Skegness Magazine

A “ran tan” was a ritual performed by some members of a community to express indignation to unsociable or “immoral” actions of an individual. Sometimes, the ritual got out of hand, as described in the story below. I’m not sure of the exact date of the original article but estimate it to be around 1900.

“RANTANNING” FATALITY
There was a sequel at Spilsby Sessions to the extraordinary story of a “rantanning” at Firsby, (Which was mentioned in a previous edition of a local newspaper’s “Fifty Years Ago” feature).

Three men were charged with the manslaughter of a ratepayer who died from the effects of maltreatment received, two days before his death, at a “rantanning”.

It was alleged that the deceased turned his daughter out, and took in a married woman living in the village. The accused admitted fetching deceased out of the house.
A doctor stated that the death was due to shock and abdominal injury, but the witnesses failed to connect the accused with the fatality, and they were discharged, the magistrate stating that no jury would convict.