29th May is Oak Apple Day commemorating the restoration of the monarchy in 1660. Charles II is reputed to have escaped capture by either hiding in an Oak or disguised as a woodman hence the oak leaf was a symbol to be worn on the anniversary of his restoration.
The oak apple itself is not a fruit but a growth caused by the eggs of the gall wasp which consume the growth and emerge in July.
People could be punished for not wearing the oak symbol on this day and schoolboys used to whip the bare legs of schoolgirls with nettles if they neglected to wear it until recent times.
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