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Chimney Sweepers on May Day
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Chimney Sweepers on May Day
May Day celebrations of the chimney sweeps. The text with the picture gives some interesting information about Jack in the Green and the Lord and Lady: " their garland is a large cone of holly and ivy framed upon hoops, which gradually diminishes in size to an apex, whereon is sometimes a floral crown, knots of ribbons, or bunches of flowers; its sides are decorated in like manner; and within it is a man who walks wholly unseen, and hence the garland has the semblance of a moving hillock of evergreens...their lord and lady are magnificent indeed; the lord is always the tallest of the party...he wears a huge cocked hat, fringed with yellow or red feathers, or laced with gold paper...his waistcoat is embroidered...his shoes are dancing pumps with large tawdry buckles; his hair is powdered...his lady is sometimes a strapping girl, though usually a boy in female attire." Date: 1826
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Media ID 14113356
© Mary Evans Picture Library
1820s 1826 Celebrating Celebration Celebrations Chimney Custom Jack Procession Sweepers Sweeps
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EDITORS COMMENTS
May Day celebrations of the Chimney Sweeps: A Traditional British Custom from the 1820s This image captures the essence of an intriguing May Day tradition in Britain, where chimney sweeps donned the garb of Jack in the Green and celebrated with their Lord and Lady. Dating back to the 1820s, this unique custom was an integral part of the May Day festivities. Jack in the Green was represented by a man concealed within a large cone of holly and ivy, creating the illusion of a moving hillock of evergreens. The garland, which gradually diminished in size to an apex, was adorned with floral crowns, knots of ribbons, or bunches of flowers. The enigma of Jack in the Green was further emphasized by the fact that he remained unseen, adding an air of mystery to the celebration. The Lord and Lady of the Chimney Sweeps were nothing short of magnificent. The tallest figure in the procession, the Lord, wore a grand cocked hat, adorned with yellow or red feathers or laced with gold paper. His waistcoat was intricately embroidered, and his shoes were dancing pumps with large, tawdry buckles. His powdered hair completed the regal look. The Lady, often portrayed as a strapping girl, was sometimes replaced by a boy in female attire. This gender-bending representation added another layer of intrigue to the already enchanting May Day celebrations. As the chimney sweeps paraded through the streets, they danced and sang, spreading joy and merriment, while Jack in the Green, the embodiment of nature's rebirth, symbolized the arrival of spring.
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