The patron saints of Black Country workers
THE Black Country is no different to any other part of the country when it comes to ancient beliefs, and folklore amounts to a great deal of these stories that were handed down over the generations.
No folklore tale should be without its fairies and one in particular comes from Walsall. Way back in the mists of time the building of St Matthew’s Church had begun. But locally no one had asked the permission of the fairies as it was quite near their meeting place, which most people knew about. To show their displeasure, one night, the fairies moved the foundations to a nearby hill, and the builders, fearing further trouble, completed the church on the spot where it now stands.
The people of yore had no reason to disbelive these stories and they often came across troublesome fairies in their place of work and at home. There were good fairies but also bad fairies who people feared would take away newborn babies and substitute them for their own. These were changlings and it was this dreadful possibility that made many a Black Country family have their children christened as soon as possible. The idea of leaving offerings for Santa Claus such as the modern precedent of a mince pie and glass of sherry, plus a carrot for the reindeer, was done centuries ago to placate the fairies, who would in return bring good luck to the household. And in the workplace the miners had fairies who accompanied them underground. They were called ‘knockers’, and if upset would hide the tools, steal the candles, jump out from behind pillars of coal, and generally cause a nuisance. Superstition was rife both at home and at work.
When it came to religion the majority of people were God fearing folk and a helping hand from an intemediary between life on earth and heaven was always seen as beneficial. Patron saints became popular in the Middle Ages, regarded as the heavenly advocate of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family or person and all the major industries in the Black Country had their own patron saint.
Kibble
The coal miners, an industry that stretches back centuries had St Barbara to keep them safe from harm. According to one story of St Barbara that has circulated through the centuries, she was born a daughter of a wealthy merchant in Asia Minor during the reign of the Christian persecutor, Diocletianus. Against her father’s will she became a Christian and in danger of her life she escaped to a nearby mine and hid in a kibble which was just being lowered down the shaft. She stayed there for some time and repaid her protectors’ kindness by nursing the sick, helping the women and caring for the children. On her eventual return home her father’s anger had not abated and he killed her. With her rich and comprehensive legendary background St Barbara won the hearts of many people and became the patron saint of a variety of craftsmen. Miners always prayed to her that she might protect them during their sojourn underground.
Explosion
St. Clement’s Day was traditionally celebrated on November 23 after Pope Clement 1, who is the patron saint of metalworkers and blacksmiths. On “Old Clem’s Night”a ritual called “firing the anvil” took place when the blacksmith packed gunpowder into a small hole in an anvil and struck it soundly with a hammer, which in turn caused a small explosion. There was an important reason for doing this because it tested the anvil’s durability as weak anvils would break under pressure. The smith would dress in a wig, mask and cloak representing “Old Clem” and lead a procession through the streets, stopping at taverns along the way.
St Crispin is the patron saint of leather workers and St Crispin’s Day falls on October 25, also made famous by Henry V’s victory at Agincourt in 1415. Crispin and his twin brother Crispinian were born in the 3rd century AD to a noble Roman family and fled persecution. They ended up at Soissons in northern France where they preached Christianity to the Gauls whilst making shoes by night. They earned enough by their trade to support themselves and also to aid the poor. But their success attracted the governor of Belgic Gaul who had them tortured and thrown into the river with millstones around their necks. Though they survived they were finally beheaded by the Emperor.
St Luke is traditionally known as the patron saint of glassmakers and St Nicholas who was bishop of Myra in Turkey in the 4th century AD is considered the patron saint of glass blowers.
St Dunstan became the patron saint of locksmiths and during his life was Abbot of Glastonbury, Bishop of Worcester, Bishop of London and Archbishop of Canterbury. He served as an important minister of state and was the most popular saint in England for nearly two centuries.