May Day

May is a lovely month, with the start of good weather, blossom, bluebells, and white hawthorn are flowering, and the birds are singing. May 1 is called May Day. Since 1871 it had been a bank holiday in Scotland, and it was extended to the whole of the U.K. in 1978. May Day, also called Early May Bank Holiday, falls on the first Monday in May.

History

The origin of May Day celebrations is lost in the midst of time. A tall, thin, stripped tree or pole was a focus for celebration. Each May Day morning, it was the custom to deck the poles with wreaths of flowers, and the people would dance around it. It was often raucous, with lots of drinking. It was not popular with the Puritans. In 1644 Parliament banned maypole dancing as “a Heathenish vanity, generally abused to superstition and wickedness.” In 1660 when the monarchy was re-established under Charles II, maypoles were restored in many places. The tallest was erected in the Strand in London in 1661, which was 134 feet tall. Maypole dancing continued into Victorian times in a few locations, such as Aldermaston near Reading, but was a dying tradition.

Victorian Renaissance

The modern renaissance of maypole dancing dates back to its romantic re-invention by London theatres during the Victorian era. From 1836, the Old Vic had a choreographed maypole dance with coloured ribbons on its stage. This was popular and copied across the country. From 1858 Chapino’s Juvenile Ballet Troupe connected to His Majesty’s Theatre toured the country with a maypole dance. The artistic dance created a multi-coloured braided pattern which crept steadily down the pole. They performed locally in Berkhamsted and High Wycombe in the 1860s and 1870s.

Maypole dancing for schools

In 1841 the Church of England’s National Society founded Whitelands teacher training college for women, at Chelsea, in order to supply their growing network of primary schools. Whitelands College enlisted the interest of John Ruskin, Professor of Art at Oxford University. Ruskin was an idealist with Christian beliefs. Drawing on existing traditions, he encouraged maypole dancing as part of non-competitive physical education. The idea was to develop self-confidence and team skills. From 1881 maypole dancing was part of the tradition at Whitelands College. Now stripped of any pagan elements, it was suitable for Church of England schools and Anglican school fetes. Teachers from Whitelands went out to teach across the country, and into the British Empire, where many introduced maypole dancing to their schools. As the idea grew in popularity, so other enthusiasts started to develop new dances.

Maypole Dancing in Bucks

Maypole dancing in Buckinghamshire schools dates from these Whitelands College teachers. Maypole dancing is first recorded at a Bucks school at Buckingham in 1883. It was slowly adopted at different schools including Marlow and High Wycombe from 1891, Chesham from 1894, Wooburn and Great Missenden from 1895 and Aylesbury from 1897 etc.

Maypole dancing was seen as a uniquely English folk tradition. As maypole dancing grew in popularity it formed part of patriotic celebrations, notably Empire Day fetes which were held each May 24. In 1902 it was sometimes part of celebrations for Edward VII’s Coronation. One of the earliest Bucks photographs of maypole dancing is from Swanbourne in north Bucks in 1910. The heyday of May Day maypole dancing was in the 1920s and 1930s up to the war.

Chalfont St Giles

Maypole dancing is first recorded in Chalfont St Giles in 1902. In 1935 there was maypole dancing on the green as part of George V’s Silver Jubilee celebrations. This was repeated in 1936 and again in 1937 as part of the celebrations for George VI’s Coronation, but was discontinued during the war. The tradition was revived in the 1980s, when there was an adult maypole dancing group called the St Giles Maypole Dancers, led by Diana Penrose. They also taught the schoolchildren, and they performed on the green every May.

Maypole Dancing in Chesham

The first school in Chesham to start maypole dancing was Townsend Road School in 1894. It started at Lee Common School in 1908, Ashridge School in 1925, Hyde Heath in 1926, and Ballinger in 1932. From 1932 it became part of the annual Chesham carnival and fete with maypole dancing at the Bury. In 1935 maypoles were part of celebrations for George V’s Silver Jubilee at the Lee, Ballinger and Chesham Bois. In 1937 they were part of celebrations for George VI’s Coronation at the Lee, Ballinger, and Cholesbury. In 1977 they were also part of the Queen’s Silver Jubilee celebrations in many places. Chesham area schools which have done maypole dancing within living memory include Elmtree, Newtown, Chesham Prep School, Hawridge and Cholesbury School, Ashley Green and Ley Hill. Most recently in 2012, maypole dancing was part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations in places like Ley Hill and Chesham Bois.

Newtown School

Maypole dancing was introduced to Newtown School by Mrs Saunders in 1973. From the 1980s Mrs Etta Meaden, who lived in Manor Way in Chesham, was a keen teacher of maypole dancing. In 1982 it was part of the school’s 50th anniversary celebrations. Newtown pupils would dance at local events in Chesham. In 1990 they went to a county competition, and performed outside Chesham library.

Ley Hill

Ley Hill used to hold May Day Revels. In 1927 the village sent 3 maypole dancing teams - a children’s team, a girls’ team and a womens’ team - to the county folk dance competition. Maypole dancing was also included in St George’s Church garden parties in the 1950s. In more recent years maypole dancing was organised by Mrs Sherlock and later Mrs Cartledge at Ley Hill School, and they last performed at the Queen’s Golden Jubilee celebrations on the Common in 2012.

Chiltern Open Air Museum

Chiltern Open Air Museum now has a maypole. The first chance to see it with ribbons and dancers will come on Sunday May 23, when the mAy team, an adult maypole dancing group, will visit and demonstrate the dances. For more information visit the COAM website at https://coam.org.uk/events/maypole-dancing/

If you have more information about maypole dancing in Bucks please contact Neil on nwrees@gmail.com