Derbyshire villagers keep 19th Century Christmas tradition alive

Performing in masks, careering around pubs and homes with a horse's head and demanding a drink from the hosts. This Christmas tradition, dating back to at least the 19th Century, is still going strong in at least one part of the UK.

A group from a Derbyshire village has been keeping alive the tradition of guising, known as mumming in other places, by dressing up as characters including knights, an old woman and a horse based on a photograph from 1870.

"People say things like, 'Christmas does not start until we see the guisers'," said organiser and Winster Guisers performer Allan Stone.

With no rehearsals ahead of the show, the group of 11 entertain punters at pubs, houses and hotels across the White Peak villages in a number of shows during two weekends over Christmas.

After their 10-minute performance, the group collects money for charity before moving on.

Mr Stone, 63, has performed in every single show since the group reformed in 1979. The custom originally died out after the world wars.

He said: "It is the continuation of the tradition, which we think is very important.

"It is always very enjoyable too."

Three other members of the group have been involved since 1979 but Mr Stone, who plays the quack doctor, is the only one to have performed in every show.

"Three or four have been involved for 40 years, the majority for 25 years and one for about 10 years," he said.

"It is like when you're in, you're in. It's your role for life."

The "enterer-in" sets the stage for a conflict between St George, who is dressed in red and riding a hobby horse, and the Black Prince of Paradise.

St George is victorious and the King of Egypt berates him for killing his son.

An old woman then calls for a doctor and the quack doctor cures the prince by giving him a pint of beer from an audience member.

The play diverts from this narrative and we meet characters Beelzebub and Little Johnny Jack.

It then ends with a horse, which is a real horse's skull operated by a hidden guiser, careering around the room while a groom tells the animal's life story.

Mr Stone said originally the guisers would dig up a dead horse and use its head in the performance. Now, they use a painted horse's skull, which they have had for years.

Finally, they sing We Wish You a Merry Christmas and demand a drink by singing "we want a jug of ale" as the second line.

Mr Stone said the earliest record they had of guisers in Winster was in the diaries of Llewellyn Jewitt, an antiquarian who lived in Winster Hall for five years from the late 1860s.

He added: "The tradition was people would go around big houses begging a small performance for a drink, food and perhaps some money.

"This was not just confined to Winster. It was a common thing back in that era."

The revival was initiated by a local man called Dave Bathe, who interviewed people old enough to remember the Winster Guisers and looked at written records, which he used to write the script.

After Mr Bathe died in 1993, Mr Stone become the organiser.

"We all feel proud we are keeping this alive," he said.

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