Harvest time, 1954. Image: Institute of Agricultural History, University of Reading.
In 1956 the Dalesman published an article, ‘After the Harvest’, by Cyril Swales describing the Mell-Supper tradition after harvesting at Fylingdale in the Robin Hood’s Bay area of North Yorkshire. It described harvesting by hand in the 19th century by the local community and about the Mell celebrations that followed a successful harvest.
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Next month [November 1956] Fylingdale Young Farmers’ Club, and scores of people from the neighbouring villages, will crowd into the Parish Hall at Robin Hood’s Bay to witness the annual Mell Supper and Barn Dance. The hall will be decorated with sheaves of corn and turnip lanterns. Long white-clothed tables are usually laden with food, which includes the traditional Mell Cake. The word ‘Mell’ means to mix, and the cake is made up of all kinds of rich spices.
Mell-Cake
At Robin Hood’s Bay everything is methodically organised by an expert committee, and the spirit of the ‘Harvest Home’ is present. In the old days all hay and crops were cut with scythes or ‘lyes’. There were no self-binders and not many of the farms had reapers. The young ‘uns made the bands, women tied sheaves and some would ‘stook’ as well, and often some twenty or thirty people were seen in one field, as happy and merry as could be. Self-binders [by machine] put an end to the happy army of work-folk however, and also to the fun, song and laughter which could be heard coming from every harvest field.
In those days ‘ten o-clocks’ were sent from every farm to the field. During the ‘lowance’, as it was called, the horses and everyone were given a spell [a rest] while bread and cheese, custards, fatty cakes, tea and beer, were consumed.
A cheer would go up when the last load was tied down with ropes and set off for the stack-yard. A Mell-Supper would then be held in the large kitchen at every farm house. Long tables were set out with sirloin of beef, legs of mutton and rabbit pies, followed by a plentiful supply of plum puddings with sauce. This was followed by a cheese and any amount of ale. Song and dance commenced and went on until the early hours of the morning.
Men who had been working by piece and had been drawing so much weekly on account, were usually paid the balance at the Mell-Supper, and in addition to the harvesters, the lads who had been tending stock in the lanes were also invited to the supper.
At some farms, the last sheaf in a field was decorated with ribbons and called the Mell-Doll. It was placed in the middle of the big kitchen table or on the barn floor during the meal and before the dancing began.
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