YOUR LETTERS! Thank you!

 

Hi there,

I just saw your store featured on a Steven and Chris show this afternoon (probably a repeat episode), where you invited the audience to view all your wonderful and enticing items for the home. Towards the conclusion of your presentation, a figurine you called a "Mummer" was shown. I'd love to know more about that piece; folklore and significance? porcelain? dimensions? price? shippable? My 15yr-old daughter read a story, many years ago, set in the East Coast and had a mummer character. We've both been fascinated ever since, and I'd love to surprise her with a mummer of her own, if that's do-able. Thanks for any help you can give.

Sincerely,
Chris Cathcart

Hi Marie,

I thought you'd like to know that Pam, Cara and myself have decided that Fran's suggestion of Tillie from Twillingate is the perfect name for our next mummer--and as a result, your mother has won herself a Tillie! She will arrive sometime this spring, and you'll be the first to know about it. Please congratulate your mother for me and tell her how much I enjoyed her memories of mummering. So you should send me the address I can send Tillie to, and she'll be arriving in due course.

Compliments of the season,
Dell

How about Mildred or Mary or Millie from Maddox Cove. I'd have her dressed in one of the old traditional house dresses that my mother used to wear in the 60's. the dresses were just cotton and buttoned down the front with short sleeves., They all had flowers on them. I'd have the hair pinned up as if in the old time curlers or rollers with a man's hankerchief around it and just a plain cotton cloth to cover the face. I'd have a pair of the old oxford shoes on the feet. they were what the newfoundland women wore years ago. The were either black and white or brown and white, never any other color! The stockings were the old time flesh or beige tights. Maybe you could make it look like she was beating on the bottom of a pan with a wooden mixing spoon or some other instrument to keep it in music theme. thanks for considering this!

Irene Day

Hi,

My idea for a mummer was actually based on a memory of my mom dressed up as a Mummer when I was a child. My parents thought it was an important tradition to pass on to my brothers and I. Alebeit my younger brother ended up crying, a lot, the first time he saw my uncle dressed up as a mummer, but fair, he was only four. My mother and her brothers would get dressed up and come over to the house and they'd dance and sing while my brother and i hid behind my father in awe and in time excitement. The first couple of years my brother and I were known to get dressed up at any given point in the year as mummers, we were so taken with it. So by the time Christmas came around we too were ready to get dressed up and join in and have appreciated the tradition whether at home or in our grade schools.

So here is my suggestion for a mummer: Patsy [my mom] from Petty Habour [My home town] - A green and white dress with a Christmas Holly print, a plaid lumberjacks vest worn over it and a large red bow around her neck. Over her face she had a doiley and an over turned basket on her head. She would have some shoe boxes on her feet and socks on her hands. For an instrument she'd be holding an ugly stick.

My only other thoughts would be to do a mummer as a young child like my siblings and I. Matching little boy and girl mummers would be an awesome addition to the already well established family you have going. Thank you so much for keeping one of our most unique Canadian traditions alive through your art. I wish you continued success and a happy holiday season.

Danny

Driving across the island today, several names came to mind for upcoming Mummers. Here they are: Hedley from Hare Bay Gertie from Gambo Pete from Port au Port Emmerjane from Salmon Cove Daphne from Dildo And that's just the first few than came to mind.

Emmie

Hello,
 
I recently bought the Mummer from Heart's Delight for my dad, it is a great idea. I was on your website and noticed that you have a contest going on and I have a couple of ideas for upcoming mummers:
 
1. Eligh from Salvage...he is sitting on a chair and playing the guitar(stomping his feet), he is wearing a salt and pepper cap on his head with a white lace curtain over his face, he is wearing a plaid shirt (stuffed), he has white nylon gloves on his hands, wearing a pair of brigs and green rubber boots on his feet.
 
2. Mildred from Green's Pond...playing the ugly stick, wearing a colour bonnet, wearing a handkerchief, a short flowered dress with a shawl, wearing bloomers and wool socks and gators on her feet.
 
Thank you for your time, I hope these ideas are helpful.
Carolyn Legge

Hello, I'm a mummer from Vancouver BC where mummering can still be found among a rare few folks. A small group of us called "Mummers from Away" just finished a mumming tour of Newfoundland where we were delighted to discover your wee mummers. As I also collect basswood carvings, I was lucky enough to have bought reproductions of both Ambrose and Bridie. I can't wait for Fred from Cow Head - we played Cow Head.
 
So here's my pitch for a mummer figure if I may be so bold!
How about Jack Tar from Western Bay South.
He's based on our winter costume which, although a little scary, is my favorite by far. We commonly wear old ripped black tuxedo tailcoats, black pants, black shoes, and a beaten black bowler hat rimmed with black feathers. A string of jingle bells is tied just below each knee and our hands in fingerless grey gloves hold a stick or a bottle to throttle. Our faces are not veiled but completely blackened with cork. Corking-up involves holding a cork over a candle to pick up the soot.
 
The reason that I picked the outport of Western Bay South is that my family came from there over a hundred years ago. When we played for my long lost family there last week, the show ended in us all singing The Mummers Song and waltzing across the lawn.
 
Penny fo the plowboys, only once a year!
The plowboys are thirsty, and they want some beer!
With a jingle and a thump through the rain, snow and ice
they look very naughty, but they dance really nice
T'is Janneys and Mummers and Guisers they be
Singing songs of the land and songs of the sea
All sooted from work, just eyes and a mouth
His name is Jack Tar, and he's from Western Bay South.
 
Thanks for the best souvenirs ever, 
Stephen Crowley

"I went mummering lots of times all my young life!"

I'm Francis Mary Benteau, born Frances Mary Lambe in Lord's Cove.  I celebrated my 84th birthday in Garnish on August 5th this year with a family party and a good scoff!  I have lots of good memories of my times mummering as a child with my sisters and brothers in Lord's Cove.  I have purchased the mummers:  Ambrose of Heart's Delight and Bridie of Bareneed; I have ordered Fred from Cow Head; I look forward to Tilly from Twillingate;  and maybe you'll use me as Fran from Lord's Cove!  Who knows.  Anyway, here's my story.

My favourite and most memorable dress up was in my grandmother's clothes from St. Pierre.  We called her "Grandma Lambe on-the-hill."  Although I sometimes dressed in Pop's shirt, overalls and rubber boots, I felt special whenever I could use Grandma's long, full, gathered, black skirt with lots of petticoats underneath to fill it out around me.  With it, I wore Grandma's white blouse with its great big, long puffy sleeves, frills down the front and its high, stiff collar.  On my feet I wore what we called "gaiters," from St. Pierre, with raised heels and with buttons up the side.  The gaiters were made with rubber bottoms and material tops.  The material was a pattern of brown and beige with brown buttons.  On my head I wore Grandma's big, shiny black hat with a large, silvery with sparkles feather on it.  To cover my face, I had a piece of flour bag cut out and painted with eyes, eyebrows, nose, mouth and red cheeks.  White cloth tabs were sewn on each side to be tied to my head.  Around my waist I wore a long silvery and white, shiny sash, tied on the side with its tassels hanging down.  I often also wore a shawl.  In those days, older women had a black, handknit shawl with a pattern knit into it and a fringe all around the edges.  The shawl was triangular in shape, hung down my back and tied up in front.

So, with one of my sisters, Evelina, and sometimes two of my brothers, Anthony and Billy, we traipsed from door to door, singing to the accordion, rapping on doors and asking "Any mummers allowed in?"  Then we had to sing and dance for a piece of fruit cake.

Fran Benteau, of Lord's Cove

Hi, How about......  Bertha from Baytona or Bert from Baytona

Originally, Baytona was known as "Birchy Bay North". In 1958 the name was changed to "Gayside" to help the flow of mail delivery. However, in 1985, due to the teasing, joking and harassment of neighboring communities, the name of the town was changed from "Gayside" to "Baytona".

Or even...... Bert/Bertha from Birchy Bay

Sonya & Tracey

Dear Sir or Madam:

There's a great story following and worth a read and consideration.

It's with great pleasure that I tell you about my first experience with Mummering. I heard of the event for years but never did take part in one...until....I came home for a Christmas experience from Toronto one year. My Mom (Rowena), Brother (Bill), and Husband (Byron) decided to visit my Aunt Lucy and Uncle Garfield (who have now passed away) in Lethbridge, Bonavista bay.

Upon our surprised visit we went and seen their son first, George. Well, George said, "Let's go mummering". Well, that's all he had to say before his wife Ida starting pulling out all the gear for us to dress up in. Whereby I had never gone mummering before this was very exciting and I couldn't wait!! We all dressed up in our different assorted gear but the funniest get-up was what my husband was wearing.  He had one of Ida's dresses on, he had an old fashion scarf wrapped around his face - you couldn't see his face. He wore one of Ida's hat's. On the outside of the dress he wore one of Ida's bras. He wore a pair of George's rubber boots. He also took a purse. It sure was a site to be seen. It's was spectacular!!!

Well, off we went up over the hill to see Aunt Lucy and Uncle Garfield. Uncle Garfield came to the door and we all shouted....."Any Mummers Aloud In". Well, with a big smile upon his face Uncle Garfield....shouted..."Why Sure".  We all entered in to find Aunt Lucy rocking away in her rocking chair. She was so happy to see us. Both of them tried for about 20 minutes or longer to figure out who we were.  They must have guessed a 100 names.

Now keep in mind....they had no idea that we were visiting Mom from Ontario (and besides that we came from Grand Falls-Windsor) to Lethbridge to surprise them. Mom, was Aunt Lucy's sister.

Finally I revealed myself....Aunt Lucy had such a shocked look on her face we thought we had frightened her to death. She just couldn't comprehend where I came from. Then we all unveiled ourselves. Aunt Lucy and Uncle Garfield starting crying and putting there arms around us and wouldn't let go. It's an event that truly brings tears to my eyes today. That event happened about 20 years ago.

That night of mummering I will never forget as long as I live. When I visit George and Ida in Lethbridge now we always reminisce about that time.

Not only that.... my Uncle Garfield was a local Poet. He was well known in Lethbridge, Bonavista Bay and the surrounding communities. He was so popular that he once had an article written about him in the newspaper. Part of that article focused on a poem he wrote about some Mummers visiting him from far away and how they "frighten poor Lucy to death".

I believe if there was a mummer to be created this would be a great one.

The Mummer carving could be called: Lady Byron of Lethbridge

I hope you take this one into consideration. It would be such an honor and a memorandum to the best night of mummering with Aunt Lucy and Uncle Garfield. The best people in the World!!  God Bless them both. 

Thank you for taking the time to read this great true story.

Bernice Boyd

 

Hi,

I have some suggestions for mummers:

1) George from Glenwood (my Dad's middle name and my hometown): he could be wearing fishing gear (my Dad loves to fish), salt and pepper cap, or wool cap, thigh rubbers too.

2) Debbie from Dildo (provocative?): my Aunt lives in Dildo and she's a funeral director there but I think Debbie should have thigh high striped stockings with high heels, long hair, maybe braided, a more sexy mummer.

3) Billy from Botwood (I just like the sound of this one): plaid red hunting jacket, black rubber boots, pillowcase over his face.

4) Dena from Pasadena - one of my best friends Dena lives in Pasadena: sailor's cap, big boobs, short mini skirt with big rubber boots.

5) Heather from Harbour Grace - Newfoundland Flag as a wrap around her

Lisa Vaters

 

Hi, my name is Ellen St.Croix. I purchased Ambose last week at The Delta.

I would like to suggest the name for the next mummer. I would suggest either Fergus from St.Mary's or Fergus from The Gaskiers (the actual community he lives in SMB). Fergus is a 54 yr old man, living in the Gaskiers, he is loved by all who meet him. He has long grey/brown hair along with a long grey/brown beard. Fergus is a woodsman & loves his trike. You would see him in a plaid shirt over coveralls, either a stocking cap or his Davey Crockett type hat.

I think Fergus would be a great seller both within St.Marys & throughout NL & western Canada. If you need a picture for comparison I can definitely provide. I think this is an awesome contest. I can`t wait to collect the rest.

Ellen St.Croix

Hi Dell,

Lester Foote from Foote's Cove - a little island right off the Town of Burin. I'm excited!

Goldie Preziosi

I think there should be a mummer from the "Codroy Valley" his name should be "Joseph" and he should be wearing a combination suit of underwear (all one piece ) with the barn door in the back .(ha) Pillowcase over his face and a "Harry Hibbs" hat. Oh,I forgot the underwear should be red. Old odd boots of any kind ,odd mittens with a kindling in his hand. That's my version of mummering in the codroy valley it was our only excitement at Christmas time. It's too bad the tradition had to go .we went mummering this year but just to a friends house who is also from NL. I am going to try and send a picture of the mummers .Good luck and I am looking forward to getting a friend for "AMBROSE"

Gertie

Grady from Grand Bank. Wearing grandfathers old plaid suit, green rubber boots and wool mitts and nan's slip over his head with straw hat.
 
Susie from Ship Cove. Wearing nan's old night gown with rollers in her hair and a brides veil over her face. With rubber boots on the wrong feet. 

Kevin

Good day,

My suggestion for the next Mummer is: Harry from Harbour Le Cou.

I have been putting some thought into what "Harry" would wear. The person that I knew in Port Aux Basques owned a sailboat. I think Harry should wear:

- a stocking cap covering his face and a souwester on his head

- a red and black plaid flannel woods jacket; this would be tucked into

- a pair of yellow rain paints with suspenders and black patches on them

- one green rubber boot and one wool sock .

Lana Pieroway

Hi there. My Name is Melissa Doyle and I am originally from L'Anse au Loup, Labrador but I am currently living in Brigus South, Newfoundland.  Where I come from mummering is a huge event! Young and old alike are out dressed as crazy as they can dress.  But a common uniform of mummers in L'Anse au Loup is simply a blanket.  Many people would wear an old coverall suit or perhaps rubbers pants but then the top part would simply be a blanket (a patchy one probably...lol...) and it would be worn right up over our heads and our hands would make a small hole and hold it just to the eye so we could see out through.  Many times we would have a rope tied around our waist to keep the blanket from dragging on the ground.  I guess this made it easy to take the costume down for a breath of fresh air after we sweat it out dancing in someones house. We also, always wore our boots on the wrong feet so we would walk funny, because coming from a small place people would recognize us by the way we walked!!  So I think the next mummer should wear a blanket and I think SHE should be called  "Hilly" from L'Anse au Loup!!  I chose "Hilly" because I was raised in L'Anse au Loup by my grandparents and my Grandmother's (whom I called "MOM") name was Herselia and my husband couldn't say it very well so he always called her "Hilly"  She passed away this past June.  So I look forward to hearing about the new Mummer and I hope "Hilly" is her name!!!

Melissa Doyle

Pam & Cara,

Hi there!!  Love the mummers, I have Ambrose and Bridie, and I cannot wait for Fred from Cow Head!!! He is gorgeous!! I wanted to give a suggestion for another mummer; how about Ida from Isle aux morts!!!  Growing up on the west Coast I only experienced mummies when we went to my Nan's home in Isle aux mort.  I can fondly remember flowered pillow cases and Bright colored house coats!!! (belted of course and stuffed with pillows HA!) No mummer was complete without knitted slippers  wool socks and unemployment boots.. in any combination!!! Keep making them we love them!!! Thanks!!  My grandmother is 85 this year and her name is Ida !!!

Dena Lake

Hi! This man really exists (my husband's uncle :) )and I thought that he could be your next mummer. He could be wearing one of those red checkered flannel hunting jackets (see pic below) and some baggy blue jeans. If you needed something under the jacket then maybe a SCREECH t-shirt (see pic below).

His name......... Izzy (short for Israel) from Isle-Aux-Mort.

Fanny From Foxtrap

farmer overhauls on back wards, green and black woods jacket, one slipper, one green rubber boot, men's long underwear on her head, playing her fiddle!

Renee Warren

How are ya, My name is Linda Skinner and I would like to enter your contest on  “Name the new Mummer”.

His name would be “John Edward” from “Harbour Breton”.

Here is a brief description of how he would be dressed: A Salt-n-pepper hat on his head, stripped tea towel on his face, plaid woods jacket ( blue/white or red/black checker). Yellow fish plant rubber gloves on his hands, blue jeans, mitts on his feet,( trigger mitts). His hand would be slapping his knee as it is raised up like he is dancing or keeping beat to the music. He may also be playing the spoons.

My parents would go mummering years ago, they would start off getting ready at

our house putting there costumes together. My mother would always have a pot of soup and sandwiches ready for when they got back. All hands would pile into the back of a covered truck and go for hours ..house to house. It would be late when they returned maybe two o’clock but I made sure I stayed awake to hear them tell their stories of the night’s festivities.

It is sad that this tradition hardly exists; my father in-law is from Harbour Breton and along with the fish plant and cod fishery mummering is a dying breed as well.

Thank –you for keeping this alive in your characters, I will leave them out proudly displayed all year long!!!

Proud to be a Newfoundlander,
Linda Skinner

Nonnie from Northern Bay.

When we were children growing up in the small community of Northern Bay in Conception Bay we would go Janning (also called Munnering) during the Christmas season. We would dress up in old clothes belonging to a male if we were female or a female if we were male, cover our faces with a scarf, small blanket or other such material and go from house to house every fine night during the Christmas Season.

The most difficult part of this dressing up was the wearing of boots that were too big, or too small and climbing over snow banks with all the gear on. One fine winter evening as we were making our rounds through the gardens, over fences, over snowdrifts,all the while having loads of fun, we lost our youngest janny. However we didn't know this until we reached the next house and as the lady of the house was counting up the number of jannies and trying to guess who we were....I realized I had lost my little sister!!!

Back we went over the fences, over snowdrifts, and there she was crying and sobbing her little heart out..what a relief...we had found her..and so we continued on our way.saying any jannies allowed in??

What fun we had!!!

Hey... we are big fans of the mummer collection.. we have Ambrose and Bridie and are about to run and buy Fred.. as well, we've been spreading the collectibles throughout the family, buying piece-by-piece for family members.. such a great Newfoundland collectible for anyone home or away from home..

Some ideas for the next mummer(s):

Sadie from La Scie - wearing hip waders, a cloth made from Newfoundland tartan over her head, maybe a white blouse and a shawl of some sort draped over her shoulders.. holding a spoon and pot.

Henry from Harbour Deep (an outport resettled in the last few years) - wearing pantyhose or a ski mask over his face and one of those hats with the fur inside that has the side flaps.. (sorry, don't know what they're called, haha), maybe a suit jacket over some plaid pyjama pants or full pyjamas... and slippers or boots.  Holding an ugly stick

Just some ideas.. looking forward to the next edition!!

Big fans, Ryan and Sarah

Hi,
 
My name is Stephanie Walsh and I would like to submit an entry for the Mummer naming contest. His name would be SEAMUS OF SIBLEY'S COVE or some other 'S' community.

He would be dressed in Red Long John's he would wear an salt & pepper cap or a tarten tam Have a Yellow scarf A green skirt with White flowers A trigger mitten on one of his feet and a boot on the other And he would be holding an UGLY STICK! 
I also thought of the name: Loyola from Lawn or Little Heart's Ease
 
Stephanie

I recently visited St. Johns for a two week visit(my wife's mother was raised in St Johns) and while there I purchased Bridie and Ambrose at the Murray premise downtown. We want to keep the tradition of the Mummers alive at our house in Virginia and would like to purchase Fred when he becomes available, please forward information as to how to purchase on line if possible, we are trying to get one of the lower numbers of the edition, thanks.

Doniels

Hello,

I have purchased the Mummer ornaments in the past and have enjoyed their traditional significance.  Below I have made a suggestion for next year’s mummer keeping this in mind:

Willie from Renews (Southern Shore)
Tall skinny guy
White kerchief over his face
Fur hat with ear flaps
Purple house coat
Stuffed bum
Hump on his back
Mitts on his feet (green)
Red wool gloves on hands
Red long-johns
Ugly stick in right hand

I hope you like my suggestions and keep up the wonderful work you do!

Siobhan Kane

Hello,

I love your mummers and have collected each one. Thank you for paying tribute to a time honored tradition in this province. I am one of the lucky Newfoundlander’s who have actually had real mummers come to our door.

That is why for your contest, I would love to nominate the name of Mrs. Rose, or Ruby.

Ruby Rose was a lady I barely knew. My acquaintance with Mrs. Rose began on September 6, 1965. That was the day I was born in the Grace Hospital, and the day when Mrs. Rose gave birth to a son. I don’t know his name, but we share the same birthday. My mother and Mrs. Rose became friends in their hospital room. I think it was my charming personality and good looks that won her over.

Busy with life once they left the hospital, the two women would occasionally bump into one another somewhere around town, whether at the supermarket, Bingo or Giantmart

Then the Christmas after I turned seven, we had a knock on our door, and low and behold, a strange mix of Mummers were waiting to be let in. I didn’t know who Mrs. Rose was, and could have been guessing until the cows came home. Finally, she bent down and whispered that she had a son who was born the same day I was. Well, that didn’t help me at all, but my mother’s face started to show some relief. Up to that point, mom was clueless as well.

Each year after that, this same band of mum mers would show up on our doorstep. I still didn’t really know them, but I loved the instant merriment they brought with them. Mrs. Rose and her family made a habit of sharing their sense of Christmas fun. She was loud and boisterous and a wonderful card. Never once saying anything that would break the mummers code and give away who she was. She always told me she was "Garge, from Krinkle Cove."

She was sick for a spell, and the mummering stopped, but then as if out of the blue the knock was back, and so was Mrs. Rose. She dressed as a man, with her husbands green/grey work pants, suspenders and a plaid hunters jacket, presumably borrowed from her man. Her head would be covered in a pillow slip and she’d have a grey knitted sod on top of that. Nothing hid her huge bosoms, however. :-) She also carried an old birch broom, and would swat at ya as she danced past if you happened to be within reach. Then she’d buckle over laughing.

Mrs. Ruby Rose was a real ticket, and knew how to make friends, party and laugh. She was a lady who had a passion for Christmas, family and old fashioned fun, and took the time to wrap her heart around those she chanced to meet. Ruby Rose is no longer with us today, but every Christmas...and on my birthday...I think about this lady that I would have loved to have known a little better, and I smile. She was a true Newfoundland Mummer!

Sincerely,
Sherry Griffin

Hello,

I think a good name would be "Heber from Wesleyville", after my Uncle Heber who was a great mummer in that town.  I cannot describe him better than David Blackwood's illustration of him.

Here is a link to one of Mr. Blackwood's portraits of him: http://www.davidblackwood.com/process.swf

The same print is pictured here: http://www.abbozzogallery.com/artists/VisitsandDiscoveries.html

Lorne H. Warren