England Saints Days, Properly Addressing Others - International Institute
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The original content for this article was contributed by The International Institute of Genealogical Studies in June 2012. It is an excerpt from their course English - Understanding Names in Genealogy by Dr. Penelope Christensen. The Institute offers over 200 comprehensive genealogy courses for a fee ($). |
Relationships and Forms of Address[edit | edit source]
The meaning of terms used for relationships has changed over time. We have a limited definition of the term ‘in-laws’ as those related in certain ways by marriage. A novice family historian is shocked at her first encounter with a 3-year-old daughter-in-law, and puzzled by a man describing his father’s new wife as his mother-in-law. In former times the term encompassed all those who ‘in the eyes of the law’ were related, thus a step-child or step-mother fit the definition. Likewise the terms sister and brother would be used for sister-in-law and brother-in-law.
Before the 18th century the terms nephew and niece meant any descendant or younger relative, not just the child of a brother or sister. Likewise uncle and aunt could refer to any older relative. Beware also the ‘courtesy’ aunts and uncles, usually close friends of their parents in a time when children would not address an adult by their first name. Many a child has thought they had a rich relative when mother talked of ‘going to see uncle,’ whose residence contained a large amount of valuable silver and jewellery. Only later in life did they realize that mother was making her regular visit to the pawnshop!
Most people don’t know the difference between a second cousin and a cousin twice removed. Cousins who happen to be somewhat older than oneself tend to be called ‘aunts’ and ‘uncles’ and any relative roughly the same age is referred to as a ‘cousin.’
This can really cause confusion for the family historian trying to sort out the family tree. Never take a stated relationship at its face value. On the other hand, “a cousin Betty” is a euphemism for a half-witted person.
Goodman and Goodwife, (nicknamed ‘Goodie’), were forms of address in mediaeval and early modern times for the master or mistress of the house who were below the status of gentleman and gentlewoman. In the early modern period the title Mr. is seen in parish registers and other documents. It referred then to someone of at least minor gentry status, such as churchwardens, mayors, masters of guilds, city livery companies and magistrates. Mistress or Mrs. or Dame were used for a married or unmarried woman of the same status. The term Miss for a spinster only appeared in the early 18th century. Mr. was also formerly a courtesy title for any priest with a Master of Arts degree, whilst the title Sir before a priest’s name indicated that he was a non-graduate or had only a bachelor’s degree. From the later 18th century Mr. has been used for any untitled male, and Master for a boy.
Teachers prior to the 20th century may have titled themselves Professor, whether male or female, and would be addressed as Sir or Madam. This form of address does not mean that they have the title Sir which is acquired by receiving a knighthood. Cecil Humphery-Smith (Something to Think About. Family Tree Magazine Vol15 #1, page 48.1998) explains more about these intricacies with his usual humour.
Names for Days[edit | edit source]
The following are often mentioned in documents to which the genealogist refers, so a little explanation was thought helpful. The chart below comprises general names whilst Saints’ days are considered in the next section. The names of the quarter days, especially Lady Day and Michaelmas, are particularly important as they are frequently the occasions for payments of wages or rents etc. Otherwise you may interpret them like one novice who reported that ‘Lady Day and Michael Mas were receiving a lot of money every year’!
Chart:
Names for Days
| Name | Day |
|---|---|
| Advent Sunday | Nearest Sunday to 30 Nov |
| All Fools Day | 1 April |
| Annunciation | 25 March Lady Day |
| Ascension Day | Thursday 40 days after Easter |
| Ash Wednesday | 1st Day of Lent. Pope Gregory the Great sprinkled ashes on penitents' heads |
| Assumption | 15 August |
| Balaclava Day | Army slang for pay day |
| Beltane Bealtaine |
1 May. One of the old Scottish quarter Days. Old May Day Festival in Ireland |
| Blue Monday | Monday before Lent when churches were decorated in blue. |
| Bonfire Night | 5 Nov. Guy Fawkes Day |
| Bounds Thursday | Ascension Day, on which parish bonds were traditionally perambulated. |
| Burns Night | 25 January. Robert Burns birthday. |
| Candlemas Day | 23 February. A Quarter Day in Scotland |
| Childermas | 28 Dec. Commemorates slaughter of Holy Innocents by Herod. |
| Christmas Day | 25 December. A Quarter Day in England, Wales and Ireland; one of the few holidays. |
| Corpus Christi | Thursday after Trinity Sunday. |
| Dog Days | 3-11 July |
| Empire Day | 24 May |
| Encaenia | Day on which the anniversary of a church's dedication is celebrated. |
| Epiphany | 6 January |
| Fasten Tuesday | Shrove Tuesday |
| Glorious Twelfth | 12 July on which Orangemen celebrate the Battle of the Boyne, Ireland. Can also refer to 12 October, opening of grouse shooting season. |
| Gooding Day | 21 December on which alms were collected. |
| Gowkie or Gowkin Day | 1 April. Scottish term of April Fools Day |
| Green Thursday | Maundy Thursday |
| Guy Fawkes Day | 5 November when the Gunpowder Plot remembered with fireworks and bonfires. |
| Hogmanay | 1 January. A Scottish custom |
| Holy Cross Day or Holy Rood Day | 14 September |
| Holy Innocents Day | Childermas |
| Holy Thursday | Ascension Day |
| Lady Day | 25 March a Quarter Day in England, Wales and Ireland |
| Laetare Sunday | Medlent Sunday |
| Lammas Day | 1 August. Day on which the loaves made from the first ripe corn were consecrated. A Quarter Day in Scotland. Forerunner of Harvest festivals. |
| Love Day | A day appointed for settlement of disputes. Children born on such a day were sometimes named Loveday |
| Martinmas | 11 November. A Quarter Day in Scotland |
| Maundy Thursday | Thursday before Easter |
| May Day | 1 May. Rural festival, now Labour Day celebrated in 1st Monday in May in England and many other countries. |
| Michaelmas Day | 29 September. A Quarter Day in England, Wales and Ireland |
| Midsummer Eve | 23 June celebrated by Ancient Order of Druids |
| Midsummer Day | 24 June. A Quarter Day in England, Wales and Ireland |
| Mop Fair Days | October. Originally a harvest festival in which employers picked their hired help for the next year. |
| Mothering Sunday | Midlent Sunday, the middle of Lent, but now confused with Mothers' Day. |
| Mother's Day | 2nd Sunday in May in England |
| Nameday | Feast of the saint whose name one bears. |
| Nettle Day -see Oak Apple Day | 29 May when children sting with nettles those not wearing a spring of oak leaves. |
| Nut Monday | 1st Monday in August, a local British holiday |
| Oak Apple Day | Day on which Charles II restored to throne. Oak leaves or oak apples are worn to commemorate the oak tree in which he hid. |
| Orange Day | 12 July Glorious Twelfth |
| Palm Sunday | Sunday before Easter |
| Pancake Day | Shrove Tuesday |
| Pentecost | 7th Sunday after Easter. |
| Plough Monday | 1st Monday after 6 Januray, when farmers resumed ploughing after Christmas holiday |
| Primrose Day | 19 April celebrating death of Benjamin Disraeli |
| Pulver Wednesday | Ash Wednesday 1st day of Lent |
| Purification | Candlemas Day |
| Quarter Days | The 4 days in the year when rents and legacies etc. were paid. They were Lady Day 25 Mar, Midsummer Day 24 June, Michaelmas 29 Sep and Christmas 25 Dec |
| Red Letter Day | Originally a holy day marked on a church calendar in red. Now any special day. |
| Rogation Sunday | 5th Sunday after Easter |
| Rood Day | 14 September. Holy Cross Day |
| Royal Oak Day | 29 May. See Oak Apple Day |
| St. Distaff's Day | 7 January. A mediaeval witticism, the day on which the women (distaff side of family) resumed work after Christmas holiday |
| St Lubbock's Day | Slang expression for a Bank Holiday after man who sponsored Bank Holiday Act 1871 |
| Shrove Tursday | Lent begins, day before Ash Wednesday. |
| Simnel Sunday | Mothering Sunday when Simnel cakes were eaten |
| Trafalgar Day | 21 October. Commemorates Lord Nelson and Battle of Trafalgar 1805 |
| Trinity Sunday | Sunday following Whit Sunday |
| Twelfth Night | 6 January celebrated with fancy cakes |
| VE Day | 8 May 1945 |
| Victoria Day | 24 May Victoria's birthday |
| Waterloo Day | 18 June commemorates defeat of Napoleon at Battle of Waterloo 1815 |
| Whit Sunday and Whit Monday | 7th after Easter. A Quarter Day in Scotland |
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Information in this Wiki page is excerpted from the online course English - Understanding Names in Genealogy offered by The International Institute of Genealogical Studies. To learn more about this course or other courses available from the Institute, see our website. We can be contacted at wiki@genealogicalstudies.com
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