I am still trying to find out who wrote the following.
It was part of a radio program that, I think, first went out on Radio Oxford, and then was repeated on Folk on two in 1982.

Steve Heap has arranged the whole thing but when I asked him about it he had no isea who had written it.
It obviously predates the May day bank holiday (1982 and the question do we get a day off school?). It fits with my wife's childhood memories in East Lancashire of going out and dancing round a hand held pole for pennies.

I sing it most years hoping to get a reaction from somone else who knows it.

THE FIRST OF MAY

My granny said the other night "Next monday is the day
that marks the ending of the old, it is the first of May".
"Now what's so special we all cried, do we get a day off school,
Do we go for a bike ride down our lane, or a trip to the
swimming pool ?"
Well Granny sat us quietly down and opened her book
to read.
"You kids are losing heritage to spaceships, telly and speed.
If only for one minute a day you'd just sit down and try
To think about the days of old. Don't let tradition die."

CH. Like Easter eggs and Bonfire Night and Christmas
and New Year,
Our Maypole means so much to us, so give us arousing cheer.

"When I was younger and lived at home, my brothers and sisters and me
Would work for hours through April showers with ribbons and paint, you see.
All the colours we could find and trim them up so neat
That when the first of May came round we'd the best
pole in our street.
The morning of the first of May was special to us all.
We'd dance around the Maypole and on our friendswe'd call.
We'd knock on doors and sing our songs with garlands and banners and chains,
And pick up the pennies that folks threw down to driveoff the April
rains."

Her words put new life in our blood, we'd two days left to go.
Johnny found a wooden pole and painted it for show,
And Susie cut the ribbons up, and Gran taught us the song,
And when the first of May came round we'd do it, right or wrong.
We danced 'til nine o'clock that morn and then set off for school.
We told the teachers what we'd done and I felt a proper fool,
But they were very pleased with us and we showed the class the way
To dance around the Maypole and welcome in the May.

Any info?

Robin