Chewidden Thursday facts for kids
Chewidden Thursday was a special holiday for tin miners in West Cornwall, England. It was celebrated on the last Thursday before Christmas that was at least a week away. This festival honored the discovery of 'white tin,' which is tin that has been melted and cleaned.
What is Chewidden Thursday?
This holiday was also known by other names like White Thursday, Chewidden Day, or Jew-whidn. It was a time for miners to celebrate an important step in their work: turning raw tin ore into pure, shiny tin.
The Story Behind the Name
According to old stories, Chewidden Thursday celebrated the discovery of 'white tin' by a saint named St Chiwidden. He was a lesser-known Cornish saint, said to be a friend of the more famous St Piran. The name "Jew-whidn" means "white tin" in the Cornish language. Over time, "Jew-whidn" likely changed into "Chiwidden."
A Miner's Holiday
Robert Hunt, a scientist who wrote about Cornish traditions, explained this holiday in his book Popular Romances of the West of England. He said that tin miners always took the last Thursday, a full week before Christmas, as a holiday. They called it White Thursday because it was believed to be the day when 'black tin' (raw tin ore) was first melted and refined into 'white tin' (pure tin).
See also
- Picrous Day
- Tom Bawcock's Eve
- St Piran's Day
