Souling and Guizing

I can just about remember (I suppose it must have been in the late 50’s) my Dad waking me up one evening as we had visitors outside who were Souling and Guizing.

They were all dressed up, men as women, some “blacked up” and some in character clothes.  I can’t remember anything else except the first line of the song they sang.

Red Stockings, Blue Garters

My shoes are made of leather……

After publishing this in the Parish News,  Mr Roy Knight pointed out to me that actually the shoes were made of silver and proceeded to sing the full verse to me.  I am going to record this for posterity.

Additionally Mr Frank Simcock also let me know via his niece  who wrote the following down.  He also said he could remember singing the Guizing song to me when I was little!

Souling was done in the morning for an apple, pear, plum a cherry or even a slice of cake.

Soul a Soul a soul cake, 

Pray good missus a soul cake

Give me an apple and ill be gone

One for Peter, two for Paul

Three for them who made us all

Put your hands in your pockets

Pull out your bright keys

Go down to the cellar

Bring up what you please

An apple a pear a plum or a cherry

Anything good that will make us all merry

Guizing was done at night

I have a little money box under my arm

Penny or tuppence would do it no harm

Threpence or fourpence would do it some good

The best little money box made of wood

Red Stockings Blue Garters 

My shoes are laced with  silver

A red Rosette upon my chest

And a guinea gold ring on my finger.

Hop hop hop to the butchers shop

I dare not stay any longer

For if i do my ma will say

I’ve been with the lads over yonder

Christmas is coming and the Pigs are getting fat

Will you put a penny in the old man’s hat If you havn’t got a penny a halfpenny will do

If you havne’t got a halfpenny then God bless you.

We are two or three hearty lads all in one line

We all come a guizing till this time next year

Fantastic stuff all that!