December 11th, commonly called "Tander," used to be kept by the
Lace-makers as a feast day. St. Andrew was their Patron Saint. On that
day men and women used to go about dressed in each other's clothes, and
calling at various houses and drinking hot elder wine. On this day the
Morris Dancers or Mummers began their visits. There were from four to
eight people who took part in the Mummery. The King, Beelzebub, Doctor,
Doctor's man and Jack, the fool. Sometimes one took the part of the
Doctor's horse and the Doctor made his entry riding on the horse, who
was on his hands and knees but he generally had a small stool in his
hands to make him a little higher, when moving about. This is described
in Old Customs.
On St. Andrew's Day it was a custom called "Tander" at Easton on the
Hill, about 12 miles from Peterborough, and other places, of the boys
locking the village Schoolmaster out of School and demanding the rest of
the day as a holiday, before the door was reopened. If the Schoolmaster
could obtain an entrance to the School before giving his consent, the
holiday was not given.