# May Queen > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/May_Queen > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/May_Queen.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_Queen > Source revision: 1355975023 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Personification of the May Day holiday This article is about the personification of May Day. For other uses, see [May Queen (disambiguation)](/source/May_Queen_(disambiguation)). A May Queen of [New Westminster, British Columbia](/source/New_Westminster%2C_British_Columbia), Canada circa 1877 In the [British Isles](/source/British_Isles) and parts of the [Commonwealth](/source/Commonwealth_of_Nations), the **May Queen** or **Queen of May** is a [personification](/source/Personification) of the [May Day](/source/May_Day) holiday of 1 May, and of [springtime](/source/Spring_(season)) and the coming growing season. The May Queen is a girl who rides or walks at the front of a [parade](/source/Parade) for [May Day](/source/May_Day) celebrations. She wears a white [gown](/source/Gown) to symbolise purity and usually a [tiara](/source/Tiara) or [crown](/source/Crown_(headgear)). Her duty is to begin the May Day celebrations. She is generally crowned by flowers and makes a speech before the dancing begins. Certain age-groups dance around a [Maypole](/source/Maypole) celebrating youth and springtime. ## History May Queen's granite throne engraved with names of past May Queens, used for [Lustleigh May Day](/source/Lustleigh_May_Day) In 1922 [James George Frazer](/source/James_George_Frazer) speculated that the figure of the May Queen was linked to ancient tree worship.[1] In the [High Middle Ages](/source/High_Middle_Ages) in England the May Queen was also known as the "Summer Queen". [George C. Homans](/source/George_C._Homans) points out: "The time from [Hocktide](/source/Hocktide), after [Easter Week](/source/Easter_Week), to [Lammas](/source/Lammas) (1 August) was summer (*estas*)."[2] In 1557, a London diarist called [Henry Machyn](/source/Henry_Machyn) wrote: "The xxx day of May was a goly May-gam in Fanch-chyrchestrett with drumes and gunes and pykes, and ix wordes dyd ryd; and thay had speches evere man, and the morris dansse and the sauden, and an elevant with the castyll, and the sauden and yonge morens with targattes and darttes, and the lord and the lade of the Maye". Modern English: On the 30 May was a jolly May-game in [Fenchurch Street](/source/Fenchurch_Street) ([London](/source/London)) with drums and guns and [pikes](/source/Pike_(weapon)), The [Nine Worthies](/source/Nine_Worthies) did ride; and they all had speeches, and the [morris dance](/source/Morris_dance) and sultan and an [elephant with a castle](/source/Elephant_and_Castle) and the sultan and young [moors](/source/Moors) with shields and arrows, and the lord and lady of the May".[3] The British Newspaper Archive has published a detailed analysis of the history of the May Queen[4]. ## Maintaining the tradition The 2005 May Queen of Brentham, England on her throne Many areas keep this tradition alive today. Whilst exact records are often unavailable, a number of celebrations have unbroken records (with some known breaks for world wars and COVID-19) spanning over 100 years. Regular May Queen celebrations in the 21st Century include: - Sawrey May Day in Cumbria, the village in which [Beatrix Potter](/source/Beatrix_Potter) lived is believed to be based on a very long tradition and includes a carriage procession and dancing round the [May Pole](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=May_Pole&action=edit&redlink=1).Revived pre World War 2[5]. - [Ickwell May Day](/source/Ickwell_May_Day) - records from 1872, but involving a bequest to continue a tradition still in operation.[6] - [Knutsford](/source/Knutsford) Royal May Day - revived in 1864.[7] - [Lustleigh May Day](/source/Lustleigh_May_Day), revived 1905.[8][9][10] - [Brentham](/source/Brentham_Garden_Suburb) May Day Festival, revived 1906.[11][12] - London's May Queen, held at [Hayes Common](/source/Hayes_Common) in [Bromley](/source/Bromley), running since 1912 or 1913.[13][14] - [Hayfield](/source/Hayfield%2C_Derbyshire) May Day - revived in 1928.[15] - Whitelands College, Roehampton University (London) - Inaugurated in 1881. YOU must wake and call me early, call me early, mother dear; To-morrow 'll be the happiest time of all the glad new-year, - Of all the glad new-year, mother, the maddest, merriest day; For I'm to be Queen o' the May, mother, I'm to be Queen o' the May. I sleep so sound all night, mother, that I shall never wake, If you do not call me loud when the day begins to break; But I must gather knots of flowers and buds, and garlands gay; For I'm to be Queen o' the May, mother, I'm to be Queen o' the May. Little Effie shall go with me to-morrow to the green, And you'll be there, too, mother, to see me made the Queen; For the shepherd lads on every side 'll come from far away; And I'm to be Queen o' the May, mother, I'm to be Queen o' the May. The night-winds come and go, mother, upon the meadow-grass, And the happy stars above them seem to brighten as they pass; There will not be a drop of rain the whole of the livelong day; And I'm to be Queen o' the May, mother, I'm to be Queen o' the May. All the valley, mother, 'll be fresh and green and still, And the cowslip and the crowfoot are over all the hill, And the rivulet in the flowery dale 'll merrily glance and play, For I'm to be Queen o' the May, mother, I'm to be Queen o' the May. — *From "The May Queen" poem by [Alfred Tennyson](/source/Alfred_Tennyson)*[16] A May Day celebration held annually since 1870 in [New Westminster](/source/New_Westminster%2C_British_Columbia), [British Columbia](/source/British_Columbia), Canada, has the distinction of being the longest running May Day celebration of its kind in the [British Commonwealth](/source/Commonwealth_of_Nations).[17] ## Related personifications See also: [Jack in the Green](/source/Jack_in_the_Green) Male companions to the May Queen, sometimes associated with May Day customs in [Great Britain](/source/Great_Britain), include personifications known as Father May, King of the May, May King, Garland King, [Green Man](/source/Green_Man), or [Jack in the Green](/source/Jack_in_the_Green).[18][19] As part of this folk custom, some villages would choose a man to act as consort for the May Queen. This man, the May King, would dress in greenery to symbolise springtime.[20] ## See also - [May crowning](/source/May_crowning) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Frazer (1922), *[The Golden Bough](/source/The_Golden_Bough)*, [ch. 10 "Relics of tree worship in modern Europe"](http://www.bartleby.com/196/19.html); Frazer quotes Mannhardt: "The names May, Father May, May Lady, Queen of the May, by which the anthropomorphic spirit of vegetation is often denoted, show that the idea of the spirit of vegetation is blent with a personification of the season at which his powers are most strikingly manifested." 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Homans, *English Villagers of the Thirteenth Century*, 2nd ed. 1991:354. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [Nichols, J. G.](/source/John_Gough_Nichols) (ed). (1848). *[The Diary of Henry Machyn: Citizen and Merchant-Taylor of London (1550-1563)](http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=45519)*. Retrieved 11 February 2007. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [https://blog.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/2019/04/29/the-history-of-the-may-queen/](https://blog.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/2019/04/29/the-history-of-the-may-queen/) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0005763/19440513/099/0011](https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0005763/19440513/099/0011) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Ickwell May Day"](https://bedsarchives.bedford.gov.uk/CommunityHistories/Ickwell/IckwellMayDay.aspx). *Bedfordshire Archives*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Knutsford Royal May Day"](https://www.knutsfordheritage.co.uk/archives-and-collections#:~:text=In%201864%20the%20Knutsford%20May,streets%2C%20finishing%20on%20the%20Heath.). *Knutsford Heritage Centre*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-soc_8-0)** ["Lustleigh May Day - A History"](https://www.lustleigh-society.org.uk/lustleigh-may-day-a-history/). The Lustleigh Society. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Lustleigh"](https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000511/19140508/002/0002). *Exeter and Plymouth Gazette*. 8 May 1914. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Torr, Cecil (1918). [*Small Talk at Wreyland. Volume I*](https://www.gutenberg.org/files/58726/58726-h/58726-h.htm). Cambridge University Press. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["May Day: 1908-2020"](https://brentham.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/may-day-index.pdf) (PDF). *Brentham Society Archives*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["May Day"](https://brentham.com/may-day/). *Brentham Garden Suburb*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["London Crowns 100th May Queen"](http://re-photo.co.uk/?p=13360). *Re-photo*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["London's May Queen"](https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-londons-may-queen-1916-online). *British Film Institute*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** Ball, Lucy (10 April 2024). ["Hayfield May Queen Festival back for its 97th year"](https://www.buxtonadvertiser.co.uk/news/people/hayfield-may-queen-festival-back-for-its-97th-year-4585901). *Buxton Advertiser*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** [*A Library of Poetry and Song: Being Choice Selections from The Best Poets. With An Introduction by William Cullen Bryant*](https://books.google.com/books?id=kXd4bRr71a4C&dq=Charles+Timothy+Brooks+ON+Alpine+heights&pg=PA239), New York, J.B. Ford and Company, 1871, pp. 239-242. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** New Westminster Hyack Festival Association (2004). ["Hyack Festival Events"](https://web.archive.org/web/20050825110523/http://www.hyack.bc.ca/festival_events.htm). Archived from [the original](http://www.hyack.bc.ca/festival_events.htm) on 2005-08-25. Retrieved 2006-01-03. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** ["May Folklore: May Day, Maypoles and May Queens in Britain"](https://folklorethursday.com/folklife/may-day-maypoles-and-may-queens-in-british-folklore/). *folklorethursday.com*. FolkloreThursday Ltd. 3 May 2018. Retrieved 4 September 2020. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** Frazer, James George (1922). ["Relics of Tree Worship in Modern Europe"](http://www.bartleby.com/196/19.html). *[The Golden Bough](/source/The_Golden_Bough)*. a May-tree is erected in the midst of the village [..] The girls dance round it, and at the same time a lad wrapt in leaves and called Father May is led about 1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** ["May Day history and folklore"](https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/special_report/86133.stm). *bbc.co.uk*. BBC News. 30 April 1998. Retrieved 21 August 2020. Sometimes she [the May Queen] was accompanied by a May King, who dressed in green to symbolise springtime and fertility ## External links - [A translation of Grimm's Saga No. 365 about Hertha, Mother Earth, and a web essay on how she became the May Queen](http://www.fairytalechannel.org/2010_05_17_archive.html) - [Freya, May Queen](https://web.archive.org/web/20120403184717/http://piereligion.org/freya.html) with references, songs and customs --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [May Queen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_Queen) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_Queen?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.