Mischief Night: An Enquiry into its Origins and Traditions

Description

Study of the Mischief Night calendar custom, looking at where it is celebrated, how far it extends over Northern England, whether it is predominantly an urban or rural custom, and whether its occurrence is limited to areas associated with any particular social class. The study also describes what happens on Mischief Night, assesses changes in the mischief practised, and asks why the custom happens, why children celebrate it, how the custom originated, and why it occurs on two different dates of the year (November 4th and April 30th). Information has been gathered from reader responses to letters sent by the collector to Yorkshire newspapers, essays written by children at schools in Bradford, Morley and Hawksworth, observations in the streets of Leeds on November 4th 1962, and from nineteenth century printed sources. A distribution map showing the locations where the custom has been reported is also included.

Metadata

Identifier fyxh2t5y
IRN 409953
Class Mark LAVC/SRP/1/057
Level File
Type of Record Archives - ISAD(G)
Peristent Link http://prototype1.library.leeds.ac.uk/fyxh2t5y
Collection(s) Leeds Archive of Vernacular Culture
Category Archive
Parent Record Postgraduate Theses and Dissertations
Creator(s) O'Donnell, Jane
Date 1963
Size and Medium 52 unbound typed leaves.

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