Abbas Folklore

A Stream Superstition :  

From Moule's Folk-Lore Journal (vol VI p117) .......no man ever saw a "winter-borne break". It is dry one day and running the next; but its first downpour was never beheld. A story from Winterbourne Abbas is also related ... years ago a watch was kept day and night for a fortnight for the breaking of the Winterbourne Abbas stream. One night the watchman on duty found that his pipe had gone out. " Bridgehead Lodge - he beat 'bove hundred or two yard - can't do any harm to get a light there ". But in those three minutes the winter-borne "broke" unseen !

The Damp Mayor Tradition : 

From Dorset Life November 2003 ........This tradition seems to have survived into the 1950's. On a cold February night in 1955, Fred Hawkins set off from his cottage in Winterbourne Abbas to the pub. As he got close to it, he put his torch in his pocket, tucked his stick under his arm and lit a cigarette. Moving on, he fell head first into the river. As he later told a reporter, "Damn m'dear, it were cold - I thought I were gone. It were devil's job to get out". The reporter asked him if he could swim ?  "No, never had no practice" His best hat floated away - "that 'll be at sea now" Eventually, he managed to scramble out of the four feet deep gully the river inhabited and made the pub, where he was dosed with brandy and bundled into a car to be taken home and put to bed with a hot water bottle.

He didn't realise what a transformation the ducking had caused, but a few nights later when he went to the pub, he found his chains of office awaiting him and he was installed as Mayor not only of Winterbourne Abbas but also of the next village, Winterbourne Steepleton. The double chain was painted gold and was massive. A smaller chain of office was provided for everyday wear, with a model beer barrel attached. Fred said " I hope someone falls in before I peg out, so I can get rid of these chains" but he posed outside the pub wearing them. The reporter asked him what he would do if had the power of a "proper" mayor and Fred replied .. " I'd have that river out of there a bit quick"

Fordington in nearby Dorchester also had this tradition with many people falling into the river in the dark. There were female mayors as well as male ones !

Can anyone verify or remember this ??