Category:
Customs
Customs
Printers’ initiation ritual
Here's a quaint old custom that the digital age has likely done away with.
Des Moines Register - June 13, 1965
Some research reveals that the ritual was known as the "banging out" ceremony. Info from the Optichrome Blog:
historically, apprentices in the printing industry take part in ‘banging out’.
Upon the completion of their rigorous training, print apprentices were doused with all sorts of ink and print waste materials by their colleagues, before being paraded through their factories and towns in an outlandish community-building initiation that would never pass today. This bygone tradition dated back to the Fleet Street newspaper factories, when retirees were given the same treatment whilst being serenaded by the sound of banging tools – hence the name of ‘banging out’.
Upon the completion of their rigorous training, print apprentices were doused with all sorts of ink and print waste materials by their colleagues, before being paraded through their factories and towns in an outlandish community-building initiation that would never pass today. This bygone tradition dated back to the Fleet Street newspaper factories, when retirees were given the same treatment whilst being serenaded by the sound of banging tools – hence the name of ‘banging out’.
Below is video of a banging out ceremony that occurred in Woking around 1975.
Posted By: Alex - Fri Nov 29, 2024 -
Comments (1)
Category: Customs, Rituals and Superstitions
The Straw Hat Riots of 1922
Allow me to quote at length from Wikipedia. But visit that page for even more details.The Straw Hat Riot of 1922 was a riot that occurred in New York City at the end of summer as a result of unwritten rules in men's fashions at the time, and a tradition of taunting people who had failed to stop wearing straw hats after autumn began. Originating as a series of minor riots, it spread due to men wearing straw hats past the unofficial date that was deemed socially acceptable, September 15. It lasted eight days, leading to many arrests and some injuries.... By the early 20th century, straw boaters were considered acceptable day attire in North American cities at the height of summer even for businessmen, but there was an unwritten rule that one was not supposed to wear a straw hat past September 15 (which was known as "Felt Hat Day").[1] This date was arbitrary; earlier it had been September 1, but it eventually shifted to mid-month. It was socially acceptable for stockbrokers to destroy each other's hats, due to the fact that they were “companions”,[2] but it was not acceptable for total strangers. If any man was seen wearing a straw hat, he was, at minimum, subjecting himself to ridicule, and it was a tradition for youths to knock straw hats off wearers' heads and stomp on them.[3] This tradition became well established, and newspapers of the day would often warn people of the impending approach of the fifteenth, when men would have to switch to felt or silk hats.[4] Hat bashing was only socially acceptable after September 15, but there were multiple occasions leading up to this date where the police had to intervene and stop teenagers.[2] The riot itself began on September 13, 1922, two days before the supposed unspoken date, when a group of youths decided to get an early jump on the tradition.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Apr 02, 2024 -
Comments (3)
Category: Customs, Riots, Protests and Civil Disobedience, Headgear, 1920s, Pranks
The Christmas Custom of Dead Bird Postcards
Back in the 19th century, people often sent each other postcards of dead birds during the Christmas season. Collectors Weekly explains:"The Victorians had some really strange ideas about what served as an appropriate Christmas greeting," says Bo Wreden, who recently organized an exhibition of holiday cards for the Book Club of California. "They liked to send out cards with dead birds on them, robins in particular, which related to ancient customs and legends. There's a famous quotation from the Venerable Bede about a sparrow flying through the hall of a castle while the nobility is celebrating Christmas: The moment from when it enters until it flies out is very brief, a metaphor for how quickly our lives pass." Apparently, killing a wren or robin was once a good-luck ritual performed in late December, and during the late 19th century, cards featuring the bodies of these birds were sent to offer good luck in the New Year.
More info: hyperallergic.com
Posted By: Alex - Mon Dec 05, 2022 -
Comments (4)
Category: Customs, Death, Christmas
Bees told of Queen Elizabeth’s Death
Royal housekeeper John Chapple has carried out the duty of telling the bees kept at Buckingham Palace and Clarence House that Queen Elizabeth has died, and that King Charles is their new master."I drape the hives with black ribbon with a bow," he said...
"You knock on each hive and say, 'The mistress is dead, but don't you go. Your master will be a good master to you.'"
"You knock on each hive and say, 'The mistress is dead, but don't you go. Your master will be a good master to you.'"
This was in accordance with the ancient British custom of "telling the bees," which we described in a post back in 2012.
More info: geo.tv
Posted By: Alex - Sun Sep 11, 2022 -
Comments (2)
Category: Animals, Customs, Death, Royalty, Superstition
The Sacred Chickens of Rome
Strange custom: The ancient Romans were reportedly loath to embark on any major undertaking, particularly battles, before they had consulted sacred chickens. As told by HistoryCollection.com:The pullarius [keeper of the sacred chickens] was responsible for keeping sacred chickens and using them to make divinations or "predictions." These holy birds, which had been sourced from the island of Negreponte (now Euboea, near Athens), were kept unfed in their cages for a predetermined amount of time before being released and presented with some grain. If they ate the grain, the venture upon which the Romans were consulting them was deemed favourable. If they didn't touch it, however, the venture lacked the god's backing and was therefore to be abandoned.
Publius Claudius Pulcher And The Sacred Chickens
However, the advice of the sacred chickens wasn't always followed. As told by the Anecdotes from Antiquity blog:
During the First Punic War, Publius Claudius Pulcher turned to the sacred chickens for approval of his plan to launch a surprise attack on the Carthaginian fleet at the harbour of Drepana. When the chicken watcher notified Pulcher that they were not eating, which constituted a bad omen, he replied, ‘Since they do not want to eat, let them drink!’ and had them hurled into the sea. The naval battle which ensued saw the near annihilation of the Roman fleet.
Posted By: Alex - Wed May 05, 2021 -
Comments (4)
Category: Animals, Customs, Religion
How to Succeed With Brunettes
Posted By: Paul - Sun Jan 31, 2021 -
Comments (0)
Category: Annoying Things, Antisocial Activities, Customs, Emotions, Etiquette and Formal Behavior, PSA’s, 1960s, Men, Women
A Social History of Wild Huckleberry Harvesting in the Pacific Northwest
Read it here.
Posted By: Paul - Wed Jun 10, 2020 -
Comments (2)
Category: Boredom, Customs, Daredevils, Stuntpeople and Thrillseekers, Food, Government, Regionalism
Bring Back the Bush
Posted By: Paul - Wed Jan 29, 2020 -
Comments (2)
Category: Annoying Things, Antiques, Anachronisms and Throwbacks, Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Customs, Hygiene, Genitals
Occasional Wife
Wikipedia page.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Nov 15, 2019 -
Comments (1)
Category: Business, Confusion, Misunderstanding, and Incomprehension, Customs, Domestic, 1960s, Men, Women
Plaid Stallions
Endless hours of browsing at this blog dedicated to 70s culture.
Posted By: Paul - Sun Jun 30, 2019 -
Comments (1)
Category: Cult Figures and Artifacts, Culture and Civilization, Customs, Pop Art, 1970s
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |