Chime hours refers to a belief in some parts of England that those born at certain times of the day have special powers, including the ability to see ghostsSpirit of a dead person returned to visit the living, the common conception of a ghost. . The crucial time of birth is generally said to be midnight on Friday, but in Somerset and East Anglia people spoke of being born in the chimehours, a reference to the old monastic hours of prayer, sometimes marked by the ringing of the church bell at 8 pm, midnight and 4 am. In Sussex it was believed that those born at “three, six, nine or twelve o’clock” would be able “to see much that is hidden from others”.[1]
One of several myths related to the time of one’s birth, the idea of chime hours was popularised by the folklorist Ruth Tongue, who coined the term chime child,[2] while falsely claiming to be one herself.[1] She claimed that the critical period of birth was from Friday midnight until cockrow on Saturday.[3][a]Ruth Tongue herself was born on a Monday.
Ruth Tongue claimed that the special powers of chime children were to:[3]
- See the dead and the fairies, and speak with them but come to no harm – such encounters must never be sought
- Have immunity from all ill-wishing, as many of the clergy have
- Love and control all animals – so chime children often become herdsmen or veterinary surgeons
- Have a knowledge of herbs and a way of healing others
Controversy
Ruth Tongue is considered a “problematic figure” in academic folklore circles; “she gives only the vaguest hints as to where, when, and from whom she had obtained the stories”.[4] She in turn claimed that most of her notes had been lost in a house fire.[5]
See also
- Monday’s ChildNursery rhyme supposed to foretell a child's character or future from their day of birth.