Figure 1.-- Here we see an English boy photographed about 1920. We think he is an altar boy rather than a choir boy, but we are not positive. Note his Eton collar.

Henry VIII brought the Reformation to England. This was not his intention. He simply wanted to control the Church. His children Edward VI and Elizabeth II would turn Britain into a Protestant country. There remained a small and supressed Catholic minority. Over time this was increased with immigration from Ireland. Theology was a much disputed subject that was not fully resolved until the English Civil War and Glorious Revolution of the 17th century. While the Church of England is a Protestant Church, it retained more of Catholic liturgy than other Protestant Churches. The Church continued the traditions of altar boys. The Church of England in the 19th revived the tradition of boy choirs at the great cathedrals. We note children doing Forst Communions. We think these were Catholic children, but have little information at this time.

English Religious History

Britania was dominated by loosely related Celtic tribes. Religious rites were conducted bt Fruid priests. The Roman conquest (1st century AD) brought the religions of the Empire which overtime included Christianity. It is not well understood how widespread Christianity was established in Roman Britain, but there is reason to believe that it ws firly well established. The Legions departed and with them muh f the Roman elite (5th century). The invading Anglo Saxon tribes were pagan and drove the Romanized Celtic Britons to the westerly fringes of the island. This was a war of extinction. The Anglo-Saxons obliterated the Romanized Britons abd their cuture. Thus England was largely de-Chritianized. The Anglo-Saxon kingdoms obertime, however, were gradually converted. There were missoinaries from Catholic Ireland. Pope Gregory the Great dispached St. Augustine. under Archbishop Theodore, the Anglo-Saxons enjoyed a golden age of culture and scholarship before te arrival of the more pagan invaders--the Vikings. English missionaries, including Wilfrid, Willibrord, Lullus and Boniface would begin evangelizing their Saxon bretheran in Germany. Monastaries were oened throughout England and were a major force in the island's economy. Henry VIII brought the Reformation to England. This was not his intention. He simply wanted to control the Church. His children Edward VI and Elizabeth II would turn Britain into a Protestant country. The Angligan or established Church of England (COE) attempted to restrict the development of non-conforming sects. The Puritans objected to these restrictions. One group established the Plymouth Colony as awade of evading restrictions on their worship. The Puritans played a major role in the development of the United Sttes. There remained a small and supressed Catholic minority. Over time this was increased with immigration from Ireland. Theology was a much disputed subject that was not fully resolved until the English Civil War and Glorious Revolution of the 17th century.

Altar Boys

Many English boys have served as altar boys in church services. The Anglicn Church of England (COE) is a Protestant Church, but it retained more of Catholic liturgy than other Protestant Churches. Theologically except for the break with Rome, the COE was closer to the Cathloic than Luther's Protestant church. And of course the Catholic Church did not completely disappear in England. And after thePotato Fmine in Ireland actually grew as a result of Irish immigrants. The COE continued the traditions of priests, although they were allowed to marry. They also continued the tradition of altar boys. Each church had a group of boys serving as altar boys. We do not know a great deal about COE altar boys. Nor so we know if there are substantial differences between the altar boy experience in the COE and Catholic church. Hopefully English readers will provide us some information here. Basically COE altar boys were dressed like Catholic altar boys. They both wore an alb with a surplice. I'm not sure about the red scull caps Catholic altar boys used to wear. This required a considerable effot on the part of the boys. Normally the Church would plan various activities as a way of thanking the boys for their effort. We note the altars boys from St. Mary Magdalen Church in 1928 on a picnic and swimming party.

Choir

Many countries of Western and Central Europe have a long tradition of church boys' choirs dating back to the midevil era. One of the longest traditions is that of the English boy choirs. While the English cathedral choir is a readution umported by the early church fathers, the realtive stability in England has mean that the English boy cathedral choirs are some of the oldest in Europe. Historical references date from the end of the 6th century AD. English boy choirs often perform in liturgical choir robes. This is due to their association with the Anglican cathedrals and their primary purpose of providing choral music for church services.

First Communion

I do not yet have any information on First Communion suits in England during the 19th Century and early 20th Century. While a largely Protestant country, there is a substantial Catholic minority. Since Tudor ays the Catholics have been an opressed minority, only winning their civil rights in the 19th century. Cathloics have been largely working class Britons. Many Irish immigrated to Britain beginning with the Potato Famine of the 1840s. Thus money for an expensive First Communion suit was not always available. The Government eventually began to support Catholic schools and continues to do so today. Many schools had the boys use part of their school uniform for First Communion. An English contributor to HBC recalls in the 1960s getting a new short pants suit for First Communion. Some of his school mates got long pants suits. He does not recall boys wearing white suits, but all the girls had long dresses.

Weddings

Marriage in England became involved in the religious controversied. A major wedding law for a century was the The Civil Marriage Act (1653). The Puritans under Cromwell pushed it through Parliament. The Act required a civil ceremony before a justice of the peace after presentation of the certificate from the parish register which showed thst "banns" had been published. Age was a major concern. If either partner was under 21 years of age, parental consent was required. The wedding ceremony influenced by the Purtitan ethic was a simple formula to be repeated by the man and woman. This was accompanied by hand fastening. Wedding rings were strictly forbidden as too ostentous. A century later, mahor changes were mase as aesult of the Hardwicke Act (1753). It required weddings, except formembers of the royal family, to be performed only after publication of "banns" or issuance of a license. They had to be conducted only during the morning hours (8:00 to 12:00). The couple had to use an Anglican Church or chapel where the service was conducted by an Anglican clergyman. Two or more witnesses were needed and a register hadc to be kept . Parental consent was required if the "banns" had not been published. Many modern wedding traditions originated in England during the Victorian era. This is certainly the case in the United states. This is a rather interesting phenomenon as politically throughout the 19thb century, Ameroca was often at odds with Britain. Despite this, America was culturally and economically closely tied to Britain. As far as we can tell, the roles for children (ring boy, flower girl, and pages) are all of English origins during the Victoirian era. We believe that England also affected weddings on the Continent, but here, long established national traditions are more prominant. We do not yet have much information about English weddings at the this time. We do note Derek North who was a page boy in a society wedding about 1930.

Created: 11:28 PM 6/19/2005
Last updated: 5:56 AM 6/27/2008