The Cancellation of Christmas 1644 and 2020

BartramBlitz

I thought Lifers might be interested in an interesting historical coincidence that will be marked on Monday 19th December.  This marks the second anniversary of the 2020 Christmas lockdown. In 2020, the government was forced to cancel Christmas due to the pandemic, but this was not the first-time festivities were banned.  During the English Civil War, a Puritan parliament banned Christmas by ordering shops to open and churches close.  This ‘World turned Upside Down‘ sparked ‘The Plum Pudding Riots’ at Christmas 1647, a 2nd Civil War in 1648 and ultimately the execution of Charles I in 1649.  This Christmas marks the 375th anniversary of the Plum Pudding Riots and, thanks to a lottery grant, CRAY a small youth group in Crayford, were given the funds to mark this anniversary. As part of our grant members of CRAY worked with leading animator Zoom Rockman to create a puppet animation telling the story of how Christmas was cancelled on the same date, 19th December, 376 years apart -1644 and 2020.

https://www.crayfordhistory.org.uk/new-contributions/the-vindication-of-christmas-zoom-rockman-film

BartramBlitz

If you have watched the film please leave a comment. We need feedback for our heritage report.

se9addick

Christmas wasn’t “cancelled” in 2020?!

golfaddick

I'm sure I had a xmas 2 years ago. I do remember buying a turkey & decorating the tree.

Yep.....xmas was not cancelled in the Golfie household in 2020. Can't say if it was the same in 1644 unfortunately. 

Todds_right_hook

ffs, we were under covid restrictions in 2020, it was not a normal Christmas. The noise from the press was that boris cancelled Christmas.

why are there so many people on here that have to be difficult all the time? Why argue every point? Why not a simple message saying good work @BartramBlitz well done.

good work, I'll gladly leave a positive comment later today.

Raith_C_Chattonell

Excellent film.  

I've always thought of Cromwell's reign akin to the Taliban's.  The banning of all things remotely pleasing to humankind in the name of religion is well past us now in the UK thank God (pardon the pun).  The Plum Pudding rioters of 1647 performed an important protest - as in fact we are now witnessing in Iran - and the regions.  Let's hope it doesn't take them 375 years to catch up. 

Well done CRAY!

BartramBlitz

Thanks Raith for your comment. It's a great story anyway, but as you say it reminds us of the consequences of religious intolerance.  A small group of religious fanatics tried to impose their will in 1647, but the English people wouldn't allow them to.  The main resistance was in Canterbury on Xmas Day 1647 and came in the form of a football match.

IdleHans

BartramBlitz said:

Thanks Raith for your comment. It's a great story anyway, but as you say it reminds us of the consequences of religious intolerance.  A small group of religious fanatics tried to impose their will in 1647, but the English people wouldn't allow them to.  The main resistance was in Canterbury on Xmas Day 1647 and came in the form of a football match.

which Charletonne Athleticke lost 3-1 after going ahead. 

BartramBlitz

Two goals thrown away by Squire Inniss who decided Christmas was a time of giving so he insisted on continuing his age old tradition of handing out presents.

BartramBlitz

Those of you living locally might be interested in this 3DVR re-creation of how the area looked at the time of the Second Civil War (1648). This clip shows the New Model Army muster on Crayford Heath (area north of St Paulinus church including Puritan William Draper's house at May Place (now Barnehust). Once again comments appreciated for our Heritage report:

  https://www.crayfordhistory.org.uk/new-contributions/lord-fairfax-and-the-roundhead-muster-on-crayford-heath

BartramBlitz

Last call for comments before thread slips off page.

stevexreeve

Just finished "Act of Oblivion" by Robert Harris!

Worth a read if you're interested in this sort of thing! 

BartramBlitz

Listened to Act of Oblivion on Audio books really great story.

Arsenetatters

I have little knowledge of the history of this era but after watching the film I've read a bit more. Really good way of telling the story of that time in an interesting way.

BartramBlitz

Thanks Arsenetatters. I was very much like yourself. Didn't study the Civil War at school and only had a superficial knowledge of Roundhead and Cavaliers. It's probably one of the most influential eras of history for our country. The Civil War took more lives proportionately than WW1 and WW2. There is almost nothing written about the era for our area and the Xmas ban that led to a 2nd Civil War is a compelling story that allowed us to get a grant.