Traditions of Great Britain

CONTENTS

1. Ways of everyday life_____________________________________2
2. Traditions and Parliament__________________________________6
3. Pageantry_______________________________________________9
4. Some traditions of university life____________________________12
5. Scottish traditions________________________________________13
6. Welsh traditions_________________________________________21
7. Traditions of Northern Ireland______________________________24

 
 
 
 

 

       Every nation and every country has its own traditions and customs. Traditions make a nation special. Some of them are old-fashioned and many people remember them, others are part of people’s life. Some British customs and traditions are known all over the world.

      From Scotland to Cornwall, Britain is full of customs and traditions. A lot of them have very long histories. Some are funny and some are strange. But they are all interesting. There is the long menu of traditional British food. There are many royal occasions. There are songs, saying and superstitions. They are all part of the British way of life.

      We cannot really imagine Britain without all its traditions, this integral feature of social and private life of the people living on the British Isles that has always been an important part of their life and work.

      English traditions can be classified into several groups: traditions concerning the Englishmen’s private life (child’s birth, wedding, marriage, wedding anniversary); traditions connected with families incomes; state traditions; national holidays, religious holidays, public festival, traditional ceremonies. 

      1.WAYS OF EVERYDAY LIFE

      Very often when speaking of English traditions we think first of some curious theatrical ceremonies of the court or parliament procedure. There come to our mind the medieval uniforms of the guards, the solemn cloaks and wigs of the judges or the top hats (bowlers) and the invariable umbrellas of the clerks of the London City.

      But the word “tradition” does not mean only that. First and foremost “tradition” is the generally accepted mode or way of living, acting, behaving of just doing things. There are many very good traditions of this kind in the everyday life of the English.

      In England everything is the other way round. On Sunday on the Continent even the poorest person puts on his best suit, tries to look respectable, and at the same time the life of the country becomes gay and cheerful; in England even the richest peer or motor-car manufacturer dresses in some peculiar rags, does not shave, and the country becomes dull and dreary. On the Continent there is one topic, which should be avoided – the weather; in England, if you do not repeat the phrase “Lovely day, isn’t it?” at least two hundred times a day, you are considered a bit dull. On the Continent Sunday papers appear on Monday; in England – a country of exotic oddities – they appear on Sunday. On a continental bus approaching a request stop the conductor rings the bell if he wants his bus to go on without stopping; in England you ring the bell if you want the bus to stop. On the Continent people have good food; in England people have good table manners. On the Continent learned person love to quote Aristotle, Horace, Montaigne and show off their knowledge; in England only uneducated people show off their knowledge, nobody quotes Latin or Greek authors in the course of a conversation, unless he has never read them. Continental people are sensitive and touchy; the English take everything with an exquisite sense of humour – they are only offended if you tell them that they have no sense of humour. People on the Continent either tell you the truth or lie; in England they hardly ever lie, but they would not dream of telling you the truth.

      Lunch at 1 o’clock. Many foreigners are sometimes taken aback when they are faced with this typically English custom for the first time. Whatever one is doing, no matter how important it is, or seems to be – a parliamentary debate or any kind of business routine – as soon as the clock strikes one everybody breaks for lunch. The time from one to two o’clock is a “sacred” hour in England. And it appears to be not only good for health – having meals at regular times is certainly healthy – but it is very convenient socially as well. Everybody knows that there is no use trying to get in touch with some official, business executive or firm representative at this time. They won’t be in. It is no use to waste your time going from one shop to another - at two o’clock sharp they will open. For punctuality is also one of the English traditions. 

      English Sunday. The so called Sunday Observance laws prohibiting all kind of public entertainment on Sunday date back to the 17-18 century. The idea was to encourage people to go to church and not to allow them “to profane the Lord’s Day” by amusing themselves. Three hundred years have passed since then. Church services are attended by fewer people now than some decades ago. But the old custom of having a quiet Sunday is still alive. This is another English tradition preserved by law. On Sunday you may visit a museum or go to a concert but all shops, theatres, dance and music halls are closed. This is rather illogical when compared with the unrestricted variety of programmes on radio and television or the fact that one can always go to the bingo-club to enjoy himself or to the cinema to see a “thriller” or the latest American “hit”. Pubs and restaurants are open only from 12 to 2, and from 5 to 10 p.m. The police are very strict and do not hesitate to withdraw the licence from the proprietors who disregard closing time. All professional football and cricket matches, as well as horse and dog racing are banned, though you can play tennis or go to any excursions. Now there is a great number of people who like to go to the country or to the sea-side and spend their week-ends fishing, camping or hiking. But still many Englishmen prefer a quiet Sunday at home. They get up late, go to church in the morning, have a big dinner, sleep afterwards, work in their garden until tea, read books and listen to the wireless.

      The national drink of Great Britain and Ireland is Tea. The true Englishmen do not drink it clear, or with lemon or rum and sugar, but pour a few drops of cold milk into it, and no sugar at all. They have tea for breakfast; then they have tea at eleven o’clock in the morning; then after lunch; then they have tea for tea; then for supper; and again at eleven o’clock at night.

      A typical feature of an English house is a fireplace, even when there is central heating in the house. In English homes, the fireplace has always been, until recent times, the natural center of interest in a room. People may like to sit at a window on a summer day, but for many months of the year prefer to sit round the fire and watch the dancing flames. In the Middle Ages the fireplaces in the halls of large castles were very wide. Only wood was burnt, and large logs were carted in from the forests, and supported as they burnt, on metal bars. Such wide fireplaces may still be seen in old inns, and in some of them there are even seats inside the fireplace. Elizabethan fireplaces often had carved stone or woodwork over the fireplace, reaching to the ceiling. There were sometimes columns on each side of the fireplace. In the 18th century, place was often provided over the fireplace for a painting or mirror. When coal fires became common, fireplaces became much smaller. Grates were used to hold the coal. Above the fireplace there was usually a shelf on which there was often a clock, and perhaps framed photographs.

    English people like to spend their free time in numerous pubs where they can have a glass of beer and talk about different things with their friends. Pubs usually have two drinking rooms called bars - the public and the saloon bar, which is more comfortable but more expensive. "Bar" also means the counter at which drinks are served. Pubs serve alcoholic and other drinks and often light meals. The main drink served in pubs, is, of course, beer, light or dark. Light beer is usually called bitter. As for other kinds of alcohol, most pubs serve whisky, gin and wine. Beer is always sold in pint or half-pint glasses. A pint is equivalent to 0.57 liter. No alcoholic drinks may be served to young people under eighteen under British law.

      English Habits of Politeness

      Some greetings in England are very informal: a simple “good morning” or a wave of the hand across the street is quite enough. Handshakes are only exchanged on a first introduction or as a token of agreement or congratulation. “Sorry” takes the place of “no” when you cannot do something for a person or give a positive answer in situation like “May I use your pen?”, “Do you know the time?” or “Have you any size seven shoes?”. “Pardon” is the polite way of asking somebody to repeat what he has said.

      English people do not readily ask each other to do anything, they prefer to wait for a service to be offered before asking for it. If they do ask, then they say something like “I don’t really like asking you, but…”

      It is considered polite to give up one’s seat a woman who is standing, to open door for her, carry things for her, and so on.

      Here are some of the rules for correct behaviour in a public place:

• Not to be conspicuous, don’t wear conspicuous clothes.
• One should not talk loud or laugh loud.
• No matter how trying the circumstance, do not give way to anger or uncontrolled emotion.
• Never eat anything in the street, or in a public place (restaurants, buffets and cafes excluded).
• Do not rudely push your way through crowds.
• Never stare at people or point at them.
• Do not ridicule or comment on anyone in public.
• Reserve “affectionate demonstration” (kissing, embracing, etc.) for appropriate places.
• Don’t monopolise the sidewalk, by walking 3 or 4 abreast, or by stopping in the centre to speak with someone.
• When in the street keep to the right.

2.TRADITIONS AND PARLIAMENT

    Many of the ceremonies carried out in the Parliament are very old.

1. Procedure in the House of Commons

    The sitting of the House of Commons each day is opened by the Procession of the Speaker. Wearing his wig and gown, he is accompanied by the Chaplain, his Secretary and the Sergeant-at-Arms, carrying the Mace. (The Sergeant-at-Arms is responsible for seeing that strangers do not misconduct themselves in the House, and for arresting members as directed by the Speaker). On arrival at the Chamber, the Mace is set on the Table, players are read by the Chaplain, and provided a quorum of forty members is present, the Speaker takes the Chair, the Chaplains withdraw, and the business of the day is taken. Except on Friday the first hour in the House of Commons is set aside for questions, the Speaker calling in turn the Members whose names appear in the notice paper. After question time new Members, if any, are introduced, and then the Speaker directs the Clerk at the Table to read the Order of the Day, and the regular business is begun. This may entail debating a particular stage of a Public Bill, going into Committee to discuss the business of supply, considering Lord’s amendments to a Bill, or any other item of business. No Member may speak in a debate unless he has received permission from the Speaker and this he obtains by what is known as “catching the Speaker’s eye”. In effect what happens is that those members desirous of speaking rise to their feet and the Speaker calls upon one of them whereupon the remainder resume their seats.  Speeches are addressed to the Speaker and may not be read, this however is a rule that has lately been subjected to exceptions.

    There is another curious in the Parliament. In front of the Members’ benches in the House of Commons you will see a strip of carpet. When a Member speaking in the House puts his foot beyond that strip there is a shout “Order”. This dates back to the time when the Members had swords on them and during a heated discussion might want to start fighting. The word “order” reminds the hotheads that no fighting was allowed in the House. The carpet became the limit, a sort of a frontier.

    The day in the Parliament ends with the Speaker leaving the Chamber through the door behind his Chair to the cries of “Who goes home?” and “Usual time tomorrow”. These cries are relict of the days when the streets were unsafe and the members went together for safety and when there were no fixed hours for meetings.

    In the House of Commons there are only 437 seats for 625 Members. The admittance of the sittings is not obligatory. And if more than 437 Members turn up for some important debate they to stand.

    When the Members of Parliament vote, they “divide”, those voting “yes” file out to the lobby on the Speaker’s right; and “no’s” go through to the lobby to his left. In each lobby they are counted by 2 Members called “tellers”.

     

2. The Chamber of the House of Lords

    At the end of the Chamber stands the Throne. In front of it is the Woolsack where the Lord Chancellor wearing a full – bottomed wig, court dress and a grown, sits as Speaker of the House of Lords.

    The Woolsack is traditionally held to have been placed in the House in the reign of Edward the Third. Initially the woolsack was stuffed with hair. But in 1938 it was restuffed with wool. It is a big square divan with a kind of back in the middle, upholstered in red leather.

3. The State Opening of Parliament

    The opening of Parliament at the beginning of a session is preceded by a ceremony that is steeped in ancient tradition and dressed in the full panoply of a royal and state occasion. It is the most colourful, as well as the most important ceremony of the year. Her Majesty the Queen, attended by a sovereign’s escort of the Household Cavalry, drives in state from Buckingham Palace to the Sovereign’s Entrance beneath the Victoria Tower at the south end of the Palace of Westminster. The route is lined with regiments of Footguards wearing the black bearskins which have for so long been a symbol of courage and loyal service.

    The Queen magnificently appareled in robes of state, crowned, and wearing many of the finest crown jewels, enters the House of Lords. The assembly rises to its feet. The peers are in their scarlet robes; the archbishops and judges in scarlet; the Diplomatic corps is blazing with gold and decorations.

    Her Majesty occupies the throne and says: “My Lords, pray be seated”. At the Queen’s request the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod proceeds to the House of Commons to command the presence of its members at the Bar of the House of Lords. The door of the Commons Chamber is slammed in his face by the Sergeant-at-Arms. Thus do the Commons maintain their ancient right to deny royal access to their Chamber.

    Commons are assembled at the Bar, the Lord Chancellor kneels before the Queen and hands her a copy of the royal speech, which has been prepared by the policy which the Government intends to follow and the measures which it proposes to adopt during the session about to be open. At the conclusion of the Queen’s speech the Commons return to their Chamber. The Queen is escorted to her coach and returns to Buckingham Palace.

4. Search the Parliamentary Cellars

    Before the opening of Parliament half a dozen “Beefeaters” do the searching of the cellars underneath the Houses of Parliament, in memory of Guy Fawkes and the Gun Powder Plot in 1605.

    Guy Fawkes was the chief instrument in the Gun Powder which was intended to blow up James I and his anti-Roman Catholic Government at the opening of Parliament on the 5th of November, 1605. The plot miscarried owing to an anonymous warning sent to Lord Monteagle. Fawkes was arrested among the barrels of gunpowder that he had stacked beneath the House of Lords. He was tortured by order of James I and signer confessions. These confessions were used as evidence at the trial in Westminster Hall of Fawkes and his fellow-conspirators, who were sentenced to be hanged, drown and quartered.

    The 5th of November is marked in England as Guy Fawkes Day. In the evening bonfires are lit on high hills and fireworks are let off in the streets.

    “Please to remember the 5th of November, Gun Powder Treason and Plot”, are the first lines of the song heard on this day.        

    3.PAGEANTRY

    Pageantry and other colourful ceremonies are part of every day life in Britain.

    1. Royal Ceremonies

    One of the most interesting ceremonies among them is the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham and St. James’s Palaces. Each new guard mounts sentries for 24 hours, though sometimes the guard remains on duty for 48 hours. The ceremony at Buckingham Palace takes place daily 11.30 a.m. The ceremony is attended by one of the Regimental bands. At the Horse Guards in the Whitehalf the Changing of the Queen’s Life Guard of Household Cavalry takes place at 11 a.m. on weekdays and at 10 a.m. on Sundays.

    Trooping the Colour is annual ceremony which blends two ancient military customs - guard mounting and lodging the colours. It recalls the day when each company of soldiers had its own colours clearly visible as rallying points in dust and confusion of battle. Each evening the colours were ceremonially carried down the ranks and escorted to a billet to be lodged for the night. From this derives the magnificent display of the marching and wheeling by the Regiments of the brigade of Guards, which marks the Sovereign’s Birthday (in June). 

    At  different traditional ceremonies you will see bright and very picturesque uniforms worn by the guards, troopers and sentries of her Majesty’s own Royal Guards Regiments. The troopers of the Horse Guards regiment which has existed since the 12th century have bright red gold uniforms, shining top-boots, golden helmets with feathers. The Gurkha soldiers wear high Gurkha fur hats.

    2. Lord Mayor’s Day

    Lord Mayor of London lives in the City – in the Mansion House – a big, impressive house with a classic front very much like a Greek temple.

    The Lord Mayor is the first citizen of the City and the first Magistrate. He has the Keys of the City. No troops are allowed to cross the limits of the City, neither King nor Queen are allowed to come here without his permission. The Lord Mayor is elected every year by the Aldermen and every year on the second Saturday in November there is a great ceremony – “The Lord Mayor’s Show”.

    The streets are packed with people; nobody wants to miss the great event. The Lord Mayor is dressed in a traditional medieval red velvet robe with fur, and a golden chain, and a fantastic hat. He has flowers in his hands. The escort clad in picturesque 17th century uniform according to tradition, the Household Cavalry, the State Trumpeters and several military bands all lend additional splendour to the scene. The Lord Mayor drives slowly through the cheering crowded streets from the Guildhall to the High Court of Justice to receive from the magistrates the key of the City. The gilded historic carriage (300 years old) is drawn by six horses in red and gold harness. After the election the Lord Mayor holds his Grand Banquet in the Guildhall of the Corporation of the City.

    3. The Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower

    Every night at 9.53 p.m. the Chief Warder of the Tower carries out the time-honored routine of locking up the Tower. Known as the Ceremony of the Keys, this has taken place almost without a break for 700 years. The Chief Warder and his escort of four approach the gates. The sentry calls out:

    “Halt, who comes there?”

    “The Keys.”

    “Whose Keys?”