WE are taking a look today at a Furness Easter tradition which had pretty much died out 100 years ago before a group of enthusiasts set out to revive it.
On Monday a mixed group of dancers from Furness Morris will perform a series of pasche egg plays at Ulverston and surrounding villages.
Pasche or pace egg plays have their origins many centuries ago and would have been familiar to all Furness folk in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Our pictures are from events which were held to revive the tradition outside the medieval castle in the 1960s.
This Easter Monday you can catch a performance by Furness Morris at the Village Green, Baycliff, at 10.30am; by the hall at Gleaston at 11.15am; Ulverston Market Cross at 12.15pm; Ford Park, Ulverston, at 2pm; Bouth Playground at 3pm and High Newton at 3.45pm.
The short plays take the themes of death and rebirth and the battle between good and evil – featuring characters such as Lord Nelson, St George, an evil knight and a quack doctor.
They were revived by Furness Morris in 1965.
Fifty years ago, the Evening Mail on March 27 noted: “The first Furness pace egging play of 1967 was performed this morning at Dalton Castle by the Furness Morris dancers, who blacked their faces for the occasion.
“The play introduces strange characters – namely Old Betty Askett, Tosspot, Beelzebub, St George, the Prince of Paradise, Lord Nelson, Dr John Brown, Jolly Jack Tar and Deviled Out.
“It began with the death of a knight in battle and the mysterious doctor who brought him back to life.
“This is intended to represent the coming of spring after the winter.
“A colourful sword dance ended the play.
“The performance is a ritual one which died out in the 1920s and the Morris dancers are hoping to revive the custom.
“The words are traditional Furness which they collected from the various villages.
“The pace egging play was also performed today at Swarthmoor, Pennington, Marton, Urswick and Pennington.”
Furness Morris was formed in 1963 and is based in Ulverston. You can find out more on its website at www.furnessmorris.org.uk
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