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Philip Amies @amiesphilip.bsky.social · 12m

From Somerset

skimmington doggerel

x = so and so (name of the target of the skimmington)

Philip Amies @amiesphilip.bsky.social · 12m

Now (x) if thee disn' mend thy manners
The skin of thy ass we'll send to the tanners.
An' if the tanner he on't tan un well.
We'll hang un up on a nail in hell:
An' If the nail begln'th to crack
We'll hang un up on the Devil's back
An' If the Devil run'th away.
We'll hang un there another day.

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Philip Amies @amiesphilip.bsky.social · 32m

If any of you your wives do bang.
We're sure, we're sure to ride you the stang.

Philip Amies @amiesphilip.bsky.social · 32m

He took up neither tipstaff nor stower.
But with his fist he knocked her ower.
He kicked her, he punched her, till he made her cry.
And to finish all he gave her a black eye.
Now all good people that live in this row.
We would have you take warning, for this is our law.

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Philip Amies @amiesphilip.bsky.social · 32m

Penrith Observer 1898

Doggerel used by lower orders.

Here we come with a ran, dan, dang.
It's not for you, nor for me. we ride this stang.
But for Gooseberry Bob, whose wife he did bang.
He banged her, he banged her, he banged her, indeed.
He banged her, poor creature, before she stood, need.

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Reposted by Philip Amies

Steph' Thorpe @stephbirdart.bsky.social · 1d

Needletail sketchbook pages. I made the decision to draw up afterwards as I just wanted to watch the bird. I also struggled to climb the castle paths😞 #UKbirding #birds #birding #birdart #sciart #art

Sketches of a White throated Needletail, a species of large swift. They are in graphite and watercolour. The swift is large bodied with scythe shaped wings and a small stubby square tail. The body is brown with a pale throat, large white horseshoe shape under the tail area. The upper parts have a white patch on the back. The wings are black with areas of blue green iridescence. The bird even looks fast!

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Reposted by Philip Amies

Antiquity Journal @antiquity.ac.uk · 1h

Fortifications from the Iron Age oasis of al-Tibq, north-west Arabia.
Many oases in the region were enclosed by a network of monumental walls. Not just defensive, they represent the complete takeover of the well-watered landscape by a political entity.

🆓 doi.org/10.15184/aqy...

🏺 #Archaeology

Aerial views of a stone rampart and abutted bastion in a desert, skirting the edge of an area of greenery.

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Philip Amies @amiesphilip.bsky.social · 4h

These things are part of holiday festivals, but all hint at consequence for refusal of drink and food. Carnival, saturnia, upturning natural order of things, licence for lower orders, an outlet in burning effigies (Guy on bonfire) burning barrels of tar, current figure of public disapproval.

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Philip Amies @amiesphilip.bsky.social · 4h

Wassailing (associated with rowdy bands of young men who would enter the homes of wealthy neighbours and demand free food and drink) Plough Sunday (visiting landowners with demands for a contribution of money, food or drink),

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Philip Amies @amiesphilip.bsky.social · 5h

the point being he attempted to take Gilbert Reeve's property from him (a tin container) and did not arrest him or warn him of a breach of the peace.

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Philip Amies @amiesphilip.bsky.social · 5h

Gilbert Reeves who struck the policeman was fined 40 shillings. All other charges were withdrawn including against Fred Wooton. A considerable defence fund had been raised. The magistrate defended the police officers right to intervene, although he may have been wrong in his action,

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Philip Amies @amiesphilip.bsky.social · 5h

effigies and dispersed as had happened in previous skimmingtons. He said he had told P.C. Dear this. Witnesses disputed the state of lighting, challenged the policeman's account especially as regards Fred Wooton.

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Philip Amies @amiesphilip.bsky.social · 5h

The defence lawyer suggested it would have ended with no more consequence than 'hurt feelings' of the target if the policeman had not interfered. Arthur Powney a farmer who assisted the policeman said in court that if the crowd had not been interfered with, they would have made a noise, burned the

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Philip Amies @amiesphilip.bsky.social · 5h

The defence lawyer asked the constable if he was familiar with the custom of 'rough music' the policeman (22 years service) confirmed he had seen it before.

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Philip Amies @amiesphilip.bsky.social · 5h

he scuffled with escaped assisted by others. The policeman called on Fred Wootton to assist him by name, but Fred tore the policeman's jacket. The other policeman arrived, the crowd slowly dispersed over several hours.

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Philip Amies @amiesphilip.bsky.social · 5h

ten months. He sent for assistance from the nearest village, again a solitary policeman. Not waiting for assistance he attempted to take an 'instrument' from one of the 'musicians' who fought back, the policeman called for help but only his son and a Mr. Powney did, he lost a tooth and the man who

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Philip Amies @amiesphilip.bsky.social · 5h

Wiltshire Telegraph - Saturday 26 September 1908

a skimmington in Bromham, 5th September, 'rough music' two effigies, buckets of tar, 300 people in street outside of target of crowds ire house (population 1,200), previous incident some years before. The solitary policeman had been in the village

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Philip Amies @amiesphilip.bsky.social · 6h

The author says that in Summers's "History of Sunderland" in 1783 impressed sailors release from Royal Navy revenged themselves on informers by making them "ride the strang".

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Philip Amies @amiesphilip.bsky.social · 6h

people targeted, two men and 1 woman, who were targets were it seems not manhandled but asked to pay fifteen pence to the mob. Demanded payments recorded in other events.

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Philip Amies @amiesphilip.bsky.social · 6h

The author says the custom had ceased in Darlington (within living memory it seems) but occurred a month before in Northallerton. He gives an account of three nights of 'rough music' parades, effigies in a cart on final night, which were burnt in front of one of the houses of the three.

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Philip Amies @amiesphilip.bsky.social · 6h

A skimmington was a representation of the 'malefactor' not the actual person. The parade ended up at their home, ridiculed them, accounts I've read do not suggest they were manhandled, but perhaps some were.

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Philip Amies @amiesphilip.bsky.social · 6h

Wife beating husbands, scolds who beat husbands, people who followed their occupation on holidays such as Christmas day, strike breakers, overreaching in trade, schoolboys who offended their schoolmates.

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Philip Amies @amiesphilip.bsky.social · 6h

Newcastle Chronicle - Saturday 19 March 1887

An incident of 'riding the strang' (author stating that in the south this was known as skimmington) the stang being a cowl staff (used by two people to carry a heavy bucket).

The 'malefactor' was forced to ride it, pelted by refuse.

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Philip Amies @amiesphilip.bsky.social · 7h

Challenging subject to study, but worthwhile.

Philip Amies @amiesphilip.bsky.social · 7h

I've read accounts over years (without proper notetaking) which suggest documentation exists in print (let alone archives which I've not looked at on this subject) in unlikely places, read one recently in a published diary the author by chance blocked by a skimmington blocking the road.

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