Christmas Waits

From medieval times up to the early 19th century, every British town and city of any note had a band of waites (modern spelling waits). Their duties varied from time to time and place to place, but included playing their instruments through the town at night, waking the townsfolk on dark winter mornings by playing under their windows, welcoming Royal visitors by playing at the town gates, and leading the Mayor's procession on civic occasions.

Town waits or city waits were in former times in England and Scotland the watchmen who patrolled during the night, using a musical instrument to show they were on duty and to mark the hours. This simple task later developed as the waits added more instruments and became more proficient at playing them. These musical bands were often attired in colourful liveries and in some cases wore silver chains. They added dignity to ceremonial occasions.

Musically inclined families tended to serve as waits, since this was more easily open to them than other musical occupations. The surnames Waite and Wakeman are derived from individuals who worked as waits. Ferdinando Gibbons was one of the Waits of Cambridge; his sons Edmund, Ellis and Orlando became notable musicians. Some tunes are extant named after the waits of particular towns and cities, e.g. Chester Waits and London Waits. The usual instrument of the waits was the shawm; its loud and pungent sound suiting it to outdoor playing. They also in some cases played string instruments, and were also sometimes noted for their singing, as at Norwich.

Their instruments also varied, but were for the main part loud and penetrating wind instruments such as the shawm, which was so closely associated with them that it was also known as the wait-pipe. Waits were provided with salaries, liveries and silver chains of office, bearing the town's arms.

From the Middle Ages to the 18th century town records include transactions concerning waits, upon their appointment and on the provision of cloaks, ribbons, badges, etc. Payments were also made for their instruments, such as hautboys, bass viols, fiddles and bassoons.

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