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John Brand (1744-1806), secretary of the Society of Antiquaries, first published his widely popular Observations on Popular Antiquities in 1777. This fascinating two-volume almanac of British superstitions and customs was in fact a heavily revised and annotated version of Henry Bourne's Antiquitates vulgares (1725). Beginning with New Year's Eve, Volume 1 describes the origins and practices of British calendar festivals including religious holidays, saints' days, seasonal celebrations such as May Day and the Summer Solstice, and obscurer festivities such as the Feast of Sheep Shearing. Following the success of the book's initial reception, Brand continued to research English folklore with the intention of publishing fuller information. This two-volume version, published posthumously in 1813, was edited and expanded by Sir Henry Ellis, Keeper of Manuscripts at the British Museum, and further revisions also appeared in 1841 and 1870. Brand's book is regarded as the foundation for folklore studies in England.

Christian antiquities --- Christian antiquities. --- Folklore --- Great Britain --- Social life and customs. --- Folk-lore, English --- Antiquities, Christian --- Antiquities, Ecclesiastical --- Archaeology, Christian --- Christian archaeology --- Church antiquities --- Ecclesiastical antiquities --- Monumental theology --- Antiquities --- Byzantine antiquities

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John Brand (1744-1806), secretary of the Society of Antiquaries, first published his widely popular Observations on Popular Antiquities in 1777. This fascinating two-volume almanac of British superstitions and customs was in fact a heavily revised and annotated version of Henry Bourne's Antiquitates vulgares (1725). Volume 2 of Brand's almanac concerns the origins and practices of British customs and ceremonies including marriage customs, death rites, belief in fairies, witchcraft, omens, and divination. The volume also provides explanations for obscure but common phrases and expressions. Following the success of the book's initial reception, Brand continued to research English folklore with the intention of publishing fuller information. This two-volume version, published posthumously in 1813, was edited and expanded by Sir Henry Ellis, Keeper of Manuscripts at the British Museum, and further revisions also appeared in 1841 and 1870. Brand's book is regarded as the foundation for folklore studies in England.

Holidays. --- Folklore --- Christian antiquities. --- Great Britain --- Social life and customs. --- Antiquities, Christian --- Antiquities, Ecclesiastical --- Archaeology, Christian --- Christian archaeology --- Church antiquities --- Ecclesiastical antiquities --- Monumental theology --- Antiquities --- Byzantine antiquities --- Folk-lore, English --- Legal holidays --- National holidays --- Days --- Hours of labor --- Manners and customs --- Memorials --- Anniversaries --- Fasts and feasts --- Vacations

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In the rational modern world, belief in the supernatural seemingly has been consigned to the worlds of entertainment and fantasy. Yet belief in other worldly phenomena, from poltergeists to telepathy, remains strong, as Gillian Bennett's research shows. Especially common is belief in continuing contact with, or the continuing presence of, dead family members. Bennett interviewed women in Manchester, England, asking them questions about ghosts and other aspects of the supernatural. (Her discussion of how her research methods and interview techniques evolved is in itself valuable.) She first published the results of the study in the well-received Traditions of Belief: Women and the Supernatural, which has been widely used in folklore and women's studies courses. "e;Alas, Poor Ghost!"e; extensively revises and expands that work. In addition to a fuller presentation and analysis of the original field research and other added material, the author, assisted by Kate Bennett, a gerontological psychologist, presents and discusses new research with a group of women in Leicester, England. Bennett is interested in more than measuring the extent of belief in other worldly manifestations. Her work explores the relationship between narrative and belief. She anticipated that her questions would elicit from her interviewees not just yes or no replies but stories about their experiences that confirmed or denied notions of the supernatural. The more controversial the subject matter, the more likely individuals were to tell stories, especially if their answers to questions of belief were positive. These were most commonly individualized narratives of personal experience, but they contained many of the traditional motifs and other content, including belief in the supernatural, of legends. Bennett calls them memorates and discusses the cultural processes, including ideas of what is a "e;proper"e; experience of the supernatural and a "e;proper"e; telling of the story, that make them communal as well as individual. These memorates provide direct and vivid examples of what the storytellers actually believe and disbelieve. In a final section, Bennett places her work in historical context through a discussion of case studies in the history of supernatural belief.

Folklore --- Great Britain --- Folklore -- Great Britain. --- Folklore - Great Britain. --- Ghosts -- Great Britain. --- Ghosts - Great Britain. --- Occultism -- Great Britain. --- Occultism - Great Britain. --- Women -- Great Britain -- Folklore. --- Occultism --- Ghosts --- Women --- Anthropology --- Social Sciences --- Human females --- Wimmin --- Woman --- Womon --- Womyn --- Art, Black (Magic) --- Arts, Black (Magic) --- Black art (Magic) --- Black arts (Magic) --- Occult, The --- Occult sciences --- Folk-lore, English --- Folklore. --- Females --- Human beings --- Femininity --- Religions --- Supernatural --- New Age movement --- Parapsychology