The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #3527   Message #18236
Posted By: Bruce O.
24-Dec-97 - 01:16 PM
Thread Name: Hal An Tow: notes?
Subject: RE: Hal An Tow: notes?
Back to the original question.

A description of the days activity, connected to the "Furry-Day Song" (Hal an tow) at Helston on May 8, was given in 'The Gentleman's Magazine', June, 1790. This was partially reprinted in R. Bell's 'Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the Peasantry', 1857. (The internet link to a copy of this has disappeared.) Whether this was in Dixon's edition of 1846 I do not know.

James Reeves, 'The Everlasting Circe', 1960, gives the complete text of "The Gentleman's Magazine' note (from a secondary source). He further adds that Cecil Sharp publish an account obtained from a man who danced a part in the late 19th century in 'The Morris Book'. part V, 1913.

Reeves, in a note on Aunt Mary Moses points out that 'aunt' in Cornwall could be simply a term of affection, but also notes that it might be 17th century slang for a prostitute, and adds that this might also be the case for Aunt Ursula Birdwood in "The Padstow May Song" (of which he gives two texts).