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"Whuppity Scoorie," though
a game peculiar to Lanark, and the boys of Lanark, and played only once
a year, is yet worth knowing. Its origin, like so many of the Lanark
celebrations, is lost in the mists of antiquity, nevertheless, it is
still regularly played, and creates a sensation on its annual
recurrence, affecting the old scarcely less than the young in the
community. From the month of October till the mouth of February,
inclusive, the bells in the Parish Church steeple there cease to ring at
six o'clock in the evening, but resume on the first day of March. At the
first peal of the bell then the children start and march three times
round the church, after which a rush is made to the Wellgate Head, where
they engage in a stand-up fight with the youth of New Lanark (who come
that length to meet them), the weapons used being their bonnets attached
to a long string. The fight over, the victors (generally the boys of the
Old Town) return, marching in order, headed by one carrying a huge stick
in exalted attitude, with a flag or handkerchief attached to it; and
thus arranged, they parade the principal streets, singing. as their
fathers and grand-fathers sang before them:-
Hooray, boys, hooray,
For we have won the day;
We've met the bold New Lanark boys,
And chased them doun the brae! |
