Wait (musician)

[1] From the Middle Ages to the 18th century town records include transactions concerning waits, upon their appointment and on the provision of cloaks, ribbons, badges, etc.

The Edinburgh Waits ("tounis minstrels") were employed to play in the morning and evening, and also to give a special concert at noon.

In Elizabethan times the Court Leet of the manor of Manchester appointed town waits to undertake certain duties, one of which was of "playing morning and evening together, according as others have been heretofore accustomed to do".

In 1603 they welcomed into their company a more skilful musician and it was then ordered that "the said waits shall hereafter be received to play music at all and every wedding and dinners in this town".

[3] As a result of the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, waits were abolished, though their name lingered on as Christmas waits, who could be any group of singers or musicians who formed a band in order to sing and play carols for money around their town or village at night over the Christmas period.