Well, busy for me at any rate. The chiropodist came for her six-weekly visit and as she went my gardener and his assistant came - he to mow the lawns and weed and feed them, clean out the gutters and stain both front gates as the stain had faded. His assistant meanwhile finished the weeding of the back garden (making sure to cut off any bits of Mare's Tail she came across rather than pulling it up, which just encourages it to spread more.) She then fed any shrubs and my one rose (Gloire de Vivre), they both had a coffee and off they went. The garden looks lovely - daffodils fading and tulips in full bloom. The daffodil leaves look awful - faded and straggly - but need to stay longer (they have given their all this year and now it is pay-back time - as it should be with all plants.) Interestingly there is now a wavy line of tiny mushrooms across my side lawn!
Now I am weary - not sure why as I have largely watched proceedings rather than take part. I sat over my lunch for an hour and then had to force myself to get up and come to the computer.
But back to my chiropodist - she made my next (six-weekly appointment and informed me that - as there were no fewer the three Bank Holiday Mondays in May (Mayday, Coronation and Spring Bank Holiday) she would be working on the latter - 29th of May. That made my ears prick up. I immediately quoted:
Royal Oak Day, **
The 29th of May!
If we don't have a holiday
We'll all run away!!
Remember that anyone? Well it wasn't yesterday I'll grant you that. But I remember when I was at the village school - before winning a scholarship to the local High School in Lincoln- so the years between 1937 and 1942- we always had the afternoon of Royal Oak Day off. All girls had to wear a sprig of oak on their blazers otherwise the boys would chase us with stinging nettles.
** Often known as Oak Apple Day - always on May 29th and to commemorate the restoration of the Stuart Monarchy in May 1660.
Can anyone else remember it or am I the last 'man' standing?
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23 comments:
I remember Oak Apple Day from school in the 1950s, in Hampshire...near enough to the New Forest for days out!
No, never heard of it.
Never heard of it in Canada.. Our snowdrops are still on the lawn and the daffodils are out along with the trees with the big pink blossoms that get blown off with the first rain or wind storm. Don’t known what is called. I think we only have 24th of May, the queens birthday holiday. Will it be the same for Charles 3? GG
I remember my mum talking about Oak Apple Day - she was at school in Caistor, also in Lincolnshire. It was the celebration of the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660 with Charles !!
No, although husband tells me it gets mentioned on the Archers.
There is a Midsommer Murders episode that features Oak Apple Day, or some slight variation. Don't recall that it mentioned the restoration in 1660. I'm reading the Samuel Pepys diary entries on line - they are posted daily corresponding to the day they were written - and we are up to the point where Sam is on a ship going across on some mysterious errand related to King Charles (its April 1659). Very exciting.
Ceci
I think I remember talk of Oak Apple Day, but did not know what it was. I'm afraid I wasn't around in 1660. I hope those nasty boys got stung themselves.
My birthday is on Oak Apple Day, my Nan always used to remind me.
Interesting, as always, Pat. I looked in my delightful "Complete Book of Flower Fairies" book but didn't find an Oak Apple Fairy there.
Hope you enjoy a restful evening!
Hugs!
Interesting. Your answers vary so. Heather - your Gran remembering it is good - so it ges even further back than my schooldays - and yours too.
Frugally challenged - many of my first husband's relations lived around Caistor so I know it well.
I remember learning about Oak Apple Day in May but not that it was the restoration of the monarchy in 1660. Your blog is as informative as ever.
I've never heard of Oak Apple Day but it's making my hubby think as he is sure he heard about it 'years' ago.
My mother always recited Oak Apple Day 29th May every year on the 29th May. She was born in East Witton in 1916. Hopefully I will visit the village later in the year when I will be staying in Leyburn. Portia.
Fascinating about Oak Apple Day. Did any of the school girls get struck by a stick carried by a boy? The chase might be all in fun but hopefully nobody got a hard whack. Your garden sounds really lovely with Spring flowers in bloom.
To employ people can be very tiring, even if they are nice like your carer, gardener, chiropodist.
We did not have Oak Apple Day or three holidays in May.
I have good reason to know about Oak Apple Day due to nearby St. Neot village having BIG celebrations on that day.
http://www.saintneot.church/oak-apple-day#:~:text=It%20is%20called%20Oak%20Apple,lasted%20from%201660%20to%201859.
I must make a note in my diary to remind me to go along and watch all the goings-on.
We have a HUGE, 300 year old, Oak tree in France that we named 'The Royal Oak' after the Queen's Jubilee. I don't think we'll be there on the 29th May, but I'll remember your rhyme a couple of days later.
No Royal oak Day or Oak Apple Day here Pat. The restoration of the Stuart Monarchy may have been happening in 1660, but Australia was called New Holland in the 1600's, with British transplanted holidays a thing for the far distant future.
So good that you could take up a scholarship to the local high school in Lincoln. Some in my family, and my mother -in-law's family had scholarships offered in exciting endeavours but had to refuse due to family pressure and lack of support. Sad. These family members still talk well into old age about the choices taken from them at the time, and my mother in law feels her siblings fared much better, not being "forced out early to work." particularly as the younger two siblings went to University.-Pam, Aust.
Hardly surprising, no Oak Apple Day in Germany, either.
But I have come across it in books, and I am pretty sure I also know the episode of Midsomer Murders mentioned in Ceci's comment.
Your gardeners kept you busy by just watching them, and I guess it was you who made their coffees, too. Tulips are out here in full force now, too, while daffodils are gone almost everywhere except for some cooler, shadier places.
I've heard about it but only from revivals in some villages in the last decade or two. In the village of Whaddon, just down the road from me, they used to put oak branches on people's doorsteps on Whitsun Eve to remind them to be at church in the morning.
Portia - I tried to get to your site but nothing came up. If you stay in East Witton - do get in touch nearer the time and pop round for a cup of tea.
Thanks everyone - as usual lots of interesting replies.
When I lived in Wolverhampton we used to visit Boscobel House nearby and I rather think it had a connection with the Restoration - I shall have a look now and may be back.
Yes indeed - Boscobel House which is in Shropshire but not far from Wolverhampton, which is on the border of Shropshire (we lived about a mile from the Shropshire Border., is reported to be where Charles the Second hid after the battle of Worcester and he is supposed to have hidden in the oak tree there. I think the one there now is a young tree grown from an acorn but it is years since I went there.
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