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| WesleyLees Quote | Reply | | The Monkey Run posted on: 12/5/2006 12:32:42 PM Can anybody provide details of this "Courting Ritual" that was prevalent in Heanor in the 1930's and 1940's. I believe it took place on Market Street between Red Lion Square and Market Square. What were the Rules? Did you take part? Did your parents know what you were up to? Can anybody spill the beans on this undocumented chapter of Heanor History? |
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suzard
Researcher Quote | Reply | This message was updated on 12/5/2006 6:59:51 PM by suzard |
The Monkey Run
replied on: 12/5/2006 6:55:15 PM The "Monkey Run" was still in operation in 50's/60's the only difference being that when we said we were going to Heanor-it was our mothers who said we would be going on the Monkey Run. It was a kind of "Peacock" stalking "Peahen (and vice versa) ritual. It was strictly for the 14-19 years old, dress code was latest fashion of the day. Some gathered on the Market Place to check out who was arriving on the B1/C9/B6, some took up their positions in various shop doorways. The evening was spent walking from the Market Place down to the Empire and back again.50's onwards meant going a little further down to the Milk Bar and stopping off half way in Elliots (Santas). occasional pauses were made in order to have a "snog" with some spotty youth in a shop doorway.The object of the excercise was to find a date for Fri night at the cinema or Sat Town hall dance-for the very reckless perhaps to be invited for a beverage (served in a ladies glass -if you were female, of course) in the Market Hotel - that part of the ritual was a definate "no" for parents finding out. At heanor Wakes time, girls did the posing around the various rides. Happy days!!! |
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tempus275
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The Monkey Run
replied on: 12/5/2006 8:43:58 PM Suzard, was the "Heanor Wakes" you refered to the Wakes festival (about Aug 11th)? I was under the impression that they had stopped doing it a lot earlier - do you know when they stopped? |
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WesleyLees
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The Monkey Run
replied on: 12/7/2006 10:28:05 AM Thanks for that Suzard, as usual, very informative. I see the Monkey Run was an early Heanor form of "Speed Dating" As usual, Heanor was there first. I am sure there would have been a "pecking ofder" of shop dor ways, with the long foyer of Fords commanding a premium. I like the idea of the advance scouting party in the market square, checking new arrivals. Are there any married couples out there who can trace their life of wedded bliss back to furtive snogging and groping in a favourite shop doorway? I think we should be told! |
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tempus275
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The Monkey Run
replied on: 12/7/2006 11:17:42 PM Not sure if Heanor was first... My great-aunt is 93 and in an unguarded moment taking to an elderly friend (with kids with radar ears around) asked her if she remembered the old days when they would get dressed up and "Go ladding down Kimberly" ... and they complain about what us yougsters get up to, tsk... |
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bobbrown
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The Monkey Run
replied on: 12/8/2006 9:53:29 AM Loved your description of The Monkey Run Suzard! I was an eager participant myself in the very early 60's! Remember having a suit made by Mr Radmore, a credit draper who visited you at home to take orders, measure you, deliver the suit, and then collect the instalments! The suit was a copy of that worn by Sean Connery as 007. Just to hang about in Boot's doorway! |
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suzard
Researcher Quote | Reply | |
The Monkey Run
replied on: 12/9/2006 4:24:08 PM Tempus, "Heanor Wakes"-I think the festival was still being held in 30's/40's - but as with many things, the meaning of the "Wakes" and the religious ceremonies was lost somewhere along the line, and the festival became just a Funfair, however in 50's /60's and possibly later "Heanor fair" was known locally as "Heanor Wakes"-we would always refer to the "Wakes" never the "Fair" |
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Iceboy53
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The Monkey Run
replied on: 12/10/2006 4:16:28 PM i could be completely wrong here and i usually am and maybe someones going to tell to start another thread LOL.but, i've always know the heanor fair to be the wakes when i was a young lad..i don't if it's right but i think i've read where it started in the mill towns of lancashire..each had their own "wakes" which were originally religious festivals. |
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RMMee
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The Monkey Run
replied on: 12/10/2006 6:25:58 PM I definitely feel a newsletter article coming on from this thread - so if anyone wants to add anything before I draft something out, please do so in the next few days. I think our readers will enjoy it!!! |
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frano
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The Monkey Run
replied on: 12/10/2006 7:34:33 PM In the 30s my parents used to call it the Wakes in the summer but in november it was the Fair. |
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theoman
Quote | Reply | This message was updated on 12/11/2006 3:49:31 PM by theoman |
The Monkey Run
replied on: 12/10/2006 7:50:56 PM Hi, how many of you can remember Titnys wakes which were held on the Lammas, on Thorpes Road at the side of Commonside school.if i remember right, it was in the late 30,s and came every year through the war years.with regards to the monkey run you could have your pick between Ilson Ripley or Eastwood where all the girls were pretty |
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suzard
Researcher Quote | Reply | This message was updated on 12/11/2006 12:14:27 AM by suzard |
The Monkey Run
replied on: 12/11/2006 12:13:16 AM Ice, You may be right re Wakes starting in Lancs-apparantly there was a "Wakes cake" which is down as being a Derbyshire "delicacy", but fromm what I can make out it was a kind of Eccles cake. Some Derbyshire villages still celebrate Wakes Week-Eyam begin their week with a service for people who died in the plague. Some celebrate in June, some August, some October. Traditionally it was held at the end of June to coincide with St peters day, in some derbys villages it is held the friday nearest to 11 October -and in one Derbys village the person who was most drunk on the friday before the Wakes was traditionally elected as mayor for the year !! In olden times the Wakes lasted a week Idleness and extravagance were indulged in. Before the railways were laid, people who had migrated to towns came back to their native villages at the wakes to see family and old friends. Pubs were thrown open and villagers and visitors talked over old times and visited the Church and other places which reminded them of former days. Sports were indulged in, fights were common, but the rough sports indulged in formerley are now abolished!!! Sounds like a night on the monkey run!!! "At Winster Wakes there's ale and cakes, At Elton Wakes there's quenchers At Bircher Wakes there's knives and forks At Heanor Wakes there's wenches" Back to delving for info on the Monkey Run. I like the sound of Bobbrown's suit -I would have stopped in his doorway!!! |
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frano
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The Monkey Run
replied on: 12/11/2006 7:29:52 PM Yes I remember that. Odd name that 'cos it's the same nickname as the rag and bone man used to be at the side of John's Place. frano |
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Iceboy53
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The Monkey Run
replied on: 12/11/2006 10:59:23 PM although this isn't a local answer..but i found this whilst trawling the net.. [A night out for me would be walking around Queen St, and High Lane on a Sunday night on the "Monkey Run". We were looking for a nice fella. Sometimes we'd go to Tunsatll-the bobby would shift us out of the shop and cinema doorway! We had a lovely time-nobody fell out.I've still got a pair of nylons from during the wartime. This story was contributed By Stoke -on -Trent libraries] so presumably it went on everywhere sue LOL !!!!! |
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WesleyLees
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The Monkey Run
replied on: 12/12/2006 11:07:10 AM Oi! You! No more rabbit about Wakes week, that topic lives next door; the house has a red door, you can't miss it I am still curious about whether the Monkey Run ever lead to the walk down the isle. I can also remember talk among my sisters freinds about the parctice of "ladding" usually in a slightly disapproving manner! Wesley |
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WesleyLees
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The Monkey Run
replied on: 12/12/2006 11:19:13 AM Further evidence that the pharse "Monkey Run" was widespread in the area comes from a song/poem from Beighton: Harness’s Fair on the Welfare ground And the boys of the village all gather round “Can we help you mister, and we’ll all bring our sisters For a ride on the Twister on Saturday night Courting near Tomkinson’s Corner On the Monkey Run eyeing the boys You’d better not miss the chance for a kiss Or a walk out at Bedgreave so far from the noise The very first pay packet from the pit Buys some fish for my best girl at Swallownest A village of miners, our work here defines us The picket lines up for our jobs and our pay The smell of the tar and the sulphur From the coke ovens grimy and black But if you want some posies, no blackspot on your roses What do you suppose is the reason for that? Wesley |
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