JEDBURGH HAND BA GAME SCOTLAND

Jedburgh Hand Ball game known locally as Jethart Ba’ Scotland 1971 or 1972. Two handball games are played usually on Shrove Tuesday and the Thursday after, but it depends when new moon falls after Candlemas. Traditionally the first ever game was played with an Englishman’s head and the ribbons on the ball symbolise his hair. The games pit two sides against each other, selected on the basis of which half of a town they live, with the uppies born south of the market against the...
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Jedburgh Hand Ball game known locally as Jethart Ba’ Scotland 1971 or 1972. Two handball games are played usually on Shrove Tuesday and the Thursday after, but it depends when new moon falls after Candlemas. Traditionally the first ever game was played with an Englishman’s head and the ribbons on the ball symbolise his hair. The games pit two sides against each other, selected on the basis of which half of a town they live, with the uppies born south of the market against the doonies north of it. Play is in the town centre starting in the Market Place with the boys or Callants game at 12 noon and the mens game following at 2pm; the Uppies goal is outside the Castle Jail and the Doonies goal is at the Pleasance, each a couple of hundred yards away from the start. Several balls are thrown and the games can last for hours.
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