23rd November is St Clements Day in the traditional calendar. As usual you will not find GB News and the Telegraph those great upholders of British traditions celebrating.
St Clement was the saint of blacksmiths and the focus of the day historically (primarily nineteenth century) are with that trade. However it was one of a (small number) of such events that fell between Halloween and Christmas. The next is the more significant St Catherine’s Day on 25th November.
As often St Clements Day was really about drinking and feasting and young workers (apprentices) collecting money for the better off for this purpose.
One traditional song on Old Clem’s night went “Cattern and Clemen, be here be here! Some of your apples and some of your beer!” Sometimes wine was substituted for beer..
Of course the relentless work routines of market capitalism has seen such traditions marginalised. That doesnt meant they arent worth remembering.
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