Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-06-06

the old Chronicle land some they
threw into the cutters that were thick
with filth" BY the Lord Mayors ord
eeS I'll persons We're required To be
within doors after O'Clock on May
Day evening but a few of the citizens
did not hear the order. and two young
fellows lin Chepe" were found fencing,
and an attempt was made 10 place
them under arrest. Rioting followed.
Newgate was thrown open. and the
prisoners released to help in the work
OF havoc and injury. Eleven of the
people. including few apprentices.
were hanged, and 400 of the lads, with
matters round their necks, had TO beg
pardon of the king
Never after that Evil May Day" of
1917 was the principal city maypole
ever in use. 1t stood when erected, be-
fore the south door OF st. Andrew Tn
dershaft. in Adelgate Ward. which
shaft or pole, when it was set on end,
and fixed in the ground, was higher
than the church steeple." Hence the
name "Undershaft." When not in use
IL lay ON a row of hooks over the house
doors of Shaft Alley. For thrtytwo
years it lay there. neglected, but not
forgotten. especially by the eccentric
curate of st. Catherine Cree Church.
who was in the habit of using a hol-
low tree for pulpit. Preaching -
Pauls Cross he declared that the shaft
was made an idol" as the churs ,f
St. Andrew was named after it. Now,
the people had no mind TO change the
name but they had less regard for the
old maypole That sermon. says STOW,
had such effect that on the Sunday
afternoon the neighbors and tenants.
over whose doors the said shaft had
lain, after they had dined tto make
themselves strong). gathered more help.
and, with great labor, raising the shaft
from the hooks (whereon it had rested
two and thirty years., they sawed it in
pieces. every man taking for his share
so much as had lain over his door and
STALL the length of his house. $3.50. Thus
was his idol mangled, and after burn
er"
The maypolc in the Strand fell under
the ban of the Purtans, who ordered
that such remnants of vile heathen
ism should be taken down by the con-
stables. bossholders. tithing- men, petty
constables and churchwardens, who
were to be fined five shillings weekly
so long as the pole was left standing.
So down came the Strand maypele.
Rut on the first May Day after the Re-
stora:ion it was set up again amid
much rejoicing. 1t was 1874 feet high.
and formed of two pieces of timber.
Mere Iandsmen, ii WAS thought. could
not possibly erect it, SO the Duke of
York, lord high admiral. ordered q
dozen sailors to undertake the work.
They came with their cables and pull
leys, and six great anchors, three
crowns carried by three bareheaded
men. steamers and drums and other
music. First the two pieces of the
maypole were Joined together. and then
one Of the crowns was placed atop and
| a garland in the middle. Slowly and
ma iesticaly the maypole rose. after
| four hours labor, "far more glorious.
! bigger and higher than ever anyone
| that stood before it," the little children
rejolced and ancient people did clap
| their hands, saying golden days began
/ to appear" After standing more than
| fifty years the maypole was taken
down. because its foot had decayed,
and it threatened danger to the pass
| ers-by Some little doubt exists as to
| whether it was the famous old may
| pole. or the short-lived one that sue
ceeded it, which Sir Isaac Newt,Nn sent
| as q present to his friend Mr.. Pound.
| the rector of Wanstead. Mr.. Pound
| used it for supporting the 125 fit. tele-
| scope, the largest in Europe, presented
| by Huygens to the Royal Society:
| Here oft I'm scented with a balmy dew,
| A pleasant blessing which the Strand
ne'er knew
There stood | only to receive abuse,
But here converted to a nobler use
So that with me all passengers will saw
I'm better far than when the pole of
May"
Down to 1895 maypole stood oppo-
site the Black Prince at Remington,
and milkmaids thronged about II on
May Day morning. But we seem to
have 10 use for such things in these
prosaic days. May Day is May Day in
Virtue OF labor gathering in Hyde
Park, carthorse parade and the risk
of catching cold because we still fondly
cling to the belief that the first of May
is the beginning of summer and dress
accordingly. Those dew-daneing milk
maids have much to answer for-Lofi-