FTX-063 - THE LOVER'S STONE

ETHEL & JOHN FINDLATER

Recorded in Orkney by Peter Kennedy in 1955, the Findlater family proved to be a storehouse of local traditions, of both songs and stories. The Lovers Stone Murder Ballad is associated with the Stone Circle at Stenness where there was once an Odin Stone

1. THE STANDING STONE BALLAD - John & Ethel - talk/ tune (melodeon)/ song (duet)/ talk after - 7'36"

2. THE FOUR MARIES (Child #173) - Ethel & chorus - 2'43"

3. JIM BLAKE & THE MIDNIGHT EXPRESS - John (talk after) - 3'17"

4. THE POOR OLD MAID - John (talk after) - 2'10"

5. Talk about Orkney Weddings - John - 3'02

6. Talk & recitation: THE ORKNEY STYLE OF COURTSHIP - John - 1'24"

7. MARY IN THE SILVERY TIDE - Ethel (talk before) - 5'20"

8. THE TWO SOLDIERS - Duet - (talk before) - 4'52"

9. THE DOWIE DENS O YARROW - Elsie Johnson (daughter) - 3'55"

10. THE GOSPORT TRAGEDY - Duet - 8'47"

11 THE TWO SISTERS O' BINORIE - Ethel (talk bef & aft) - 4'22"

12. THE WEXFORD GIRL (or MURDER) - Ethel - (talk before) - 3'22"

13. THE MAID O THE COWDIE 'N KNOWES - Ethel - 2'04"

14. THE CAPTAIN ON THE SEA - Duet - (talk before) - 6'04"

15. THE MISTLETOE BOUGH - Ethel - (talk before & after) - 3'54"

16. LORD LOVEL - Ethel - (talk before) -3'25"

17. THE LAIRD O' DRUM - Ethel - (talk before) - 4'06"

18. THE PLOUGHBOY'S DREAM - Duet - 3'43"

Recorded by Peter Kennedy in Orkney 1955. Edited by Peter Kennedy and first published on Folktrax Cassettes 1975.

ETHEL FINDLATER, nee Harvey, (1899-1973) learned most of her songs from her mother. For an appreciation of Mrs. Findlater, see TOCHER No. 5 pp.160-8 (Edinburgh: School of Scottish Studies, 1972) which includes transcriptions of #16 and #20. "The Findlaters worked a small croft with a few cows and poultry at Breckan, Dounby, in the parish of Birsay in the centre of the mainland of Orkney."

JOHN FINDLATER (1893-1959), until he was married, lived mostly in Stromness, serving in India in the 1914-18 War. On return he worked as a farm servant, driving a pair of horses behind a plough for a mere pitance, but he was always much in demand locally as an MC at weddings and dances