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Northumbrian Minstrelsy
AuthorJohn Collingwood Bruce and John Stokoe
LanguageEnglish, many in Geordie dialect
PublisherSociety of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne
Publication date
1882
Publication placeUnited Kingdom
Media typePrint
Pages206 pages

Northumbrian Minstrelsy is a book of 18th and 19th century North East of England folk songs and pipe music, intended to be a lasting historical record. The book was edited by John Stokoe and the Rev John Collingwood Bruce LL.D., F.S.A., and published by and on behalf of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1882. It was reprinted in 1965 by Folklore Associates, Hatboro, Pennsyslvania, with a foreword by A. L. Lloyd.

Details

Northumbrian Minstrelsy was written with the intention of providing a historical record of some of the North Country songs and music. "A book for the collection and preservation of the old music and poetry of the North of England" was what Algernon Percy, 4th Duke of Northumberland had suggested.

The book is divided into two sections; the first giving the lyrics (with some music) of local, now historical songs, and the second part giving the music to many Northumbrian smallpipes tunes with very few lyrics. The book was edited by John Stokoe and the Rev John Collingwood Bruce, with the help of committee members, and published by and behalf, of the Ancient Melodies Committee of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1882.[1]

Background

The project first started in 1855 after Algernon Percy, 4th Duke of Northumberland, patron of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne expressed a desire that the Society should turn its attention to the collection and preservation of the old music and poetry of the North East of England. A committee was appointed, consisting of Robert White, John Clerevaulx Fenwick, and William Kell (1797–1862); with Bruce, a member of the society, acting in an ex-officio role.

Robert White, was a farmer's son from Kirk Yetholm, Northumberland, worked all his life in a brass foundry in Newcastle. He was an avid researcher into Northumberland legends, folk lore and folk songs, writing regularly for local newspapers on local matters. John Clerevaulx Fenwick was the son of a lay-preacher, a lawyer by profession, a lover of pipe-music and author of a small (18-page) book "A few remarks upon bagpipes and pipe music". William Kell was the first Town Clerk of Gateshead, elected 1836 to 1854, and also a pipe-music lover, and collector of music relating to the Northumbrian smallpipes. Bruce was a pillar of society: a headmaster, a Moderator of the Presbyterian Church, a founder of the Y.M.C.A., a workhouse guardian, a respected antiquary, etc., etc., and consequently gave much credence to the committee and its work. He was possibly an influence in the omission of slightly bawdy ballads from the final works.

In 1857, after two years there was still no book, and the delays caused some embarrassment to members of the committee. The reasons given in the committee’s apologies included the fact that they did not want to credit any of the work as "Northumbrian" if it were not. As time went on, Kell (1862) and White (1870) died, and Fenwick moved his law practice to London. In the meantime, John Stokoe had been appointed to the Committee. He had for many years been transcribing and copying out, by hand, many songs, lyrics and/or music, and had collected a large number.

The committee now had numerous other sources to choose from, including Joseph Ritson's Bishopric Garland and Northumberland Garland, John Bell's Rhymes of Northern Bards and Joseph Crawhall II's Tunes for the Northumbrian small Pipes. These then, together with the collected papers of its committee members, were the main sources of Northumbrian Minstrelsy, but works from other similar compilations were considered and used. There appears to have been relatively little collecting in the field.

When John Stokoe joined the team on the committee, the work moved forward. The various sources and manuscripts were sifted, collated and ordered. A final selection was made, enabling publication too ccur finally in 1882.

The publication

Northumbrian Minstrelsy[2] is a book of Border ballads, Northumbrian and Tyneside folk songs and Northumbrian pipe music consisting of over 200 pages. It contains 132 song lyrics and over 100 pieces of music, and was published in 1882. It is divided into the two sections; the first song lyrics, the second pipe music where only a handful of pieces have lyrics. There is little in the way of biographies of the writers of the music or lyrics, but some information on the histories of the events and a considerable amount on the history of the music.

The selection however has been made from the point of musical and prose quality rather than the popularity of the (sometimes slightly coarse) songs of the period. In addition several of the songs have been "modified" from the original versions for inclusion in this book.

Contents

Note – The page numbers refer to those in the 1965 reprinted edition, and may differ from the original 100+ year old edition.

Page Title Songwriter Tune Comments Notes Ref
v Foreword by A L Lloyd
iii copy of cover
iii Introduction
iii comment on Thomas Doubleday
iv comment on the bag of the bagpipes
v comment on the reed of the bagpipes
iv comment on the drone
xii The two Sections
1 PART I – BALLADS & SONGS
1 Chevy Chase – (ancient ballad of) history of and comments on
1 Chevy Chase – (ancient ballad of)
3 Chevy Chase – (ancient ballad of) The first Fit Chevy Chase
10 Chevy Chase – (modern ballad of) may be Richard Sheale Chevy Chase according to Mr Chappell
10 a mention of William Chappell
17 Battle of Otterburn – (The) Chevy Chase a variation on Chevy Chase – about a battle fought 9 August 1388
25 Bewick and the Graeme, the Transcribed by Sir Walter Scott taken from the "Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border" possibly 16th century
29 comment on "The Bewick and the Graeme" and chivalry
31 Brave Earl Brand and the King of England's Daughter – (The)
33 comment on The close relationship between the last song and many others
34 Hughie the Graeme Graeme Clan
35 short bio Joseph Ritson
36 short bio Graeme Clan
37 Jock o' the Syde first published 1784 in the Hawick Museum, a provincial miscellany, by John Elliott, Esq., of Reidheugh
41 short bio Jock o' the Syde maybe a nephew of the Laird of Mangerton,
42 Death of Parcy Reed – (The)
46 short bio Parcy Reed
48 Outlandish Knight – (The)
50 short bio Outlanders someone from the Outlands or Debatable Lands
51 Fair Flower of Northumberland – (The) Thomas Deloney or T.D. The English version – there is a Scottish version by Kinlock
55 short bio Thomas Deloney or T.D. alias the "ballading silk weaver" who died c1600
55 short bio Kinlock, A Scottish version of "Fair Flower of Northumberland"
56 Laidley Worm (The) (of Spindleston Heugh) (this version by Robert Lamb, Vicar of Norham) from an old MSS
60 short bio Reverend Robert Lambe Vicar of Norham
60 comment on The Worm O Spindleston Heugh
61 Binnorie, or, the Cruel Sister, first published as broadsheet by Mr. Rimbault c 1656.
63 a mention of Mr. Rimbault printer
63 comment on history of Binnorie
64 Lord Beichan
69 comment on versions of "Lord Beichan"
71 Derwentwater's Farewell
72 short bio James Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Derwentwater
73 comment on Derwentwater's Farewell
74 Derwentwater
75 comment on Derwentwater
76 Lay the Bent to the Bonny Broom
78 comment on simple melodies
79 Whittingham Fair [3]
81 Blow the Winds, I-ho
82 Keach I' the Creel – (The)
84 O I hae seen the Roses blaw
86 O the Oak and the Ash and the Bonny Ivy Tree Goddesses * * The tune is in Sir James Hawkins' "The Dancing Muster," 1650, under this title
87 comment on history of song "Oak Ash and Bonny Ivy
88 Bonny at Morn
89 Water of Tyne (The)
90 Willow Tree or Rue ard Thyme – (The) attributed to Mrs Francis Habergham, of Habergham, Lancashire (died 1703) according to William Chappell
90 Rue ard Thyme – (The) attributed to Mrs Francis Habergham, of Habergham, Lancashire (died 1703) Alternative title of "Willow Tree"
91 short bio William Chappell
91 comment on history of "The Willow Tree"
92 Sair Fail'd, Hinney Actually titled "Sair Fyel'd, Hinny" in the book
93 I Drew my Ship into a Harbour
94 Miller and His Sons – (The)
95 comment on The Miller in poetry and satire
96 Shoemaker – (The)
97 My Love is Newly Listed no lyrics – music only – first published when Thomas Doubleday placed it in "Blackwood Magazine" 1821
97 a mention of Thomas Doubleday
97 comment on history of My Love is newly listed
98 Broom, Green Broom
100 O the Bonny Fisher Lad
102 Hexhamshire Lass – (The)
104 Mode o' Wooing – (The)
107 Northumberland Bagpipes – (The)
108 a mention of William Chappell
108 comment on pipes
109 Durham Old Women
110 Aboot the Bush, Willy
111 Christmas Day in the Morning Traditional Carol
112 Elsie Marley Elsie Marley to its own tune An Alewife at Pictree, near Chester-le-Street
113 short bio Elsie (or Alice) Marley first published by Joseph Ritson in "Bishopric Garland" 1784
113 comment on short history on "Elsie Marley"
115 Bobby Shaftoe Traditional
116 Up the Raw
117 Dol Li A
118 Broom Buzzems – (or Buy Broom Busoms)
119 short bio William Purvis
120 A You A, Hinny Burd named as "A U Hinny Burd" in this book
121 Ca' Hawkie through the watter The title given is "Water" in this book
122 Anti-Gallican Privateer (The)
123 comment on The ship, first to sail fitted and manned from Newcastle
124 Adam Buckham, O!
125 Captain Bover
125 short bio Thomas Doubleday
125 short bio Captain Bover
126 Here's the Tender coming
127 Liberty for the Sailors John Stobbs a Shields song for the days of the Press-gang Tune-Br
128 Sailors are a' at the Bar (The) Actually titled "The Sailors are all at the Bar" in book
128 a mention of John Bell
128 Lad wi' the Trousers on
129 Twelve Days of Christmas – (The)
129 comment on history of "Twelve Days of Christmas"
132 Ma' Canny Hinny Actually titled "Maw Canny Hinny" in this book
134 Robin Spraggon's Auld Grey Mare transcribed by Mr Fairless
135 comment on days gone by
136 short bio Mr. Fairless of Hexham
137 Sword Dancers' Song – (The) no lyrics – music only
137 Kitty Bo-bo, no lyrics – music only
138 (Weel May) The Keel Row Traditional
139 comment on history of "The Keel Row"
140 Northern Minstrel's Budget – (The) Henry Robson
143 short bio Henry Robson
144 blank
145 Part II – Small pipe tunes
the following tunes are music only except where a comment to the contrary is given.
145 Chevy Chase – (pipe tune) Chevy Chase
145 Coquetside Coquetside
146 Wylam Away Wylam Away referred to as "Gingling Geordie" in an old ms of 1694
146 Cockle Geordie Cockle Geordie
147 I saw My Love passing by Me I saw My Love passing by Me two lines of lyrics discovered
147 Jockey lay up in the Hay Loft Jockey lay up in the Hay Loft
148 Pelton Lonnin' Pelton Lonnin' two verses also located, Title actually given as "Felton" but verses say "Pelton"
148 Kye's Come Home (The) Pelton Lonnin' two verses also located
148 a mention of Cuthbert Sharp given as "Pelton Lonin" in "Bishoprick Garland"
149 Stay a Wee Bit, Bonnie Lad Stay a Wee Bit, Bonnie Lad
149 Broken-legged Chicken – (The) The Broken-legged Chicken
150 Bonny Pit Laddie – (The) Bonny Pit Laddie two verses given
150 Bonny Keel Laddie – (The) Bonny Pit Laddie three verses given
151 Dorrington Lads Dorrington Lads [4]
151 Blackett o' Wylam Blacket o' Wylam erroneously spelt "Blacket" in this book
152 Peacock followed the hen (The) William Midford The Peacock followed the Hen two verses given Tune-Cr
152 history of tune "The Peacock followed the Hen"
152 Meggy's Foot Meggy's Foot
154 Because he was a Bonny Lad Because he was a Bonny Lad one chorus given
154 Fair Maid of Whickham – (The) Fair Maid of Whickham – (The)
155 My Dearie Sits Ower Late Up – or My Bonnie Bay Mare and I My Dearie Sits Ower Late Up four verses given
155 history of tune "My Dearie Sits Ower Late Up"
156 Newburn Lads Newburn Lads also known as "The Braw Lads o' Jethart"
156 a mention of Thomas Doubleday
156 Cut and Dry Dolly Cut and Dry Dolly
157 I'll have Her in Spite of Her Minnie I'll have Her in Spite of Her Minnie
157 Lads of AInwick – (The) The Lads of AInwick
158 Sir John Fenwick's the Flower amang them Sir John Fenwick's the Flower amang them "Sir John Fenwick's the Flower amang them"
158 history of tune
159 Sir John Fenwick's the Flower amang them (newer lyrics) Sir John Fenwick's the Flower amang them one chorus given
159 Cuddie Clauder Cuddie Clauder
160 All the Night I lay awake All the Night I lay awake
160 Ail Hands upon Deck Ail Hands upon Deck
161 Noble Squire Dacre Noble Squire Dacre
161 short bio The Dacre Family
162 Go to Berwick, Johnnie Go to Berwick, Johnnie
162 Parks o' Yester – (The) Parks o' Yester – (The)
163 Wedding o' Blyth – (The) – or Blue's gaen oot o' the Fashion Wedding o' Blyth
163 Blue's gaen oot o' the Fashion Wedding o' Blyth Alternative title of "The Wedding o' Blyth"
163 a mention of Thomas Doubleday transcribed the tune "Wedding o' Blyth" with one verse
163 Lousy Cutter – (The) Wedding o' Blyth two verses given
164 Black Cock of Whickham – (The) The Black Cock of Whickham
164 Coffee and Tea – or Jamie Allen's Fancy Coffee and Tea
164 Jamie Allen's Fancy Alternative title of "Coffee and Tea"
164 Jamie Allen's Fancy Coffee and Tea alternative name vof "Coffee and Tea"
165 Keelman Ower Land – (The) The Keelman Ower Land
165 Small Coals an' Little Money Small Coals an' Little Money
166 Shew's the Way to Wallington Shew's the Way to Wallington
166 Shew's the Way to Wallington Mr Anderson, a miller at Wallington Shew's the Way to Wallington 5 verses given
167 short bio Mr Anderson, a miller at Wallington
167 Jockey stays lang at the Fair Jockey stays lang at the Fair
168 Stagshaw Bank Fair Stagshaw Bank Fair
168 We'll all away to Sunniside We'll all away to Sunniside
169 Miller's Wife o' Blaydon – (The) The Miller's Wife o' Blaydon three verses given
170 Holey Halfpenny – (The) The Holey Halfpenny
170 Hoop Her and Gird Her Hoop Her and Gird Her
171 Fenwick o' Bywell Fenwick o' Bywell also known as "Newmarket Races" and "Galloping ower the Cow Hill" and similar to Irish air "Garryowen"
171 history of tune Fenwick o' Bywell
172 Drucken Moll Knox Drucken Moll Knox
172 Lass and the Money is all my own – (The) The Lass and the Money is all my own
173 Canny Hobbie Elliot or Canny Hobby Elliott
173 comment on Thomas Doubleday
173 comment on John Bell named as "Hobby Elliott"
173 Peacock's March John Peacock Peacock's March
174 Peacock's Tune John Peacock Peacock's Tune
174 short bio John Peacock
175 Peacock's Fancy John Peacock Peacock's Fancy
175 Footie John Peacock Peacock's Fancy a mention only
175 Pipers' Maggot or Fancy Pipers' Maggot or Fancy
176 Green Brechans o' Branton Green Brechans o' Branton
176 Jackey Layton Jackey Layton
177 Till the Tide comes in Till the Tide comes in
177 short bio Cuthbert Sharp
177 Till the Tide comes in Henry Robson Till the Tide comes in
177 Lamshaw's Fancy Lamshaw's Fancy
178 Morpeth Lasses Morpeth Lasses
178 Major – (The) The Major
179 Andrew Carr Andrew Carr two verses given
179 Follow Her over the Border Follow Her over the Border
180 Little Fishie Little Fishie
180 Leazes Hopping Leazes Hopping
181 Cooper o' Stannerton Heugh – (The) The Cooper o' Stannerton Heugh
181 Mile to Ride – (A) A Mile to Ride also known as Stannerton (or Stamfordham) Hopping, Stanhope, Weardale and The Fleet's a coming
181 Stannerton (or Stamfordham) Hopping A Mile to Ride alternative name of "A Mile to Ride"
181 Stanhope A Mile to Ride alternative name of "A Mile to Ride"
181 Weardale A Mile to Ride alternative name of "A Mile to Ride"
181 Fleet's a coming – (The) A Mile to Ride alternative name of "A Mile to Ride"
182 Sandhill Corner Sandhill Corner
182 Lang stay'd away Lang stay'd away
183 Blaw the Wind southerly Blaw the Wind southerly one verse given – usually spelt as "Blow the Wind Southerly"
183 comment on Cuthbert Sharp
183 history of tune Blaw the Wind southerly
183 Cuckold come out o' the Amrey Cuckold come out o' the Amrey
184 Ower the Border Ower the Border
184 Sunderland Lasses Sunderland Lasses
185 New Highland Laddie New Highland Laddie
186 Little wot ye wha's coming Little wot ye wha's coming
186 history of tune
186 Little wot ye wha's coming Little wot ye wha's coming a mention of Scottish version listing clans
186 Little wot ye wha's coming Little wot ye wha's coming a mention of English version with two lines preserved
187 Fairly shot of Her
188 Black and the Grey – (The) Black and the Grey – (The)
189 Rantin' Roarin' Willie – or Mitford Galloway – (The) Rantin' Roarin' Willie – or Mitford Galloway – (The)
189 Mitford Galloway (The) alternative name of "Rantin' Roarin' Willie"
189 history of tune
189 Mitford Galloway (The) Thomas Whittle Rantin' Roarin' Willie – or Mitford Galloway – (The)
189 short bio Thomas Whittle
190 Hen's March – (The)
191 Blanchland Races
191 FINIS
193 Index

Notes

  • Tune-Br -The tune is not given in the book – but it has been added as attributed in Brockie's The Shields Garland
  • Tune-Cr -The tune is not given in the book – but it has been added as attributed in Joseph Crawhall's A Beuk o' Newcassel Sangs, 1888

See also

References

  1. ^ "Northumbrian Minstrelsy by Bruce and Stokoe, 1882".
  2. ^ Full title – "Northumbrian Minstrelsy – A collection of the ballads, melodies and small pipe tunes of Northumbria – Edited by the Rev. John Collingwood Bruce LL.D, D.C.L., F.S.A. and John Stokoe – Published by the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle-upon-Tyne – 1882"
  3. ^ "Farne archives – Whittingham Fair".
  4. ^ "Farne archives Dorrington Lads".
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