Mrs. Anne Whiffen Demonstrates How She Would Sing for the Mummers

A feisty 90 year old Mrs. Anne shows us her skill at singing for the mummers. Siting at a kitchen table, she taps her feet and sings a tune with the energy of a 20 year old. At the end of the video, you can see her daughter, Mary, dancing while others applaud her. The demonstration ends in laughter, a sign she can still bring the joy of Christmas past to life.

Mrs. Anne’s  home was a popular one for mummering because she would always sing for the mummers.  This type of chin music was common in the past when there was no recorded music and many households did not have access to a musical instrument like the accordion or even a mouth organ.  Each singer had their own version of the dance tune and this was Mrs. Anne’s favorite.