today.
Christmas pudding and turkey have not lost their appeal!
The religious meaning of Christmas is still very much alive (when written in the 1950’s) in the hearts and minds of villagers, though Church attendances have fallen off in many places.
Christmas cards no longer, in many cases, have any bearing on the meaning of Christmas. Reunions, generosity, and thoughtfulness for others are as strong as ever.
Extract of G.G. Pierce. - E. H. |