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The Pace-Egg Plays of the Calder Valley

A new book by Dr Eddie Cass
 
The pace-egg play is similar to other forms of English traditional drama, but uniquely, it occurs at Easter, rather than Christmas. This book supplements Dr Cass's The Lancashire Pace-Egg Play in that it deals with the one area of West Yorkshire in which this Easter play was widely known. It covers the history of the play in the Calder Valley and outlines the story of the revival of the play. Schools were vital to the revival and continuance of the tradition, notably the Midgley School in the 1930s and in the 1950s, Calder High School. The Midgley pace-egg play, which has traceable, personal links into the nineteenth century, is discussed at length. The book also considers the revival of the play at Heptonstall where, on Good Friday, large crowds come to witness one of West Yorkshire's most popular calendar customs. Texts of both plays are included.

The book is scheduled for publication in March 2004, in association with The Folklore Society, Frank Woolrych, Hebden Bridge Local History Society and The Book Case, Hebden Bridge.

ISBN 0-9035152-3-7, 70 pp, ill., bib.
FLS Books, March 2004, £6.99

Available from The Book Case
29 Market Street, Hebden Bridge, HX7 6EU
Telephone: 01422 845353
Email: mail@bookcase.co.uk
Website: http://www.bookcase.co.uk/

Dr Eddie Cass is an Honorary Research Fellow at the National Centre for English Cultural Tradition at the University of Sheffield, part of the James Madison Carpenter Collection Project team, and a member of the Traditional Drama Research Group.

Pace Eggers
Launch event

Dr Eddie Cass will give an illustrated talk
to launch his new book
The Pace-Egg Plays of the Calder Valley
at
Hebden Bridge Methodist Church, Bridge Lanes
(next to Co-op on Market Street)

Wednesday, 17th March 2004 at 7.30 pm

Copies of the book will be available for signing.


Good Friday 2005: update

On Good Friday, 25 March 2005, at 1.15 for 1.30 pm in Heptonstall Parish Church, Dr Eddie Cass will be giving an illustrated talk on The Pace Egg Play.

Admission £2 including refreshments.

In association with Hebden Bridge Literary & Scientific Society and Frank Woolrych.

The Pace Egg play itself will be performed at 11.15, 12.35, 2.20 and 3.45, and the Grammar School will be open from 10 am hosting an exhibition of Alice Longstaff photographs and slides. The Good Friday service will be at 12 noon at the Chapel, followed by a procession to Weavers' Square to distribute Hot Cross Buns to the crowds, with another service at St Thomas at 4.30 pm.

The Book Case will be selling both Dr Eddie Cass's Pace Egg books: The Pace-Egg Plays of the Calder Valley (£6.99) and The Lancashire Pace-Egg Play (£13.95) as well as Alice's Album, A Century of Change, and other books of local interest.

Details from The Book Case
29 Market Street, Hebden Bridge, HX7 6EU
Telephone: 01422 845353
Email: mail@bookcase.co.uk
Website: http://www.bookcase.co.uk/

There will be also be a lunchtime/afternoon music session at the White Lion pub in Heptonstall, and performances by Midgely Pace Eggers in Hebden Bridge, Mytholmroyd and Heptonstall. Watch out, too, for the Hebden Bridge Hillmillies Morris team (12 women and one fool).

March 2005

 

  

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