A pound of raisins
It is that time of year again – costumes, raisins receipts and foam fights!
The earliest records in the University’s archive relating to Raisin celebrations are from the 19th century. Student reminiscences record bejants (first year students) having to pay a pound of raisins to senior students in exchange for receipts in doggerel Latin (more about this on the blog here).
The practice of senior students extracting gifts or tribute from new students was common in medieval universities across Europe. The ‘bejaunia’ was a lavish feast paid for by the new student as part of their initiation into university life. It is thought that the St Andrews Raisin traditions may have developed from these roots.
One of the earliest written records of the practice of giving raisins at St Andrews is in the Chronicles of the Atholl and Tullibardine families. A privately published history of the Atholl family based on sources gathered by John Stewart-Murray, 7th Duke of Atholl. You can view the text on the National Library of Scotland’s website here.
John Murray, the 1st Duke of Atholl was a student at St Andrews from 1674 to 1677. He later would serve as Chancellor of the University from 1697 to 1724.
In the first volume of the Chronicles, in a letter (April 1676) from his father, the 2nd Earl of Atholl, John is encouraged to focus on his studies and to “conferr your lessons with your Tutor before ye goe to schooles: it will be of great advantage to you.” Around the same time as this letter, John sends to his mother, Amelia Sophie Stanley, accounts of his expenses while at St Andrews received through his private tutor Charles McAra. It is unknown if Charles was a fellow student, but he does have a record in the St Leonard’s College diet book (UYSL530/3 f85r).
Given that the majority of John Murray’s expenses related to golf, one wonders if John adhered to his father’s advice. However, one line in the accounts is notable as, alongside wax candles, golf clubs and golf balls, he spent 8 pence on a pound of raisins:
Given for a pound of reasons [raisins] wn the Earle of Buchan & other Lords cam to see me, which is the fashion of ye [the] Colledge
It cannot be said for certain that this is an early example of Raisin Monday as we now know it, but it seems to have some connection to the student tradition as in Murray’s own words, it was “the fashion of ye College”. The Earl of Buchan mentioned would most likely have been William Erskine, the 8th Earl of Buchan. Buchan would have been Murray’s senior. In the matriculation records, the Earl of Buchan’s signature can be found on the 8th of February 1674 and John Murray’s signature on the subsequent page of the register for the 19th of February 1675.
The traditions around this uniquely St Andrews event have evolved over time, from the types of receipts given, the games played and the addition of the iconic foam fight on Raisin Monday in recent decades. In this year’s festivities, students are encouraged to think more sustainably during the festivities. Perhaps instead of buying new – academic parents can use second hand decorations, prizes and costumes and, instead of the traditional pound of raisins, academic children can offer donations to local food banks.
If you are particularly proud of your costume this year, why not enter the Libraries & Museums competition to replace the dragon in the Wardlaw Museum with a costume from this year’s Raisin weekend. More details about the competition are available here.
