The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #94257   Message #2173568
Posted By: Bill S from Adelaide
18-Oct-07 - 09:02 AM
Thread Name: origins of broom dancing
Subject: RE: origins of broom dancing
I noted a mention of jumping over the broomstick, from memory, this was a navvy custom where a common law marriage was recognised by jumping over brush and broom.
In my dissolute past, I used to describe my status as living ower't broom and people understood, at least in Manchester.
Broom dancing is commonly seen in the morris and usually ends by jumping through the two hands holding the handle, back and forth, not easy when I was young, impossible now
Cheers