Ouse Washes Molly Archives

Lynn Advertiser, Tuesday 16th January 1844

The town of Downham, according to general custom, was visited this week by six or eight individuals, miserably decorated with ribbons, accompanied by a wretched tormentor of cat gut, designated a fiddler, styling themselves ploughboys, extracting alms of the inhabitants.

The police are generally alert in suppressing vagrancy, and were they to exert themselves to prevent cases similar to the above, the suppression would be a boon to the community.

The principal portion of the public in this neighbourhood are zealous advocates for and supporters of the plough, and would willingly give a trifle to the honest plough lad, when solicited to do so; but when the scum of the village, as in this instance, palm themselves upon the public as plough-boys (the principal portion of whom, it is doubtful, whether they know how to manage a plough, if they were ever engaged in such employment) it must be admitted the imposition is unbearable and ought to be put down- to say nothing about the gross insults generally given to those who refuse money when solicited.

Folklore, vol. 72 (December 1961) pp. 584-598
Folk Life and Traditions of the Fens

'The seasonal festivals of the year brought to the Fens, as elsewhere, their customs and traditions, most of them not surviving beyond the First World War.

Plough Monday saw the traditional procession of the plough and the demands for money made by the men and boys, many dressed as women or as horses. In the Southery and Littleport Fens, any woman refusing to give money would have her long drawers dragged from her and hung round her neck.

In the evening, at the Molly dancing, the money would be counted, and next day groceries would be purchased and delivered to needy old women. On this day too, teamsmen were initiated by having their noses rubbed against the horse's tail.'

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