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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
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>Of course in almost a quarter of a century that may have changed a bit, but knowing England and the English I suspect not much. Yes "shut down" holidays were common. In the North West where I lived, Oldham had the "wakes weeks" in June, so the schools followed suit and closed for two weeks. In Rochdale, just half a mile away had a week in September. My father was a headteacher and the holidays were very inconvenient for anyone sitting important exams as they had to be taken on the same date all over the country. I think that although the few remaining mills may well close for the Wakes weeks, there is no longer the same major shut-down. In Scotland, Edinburgh and Glasgow have "Trades Fortnight" -Edinburgh in the first two weeks in July, Glasgow in the third and fourth weeks. I found this on the internet: "(1) I am not sure how it was arranged, but no two adjacent towns had "Wakes" in the same week. This meant, as the week wore on and you ran out of food because all the grocers were shut, you could get a bus into the neighbouring town to do some shopping. It also meant that you did not get people from neighbouring (=rival) towns in the same pubs in Blackpool, as they were there on separate weeks. This helped keep the peace in Blackpool. (2) Whereas towns like Oldham, Chadderton, Bury and Bacup had "Wakes Weeks", the people of Rochdale thought themselves a cut above the others, and their one-week holiday was called "Rushbearing". (3) When I say I doubted if you could even be buried in Wakes Week, I did not mean you could not find a clergyman. Rather, the gravedigger would be in Blackpool, the undertaker's clerk in St Anne's and the undertaker himself probably in somewhere posh like Morecombe or Grange-over-Sands. (4) As I said, there were no coal mines still working in Rochdale when I lived there up to 1945, but I am sure the same arrangements applied in towns where there were mines. To suggest they would not take the one week a year holiday they were entitled to, pay or no pay, is to invite a punce (=kick) on the shins with an iron-shod clog!" Tony Brewis http://www.mailbase.ac.uk/lists/mining-history/1999-05/0058.htmlalso: http://www.mill-hill.org.uk/Moonraker/Chap8.html
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Joined: Jul 2000
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old hand
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old hand
Joined: Jul 2000
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When I say I doubted if you could even be buried in Wakes Week
Somewhat off topic, but I was wondering: after 2000 years, is Britain running out of room for cemeteries?
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veteran
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veteran
Joined: Oct 2000
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"wakes weeks" in June...In Scotland, Edinburgh and Glasgow have "Trades Fortnight"Never heard of any of these Jo! Shows how little I know of the North. From a Midland/Southern perspective, we get inevitable holiday rushes for school holidays (half-term being a particular nightmare, especially when it coincides with a Bank Holiday), but otherwise nothing too bad. Of course, the M25 (London Orbital aka "Car Park") is always a nightmare. 
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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>When I say I doubted if you could even be buried in Wakes Week
Somewhat off topic, but I was wondering: after 2000 years, is Britain running out of room for cemeteries?
What's the sense of having wakes if you can't have a burial afterward???
But, Jazz, what did they do with the bodies before 2000 years ago? GRIN!!!
Which reminds me. Would someone PLEASE tell me how you get those icons into your posts???
TEd
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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>GRIN!!!...Would someone PLEASE tell me how you get those icons into your posts???
it's all markup, teD [see purple markup link on reply screen], but be forewarned that you'll probably save keystrokes by winging it. 8-)
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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 Thanks tsuwm!
TEd
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Joined: Jul 2000
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old hand
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old hand
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But, Jazz, what did they do with the bodies before 2000 years ago? GRIN!!!
Well, before 2000 years ago, and I guess for sometime after 1 AD, Britain was mainly a pagan world, and didn't they usually burn their dead?
Shows what I know about ancient burial practices . . .
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Mar 2000
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>Is Britain running out of room for cemeteries? Yes, I believe it is, although the vast majority of people, these days are cremated. In my old Yorkshire village the Church (of England) Commissioners were trying to buy land to extend the over-crowded church graveyard. The plans were opposed by neighbours of the church, who said that they did not feel that they could enjoy barbecues in their garden if they felt that there would be the possibility of a funeral appearing in their direct view. I understand that in some large cemeteries, steps are being taken to dig deeper and make a bit more room. Although the worst is to come - isn't these some population growth statistic that says that there are now more people alive today ... oh no, just looked it up, another urban legend! http://www.snopes.com/errata/dead.htm
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Jo,
Your post and URL Although the worst is to come - isn't these some population growth statistic that says that there are now more people alive today ... oh no, just looked it up, another urban legend! http://www.snopes.com/errata/dead.htm
rather amused me. Well-researched, indeed. It was very illuminating.
The question came up on a quiz programme I was watching on TV quite recently (I think it was "Who Wants to be a Millionaire", British version). The "correct" answer was that there were more people alive today that had ever died.
Oops!
The idiot also known as Capfka ...
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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In reply to:
Well, before 2000 years ago, and I guess for sometime after 1 AD, Britain was mainly a pagan world, and didn't they usually burn their dead?
Some groups did use cremation but others buried the dead. Dotted about the British countryside are earth structures called barrows, which are basically burial mounds. Haven't we had ossuary as an AWAD at some point (sorry I should have left to meet some people ten minutes ago, but I thought no, I've just got time to finish Miscellany, so I can't look it up) and anyway how long does it take for buried bodies to decompose?
Bingley
Bingley
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