TROVE TUESDAY 3RD JANUARY, 2017 - NEW YEAR'S EVE OF OLD

100 years ago, 

New Year's Eve 

was celebrated in slightly different ways,

but has anything really changed?

" In no suburb is the dawn a New Year celebrated as it is in Manly. Last night, when the old year expired "by effluxion of time", there were fully 5000 persons in the principal thoroughfare of the Corso. The Manly Band, which had been playing various selections during the evening, just on the stroke of midnight, played the hymns, "Lead Kindly Light", "Abide With Me", and "A Day's March Nearer Home". Then as the hour was striking everyone clasped hands, forming a tremendous ring, and sang "Auld Lang Syne". The proceedings closed with the singing of the National Anthem.

THE OLD YEAR PASSES

ENTER 1917

The passing away of the old year and the dawn of 1917 were celebrated without any display of hilarity, New Year's Eve falling on a Sunday. Following an old custom, watchnight services were held in several of the city churches. A good many people remained astir until the midnight hour had struck, and the new year was ushered in by the exchange of good wishes for a happy and prosperous new year.

Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW. 1888-1954) Mon 1Jan 1917

USHERING IN THE NEW

YEAR.

NEW YEAR'S EVE.

IN BROKEN HILL.

New Year's Eve last night, although

not so lively in Broken Hill as in

former years, mainly on account of it

falling on Sunday, was celebrated in

public by a large section of the com-

munity in various ways. The Scottish

Piper's Band was the first on the scene,

and the skirl of the pipes as the bands-

men marched through the streets at-

tracted a large crowd. The band gave

several selections at the intersection of

Argent and Lodide streets. Later the

Irish Pipers' Band did a tour of the

city in a motor-lorry, and the

Broken Hill Band also played the old

year out-and the new year in. Bands

of carol singers and revellers likewise

paraded the streets. At midnight there

was the usual great noise caused by

the mine whistles and the letting off of

fireworks and bombs in almost every

quarter of the city. In many of the

churches watchnight services were conducted.

THE PASSING YEAR

We are standing on the threshold of another

year. Thousands of tired and anxious

hearts are waiting at the exit of the old year

for the portals of the new year to open. They

are looking backwards sorrowfully and for-

wards fearfully, trying to peer Into the in

scrutable future, asking the invisible. Provi

dence if they have not given enough, praying

to be spared in 1917 blows as cruel as 1916

meted out to them.

In times gone by people were wont to speed

parting time with such feasting and hilarity

that it almost seemed as if they were glad

to lop off another year of the short, span of

life allotted them. It may be news to many

to learn that although January was made the

beginning of the year by the Roman calendar

centuries B.C., it was only in 1752 that it be-

came the initial day of the legal, as well as

the popular year, in England. Documents

hitherto were dated (between January and

the Jewish New Year, somewhere about

March 25) January 30, 1648-9, meaning that

although popular feeling called the year 1649,

it was legally only '48. Scotland adopted the

popular new year wholly in 1600, when James

VI declared it legal. His good sense was

probably, due to the Influence of France,

which, had it nearly a hundred years before

because France and Scotland had many ties

then that knit the nations in bonds of sym

pathy. Possibly it is for this reason that

Scotland makes suclr a festival of the new

year. . . .

There even to-day, If Scottish hearts have

not been too sadly scourged, the head of the

house will sit before his steaming bowl of

spiced ale, with his family, around him, and

as the clock strikes the last hour of the pass

ing year, each will pledge the other's health.

Poorer people's children will dress up and

visit their richer neighbors, and demand their

Hogmanay, in the form of oaten bread and

little cakes, possibly in the words , used by

their great-grandmothers:

"Get up, good wife, and dinna sweir,

And deal your bread to them that's here;

For the time will come when ye'll be dead.

And then ye'll neither need ale nor bread."

Housewives prepare for this coming for

days beforehand baking "and the one that

begrudged to give, on this night of giving,

could expect that the first foot that crossed

her threshold would be fair-complexloned and

bring the house ill-fortune for the new year.

The French, too, just prior to war days,

made a great festival of new year, possibly;

because their celebrations of Christmas was

rather a quiet religious feast. Bon-bon sou

venirs in all manner of shapes were made by

the confectioners, and eagerly bought up for

gifts. At this time parents bestowed portions

and dowers on their children, 'and

husbands made settlements on their

wives. It was the season for inter

change of visitors, beginning with

the nearest relatives to the newest acquaint

ance. Much amusement was caused by this

conflict of visits. There was a great struggle

to be first, particularly among the men, as it

was the privilege of the first over the thres-

hold to kiss the ladles of the house on each

cheek, and the daughters of the house are

such closely guarded treasures that it was

worth while beginning with grandma, to win

a salute from the fresh cheeks of the grand

daughters.

Sitting up until twelve, and then unbarring

the door with great solemnity, to let the old

year out and the new year in, as the bells

pealed out, was another old custom. It was

at this moment that each heart resolved to

try to do better things in the coming year.

The new year bells were supposed to come

with a warning and a message, and religious

folk repaired to church to make their vows

with great solemnity. Let us hope that this

new year's peal will

"Ring out the grief that saps the mind,

For those that here we see no more.

Ring out the feud of rich and poor, .

Ring in redress to all mankind."