I wonder if this tradition is related to "souling" in England. Kids went house to house asking for soul cakes. Remember the Peter, Paul and Mary song -- "an apple, a pear, a plum, a cherry, anything good to make us all merry." I was born in the Midwest in 1950 and never heard of this tradition. My mother however perpetuated the tradition of St. Nicholas night, Dec. 12, where we were to leave a small plate on the floor by our bed to find an orange, gum and candy the next morning. I never understood why! Wonder how many other odds-and-ends traditions are lurking out there in America.

Those masks are absolutely terrifying! Much scarier than anything we have for Halloween nowadays!

I wonder if this is related to the tradition of mummery.

Never ever knew such a tradition existed, interesting. And I like that you are not afraid in this politically correct world to let these photographs and history just speak for themselves, good or bad.