Whitsuntide traditions

[Allen 38]

I have photos of me in my Whitsuntide clothes around 1960, but I'm not as brave as hillsbro to post a link on here.

 

I don't recall being paraded around the neighbours expecting payment, but we always went to show our new clothes to Grandma and Grandad...and no doubt got a copper or two.

 

Remember the Whit Sing in Hillsborough Park. We had to walk there behind a banner from the Sunday School at Wadsley.

[brian1941 11]

I CAME FROM GRIMESTHORPE SHEFFIELD 4,

AND I HAD NEW CLOTHES AT WHITSUNTIDE , I USE TO TAKE MY YOUNGER BROTHER

AND SISTERS TO OUR RELATIVE WHERE THEY WOULD GIVE US MONEY AND TELL

US HOW NICE WE LOOKED.

MY MUM ALWAYS PUT A 1d IN MY TOP POCKET FOR LUCK

WHEN I WAS 14YRS YOUNG I HAD MY FIRST LONG TROUSERS AND MY LEGS ITCHED

I WAS IN THE BOYS BRIGADE AND ON WHIT SUNDAY WE MARCHED UP FIRTH PARK

ROAD AND INTO THE PARK , AS I FOLLOWED THE BAND I WAS SCATCHING MY LEGS

FROM MY ITCHY TROUSERS HI HI--BRrr.

[RoyalRegular 10]

When I was a kid, we couldn't afford new clothes. My mum used to buy me a new cap and make me look through the window!

[skyrocket 10]

We used to go to Meersbrook park to watch the parade for Whitsuntide but only because that is what my mum had done years before. We didn't have new clothes for Whit by the 1950s but enjoyed having those little pom-poms on elastic with sawdust inside.

[bushbaby 3 10]

i was a twin and my my mum used to dress me and my sister up like 2 dogs dinners .Ihated it frilly frocks and paper nylon underskirts.We usedto go to the neighbours next door and show off our new clothes for which we both got a sixpence.Other kids in the neighbourhood used to go around knocking on door to door mum wouldnt let us she thought of it as begging.After dinner dad would take us in the car up to grandmas at ecclesfield were we were paraded again.A much more profitable outing as my relations were bookmakers so money wasnt in such short supply i didnt mind that bit about it though.On whit monday we would go to watch the parade at high hazels park after which the afternoon was spent sitting in the back of the 3 feathers pub on prince of wles road it used to get packed out in the backyard but there never was any bother and you never saw anyone blind drunk like you do nowadays.

[jomarch 12]

Whitsunday is also known as Pentecost Sunday. It is still a religious feast and celebrated 7 weeks after Easter, as such being a 'moveable feast' which means it doesn't always fall at the end of May.

I think the 'Spring' bank holiday was set on the last Monday of May to fix it at a time when the weather was better- though someone could put me right on this one.

Whitsunday is on the 23rd May this year, a week before the bank holiday.

Whilst it is lovely reading about childhood experiences and getting nostalgic about the past- it seems that the over riding memories are ones to do with new clothes and getting money, and people seem to have forgotten the religious aspect, which is maybe why it hasn't survived.

I wonder how many of those people who would like it back still go to to church or chapel?- look around your neighbourhood- the churches and chapels are still there!

Pentecost is celebrated because it is officially the birthday of the church- when the holy spirit came to 'kick start' Christianity. Those who had been newly admitted to the church at Easter were required to wear white until Pentecost- when they could take off their white garments (obviously dirty and smelly by then) and put on new ones, hence the tradition of wearing new clothes.

Hope this has filled in the gaps in some people's knowledge.

[DUFFEMS 56]

We used to go to Meersbrook park to watch the parade for Whitsuntide but only because that is what my mum had done years before. We didn't have new clothes for Whit by the 1950s but enjoyed having those little pom-poms on elastic with sawdust inside.

 

I'm surprised that you didn't have new clothes in the '50's as that was the time I recall when it was very traditional.

We had new clothes for Whit Sunday this being something smart i.e. a suit with shirt & tie, socks & shoes for the boys and a "costume" for the girls i.e. jacket & skirt with a blouse, hat, handbag, gloves, shoes & socks, even underwear was new!

Whit Monday we had more clothing but, a bit more casual i.e. a dress for the girls and trousers (if the boys were ready for their "longs") and shirt for the boys.

All the family met up in Meersbrook Park and listened to the brass bands play hymns etc..

We all then went off to the pub where kids were treated to a bottle of 7up plus a packet of crisps (salt in blue bag of course).

Can you recall how the men always carried all the kids drinks etc. in their suit pockets, they used to come out into the backyard/garden of the pub with their pockets bulging.

After the pub we all then went off to our grandparents who lived in Heeley for more food/drink!

[DUFFEMS 56]

Whitsunday is also known as Pentecost Sunday. It is still a religious feast and celebrated 7 weeks after Easter, as such being a 'moveable feast' which means it doesn't always fall at the end of May.

I think the 'Spring' bank holiday was set on the last Monday of May to fix it at a time when the weather was better- though someone could put me right on this one.

Whitsunday is on the 23rd May this year, a week before the bank holiday.

Whilst it is lovely reading about childhood experiences and getting nostalgic about the past- it seems that the over riding memories are ones to do with new clothes and getting money, and people seem to have forgotten the religious aspect, which is maybe why it hasn't survived.

I wonder how many of those people who would like it back still go to to church or chapel?- look around your neighbourhood- the churches and chapels are still there!

Pentecost is celebrated because it is officially the birthday of the church- when the holy spirit came to 'kick start' Christianity. Those who had been newly admitted to the church at Easter were required to wear white until Pentecost- when they could take off their white garments (obviously dirty and smelly by then) and put on new ones, hence the tradition of wearing new clothes.

Hope this has filled in the gaps in some people's knowledge.

 

That's very interesting to understand the tradition of the wearing of new clothing. For my family who weren't serious "church goers" it was a tradition which they embarked upon each year, they may not have known the origin but, it was a time of Spring and particularly in the 1950's it was a time of hope and new beginnings. We lived in heavy smogs all Winter and the act of wearing new clean clothing and enjoying the sun in the park was as much a part of our lives as Christmas even though we may not have understood the religion behind it all.

[darra 10]

I used to look forward to Whit as being a younger brother it was the only time I got brand new clothes instead of hand me downs.

[jomarch 12]

That's very interesting to understand the tradition of the wearing of new clothing. For my family who weren't serious "church goers" it was a tradition which they embarked upon each year, they may not have known the origin but, it was a time of Spring and particularly in the 1950's it was a time of hope and new beginnings. We lived in heavy smogs all Winter and the act of wearing new clean clothing and enjoying the sun in the park was as much a part of our lives as Christmas even though we may not have understood the religion behind it all.

 

Yes, it was a time for communities to get together. I'm not denigrating that in any way. I was too young to remember the optimism of the fifties, but can only feel sad that those times are gone, and that the optimism seemed so misplaced and short lived.

[soft ayperth 11]

Whitsunday is also known as Pentecost Sunday. It is still a religious feast and celebrated 7 weeks after Easter, as such being a 'moveable feast' which means it doesn't always fall at the end of May.

I think the 'Spring' bank holiday was set on the last Monday of May to fix it at a time when the weather was better- though someone could put me right on this one.

Whitsunday is on the 23rd May this year, a week before the bank holiday.

Whilst it is lovely reading about childhood experiences and getting nostalgic about the past- it seems that the over riding memories are ones to do with new clothes and getting money, and people seem to have forgotten the religious aspect, which is maybe why it hasn't survived.

I wonder how many of those people who would like it back still go to to church or chapel?- look around your neighbourhood- the churches and chapels are still there!

Pentecost is celebrated because it is officially the birthday of the church- when the holy spirit came to 'kick start' Christianity. Those who had been newly admitted to the church at Easter were required to wear white until Pentecost- when they could take off their white garments (obviously dirty and smelly by then) and put on new ones, hence the tradition of wearing new clothes.

Hope this has filled in the gaps in some people's knowledge.

 

Thanks for filling in this detail. I had always thought that the wearing of new clothes at Whitsuntide, Pentecost Sunday, was symbolic - new birth, new clothes. For poor families it also had a practical purpose, being the one time in the year when they could scrape together the money to buy the clothes. Buying clothes year round wasn't always possible.

[whitehorses 10]

I too remember Whitsuntide.My sister and me would get new clothes, even underwear.I remember one year I got a dress, sparkling white, and it had a stiffened underskirt, I was dead proud of it, I remember we always had ankle socks at Whitsun , it was a really important occasion, but for us kids, the best bit was getting a shilling from your relatives and neighbours if you were lucky!!