Hello Les!
I probably didn't make myself clear. What I meant to express was the fact that Mummers' plays, 'Dames' and so on definitely do have a historical context, and that this lends a certain 'historical' cachet to Molly costumes and Morris 'fools', 'hobby 'osses, Rapper 'dames' etc. (If a 'Morris Theme Park' opened soon at a venue near me, I'd be first in the queue, would apply for a Pensioner's Season Ticket and haunt the place!)
Best wishes,
Eliza