Clayworth (SK7288), Nottinghamshire

R.J.E.Tiddy (1923) pp.241-245

Miss M. Marshall (Col.)
CLAYWORTH NOTTINGHAMSHIRE: Five and a half miles from Gainsborough: A PLOUGH MONDAY PLAY
R.J.E.Tiddy (1923), pp.241-245

Full text (135 lines) of a Plough Monday play from Clayworth, Notts. The characters are; Clown/Bold Tom/Tommy, Soldier/Recruiting Sergeant, Farmer's Boy, Ploughboy/Farmer's Man, Lady, Eezum-Squeezum, and Doctor.

R.J.E.Tiddy (1923) pp.246-247

[Anon.] (Inf.)
CLAYWORTH, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE: ANOTHER VERSION OF A PLOUGH MONDAY PLAY
R.J.E.Tiddy (1923), pp.246-247

Full text (30 lines) of a Plough Monday play from Clayworth, Notts. A second Clayworth text published in the same volume was collected by Miss.M.Marshall, and this probably was also. The characters are ; Fool, King George, Beelzebub and Doctor

M.W.M. (1926a)

M. W. M. (Auth.)
FOLK DRAMA: NORTH NOTTINGHAMSHIRE VERSIONS: TWELFTH-TIDE AND PLOUGH MONDAY CUSTOMS
Nottingham Guardian, 9th Jan.1926, No.21774, p.6a-b

This article starts with an extensive summary of the survival theories of English folk drama, as propounded by T.F.Ordish, E.K.Chambers and R.J.E.Tiddy. She then goes in the describe her collecting activities in North Notts. Her first informant vaguely mentioned "a funny play" being done at Christmas in Navenby, Lincs. Another mentioned a play performed about 1906 at Sutton and Lound, Notts., involving a horse's head.

Finally she collected a Plough Monday play from various people in Clayworth, Notts. She describes the play as collected from "the Doctor", quoting fragments of text. The characters were; Old Clown, Soldier, a Farmer's Boy, Lady, Old Eszum Squeezum [probably misprinted], and the Doctor. The full text was printed in R.J.E.Tiddy (1923).

The article is concluded in M.W.M. (1926b)

M.W.M. (1926b)

M. W. M. (Auth.)
FOLK DRAMA II: MORE OLD NOTTINGHAMSHIRE SURVIVALS: THEORIES OF REMOTE PAGAN ORIGIN
Nottingham Guardian, 11th Jan.1926, No.21775, p.6 a-b

Continuing M.W.M. (1926a), she quotes a description of plough trailing and malicious ploughing at a village near Clayworth, Notts. - probably Mattersey. The informant was aged 96, and also proffered an explanation of the origin of the Haxey Hood game. A female informant from an unnamed location mentioned how the Plough Monday actors used to "kidnap" the girls. Also, "the lads of South Wheatley used to go all around the neighbourhood dancing in cowhides, horns and all - scaring folks to death by peeping through the windows at night." Finally there is a brief foray into animal magic, broadsides, and records in the "Towne Book of Claworth".

[The clippings in Notts. County Library's Folklore box include two illustrations. These may have come from P.Herring (1926), and need checking against the original newspapers.]

Worksop Guardian (1926)

[Anon.] (Auth.)
Plough Monday: QUAINT CUSTOMS IN NORTH NOTTS. [near Clayworth]
*Worksop Guardian, 15th Jan. 1926

Extensive quotations from M.W.M. (1926a & b) about Stots on Plough Monday in Notts., including a play performed at Sutton-cum-Lound about 1906. There is a description of plough trailing and malicious ploughing in a village near Clayworth, Notts. - probably Mattersey. Hood Throwing at Haxey is also mentioned.

F.Collingwood (1933)

Frances Collingwood (Auth.)
Folk Lore of Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire Magazine, 1933, Vol.1, No.3, pp.187-188

Despite its general title, half of this article is devoted to Plough Monday plays. Brief descriptions are given of versions from Clayworth, Notts., and Blidworth, Notts., and there is an unlocated photograph of a team of actors. No text is quoted however. The Clayworth play had the characters; Soldier, Old Eezum Squeezum, Clown and Doctor, although sometimes King George or Saint George appeared instead of Soldier, and Beelzebub replaced Eezum Squeezum. The Blidworth "Plough-Bullocking" play had; King George, Doctor and a Pressgang, and is described as being extant. It was collected by Rev. Edward Dunnicliff of Ollerton. Cecil Sharp's theories on the dualistic nature of the play, and their supposed pagan origins are reiterated. The rest of the article discusses the Eakring Ball Game played on Easter Tuesdays, and Maypoles at Wellow, Edwinstowe, Linby, Farnsfield, Stapleford and Nottingham.

F.W.Beazley (1946)

F. W. Beazley (Auth.)
PLOUGH MONDAY AND "THE PLOUGH BULLOCKS"
Bulletin of the Nottinghamshire Schools Rural Science Panel, Dec.1946, No.19, pp.2-6

The full text (54 lines) of a Plough Bullock Night play from Mansfield, Notts., collected from the author's father Mr.S.Beazley. The characters are; St. George, Bold Slasher, Doctor, Beelzebub, Molly Mop, Mickey Bent, Polly Flinders and a Rake.

Mentions that at Clayworth, Notts., Beelzebub went by the name of Old Eezum Squeezum. Covers plough trailing, malicious ploughing and Plough lights with the usual quotes, probably derived from Chaworth-Musters (1890) which the author cites. The Cropwell cast is given as; Tom the Fool, Recruiting Sergeant, Ribboner or Recruit, Doctor, Lady, Ploughman, Hopper Joe and Threshing Blade. The final song is given.

S.R. (1947)

S. R. (Auth.)
PLOUGH MONDAY AND THE MUMMERS' PLAY: NOTTINGHAMSHIRE SURVIVALS
Nottinghamshire Guardian, 18th Jan.1947, No.5305, p.3 c-e

A review of the origins of Mummers' Plays and Plough Monday Plays. Race regards as fanciful the idea that the Mummers' Plays were a survival from pagan times, on grounds of lack of evidence. Although it may have originated in the 18th century, it really became popular in the early 19th century, under the influence of such books such as "Hone's Year Book for 1826". Chapbooks were an important factor later in the century. He cites a chapbook published in Belper in 1846, and chapbooks published by Heywoods of Manchester in the 1860s to 1880s. The Plough Monday play evolved from the Mummers' Play in the mid 19th century. He cites E.K.Chambers' (1933) feeling that the Plough Monday plays were confined to Lincs., and adjacent districts.

Texts from Clayworth (R.J.E.Tiddy, 1923) and Cropwell (Chaworth Musters, 1890) are compared. The characters for the Clayworth play are given as; Bold Tom, Recruiting Sergeant, Farmer's Man, Lady Bright and Gay, old Eazum Squeezum and the Doctor. The Cropwell characters are given as; Tom the Fool, Recruiting Sergeant, Ribboner, Doctor, Lady, Beelzebub, Dame Jane and the Farmer's Men. The text from Chaworth Musters (1890) is also compared with another text from Cropwell Bishop collected later by Race (S.Race Collection, 1924, E.R.Granger). In the latter play, the Lady had been lost, and Beelzebub had been replaced by Easem Squeasem. Other plays mentioned include a team from Harby, Leics., which used to visit Cropwell Bishop regularly, and a Retford troupe in the 19th century, one of whose members wore an animal's head.

Race concludes by posing the question, "Why should the observance of Plough Monday be so general in the countryside, and its play confined to an area comparatively small?"

M.W.Barley (1951)

M. W. Barley (Auth.); E. F. H. D. (Col.)
Plough Plays in Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire Countryside, Oct.1951, Vol.13, No.2, pp.1-2

This is a request for information on Plough monday plays. Brief descriptions are given of the sort of information wanted, together with outlines of the possible historical implications of Plough Monday and of the questions it is hoped to answer. The names Plough Boys, or Jacks, or Jags, or Stots, or Bullocks are mentioned. He particularly asks for information on plough trailing, sword dances, and customs from western Notts., similar to those found in Derbys. & Yorks., such as Christmas Mummers, sword dances and Morris dances. In a brief mention of Hobby Horses, he notes the Christmas play of the "Poor Owd 'Oss" from Mansfield in the A.S.Buxton Collection, and other occurrences at Cuckney and Elkesley. He already had information on Plough Monday plays from the Notts. villages of; Blidworth, Mansfield, East Bridgford, Bothamsall, Cropwell, Clayworth, Flintham, Selston, Walesby, Whatton, Worksop, Norwell, Averham, Tollerton, and North Leverton.

Appended is the final song of a play from Blidworth, Notts., collected in 1925 by E.F.H.D. This was in fact first published in 1948 (E.F.H.D., 1948).

Retford, Gainsborough & Worksop Times (1985)

[Anon.] (Auth.)
Plough play at Clayworth
Retford, Gainsborough & Worksop Times, 11th Jan. 1985, No.6884, p.17 d-f

Photo captioned:- "Clayworth village came alive to the sound of Morris Men, Clog Dancers and Plough Jags who performed a plough play for the third year running...."

Revial by the Broadstone Morris Men of Retford, Notts.

* indicates data that not yet been validated against the original source and/or has yet to be completely indexed.