The words and music were commissioned by Melville Haggard as a gift to The Worshipful Company of Clothworkers to celebrate St Thomas’s Eve. The first performances of the work were given by the Choir of St Olave’s Church, London directed by Philip Collin on 18th December 2015, and by the Choir of St John’s College, Cambridge directed by Andrew Nethsinga on 16th January 2016.

Saint Thomas is the Clothworkers’ patron saint, and originally it was on the eve of his feast day when gifts were made to poor clothworkers from the Company’s trusts. In medieval times it was traditional in many parts of England to ‘go a thomasing’ on the feast day: children of the poor would go to the local manor house to receive gifts of food and money for the Christmas season.

Hugh Barbour’s text alludes to the timing of Thomas’ feast day at the winter solstice, and also makes reference to various aspects of his life, including his touching of the wounds of the risen Christ and his ministry in India. Christ’s words “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life” (John 14) are said in response to Thomas’ question, “Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?” The text is also partly written in the spirit of the Clothworkers’ traditions of Christmas celebration, serving as a reminder to patrons to be generous at Christmastime, and to follow the example set by Thomas and the Wise Men.

The music has been composed to reflect the religious sentiments in the text as well as the spirit of more secular carol singing outside of church. Therefore, some moments should be calm and reverential (“Christi membrorum pauperum” for example), but the overall atmosphere should be one of high spirits and celebration. A performance can reach the verge of sounding bawdy (bar 70), and should certainly be sung to try to recapture the spirit of the wassailing (or ‘thomasing’) traditions of old.