Midgley Pace Egg Play (Document ID: 102379)
The Midgley Pace Egg Play.
Author: Unknown
Date: not dated
Location: Midgley
Format: Pamphlet
Document ID: 102379
Library ID: P398
The Midgley version of the Pace Egg mumming play was performed, as per Calder Valley tradition, at Easter. Known to have been performed in the 18th century, the tradition died out in the First World War and was revived by the authors of this booklet in 1931, under the responsibility of Midgley School, whose pupils performed the play until 1951, when it was transferred to Calder High School.
The explanations advanced in this booklet follow the interpretations favoured by Victorian and early 20th-century folklorists, and are considered rather fanciful by modern folklorists. Nonetheless, as a historical reference in the development of thought regarding folk traditions generally, as well as the Midgley Pace-Egg, it is a very useful document.
For a more modern evaluation of the tradition, see The Pace Egg Plays of the Calder Valley, Eddie Cass (FLS Books, 2004).
