FTX-117 - THE COTTAGERS

LAKELAND DANCES

Local dance tunes played by the 85 year old Keswick fiddler, John OLIVER, with others played by Billy BOWMAN, accordion, and his brother, Jack, on banjo. W.R.Mitchell tells the story of "John Peel" and Fred CLARKE, of Kirkby Stephen, plays variants on melodeon. (Songs from Lakeland are on FTX-120)

1. THE COTTAGERS: John Oliver (fiddle) - 1'11"

2. THE HORN OF THE HUNTER/ THE TENTH DAY OF MARCH tunes of local hunting songs played by Billy Bowman (acc) with Jack (banjo) - 1'31"

3. THE HUNTSMAN LANCERS (Quadrille) - Fig 1: John Oliver (fiddle) (talk before & after)- 1'11"

4. LANCERS - Fig 2: John Oliver (fiddle) - 1'13"

5. JOHN PEEL: Tune on fiddle followed by the story of the song by W.R.Mitchell & friends (including humming tune of the Scots reel, BONNY ANNIE & sound of the hunting horn) - 4'42"

6. JOHN PEEL WALTZ played by Fred Clarke (melodeon) - 1'09"

7. JOHN PEEL for dancing - Version #2 - 0'37"

8. LANCERS - Fig 3: John Oliver (fiddle) - 0'44"

9.. LANCERS - Fig 4: John Oliver (fiddle) - 1'53"

10. QUADRILLE TUNES (talk before); talk & tune: THE VARSOVIANA; JOE BOWMAN; WE'LL ALL GO A-HUNTING TODAY played by Billy Bowman (accordion) - 5'02"

John OLIVER, born 1874, was the Whip of Melbrake Hunt and played fiddle for local Hunt Balls and weddings. He plays SQUARE EIGHT and HOOLIGANS on Folktrax 45-410.

Fred CLARKE, born 1899, Bleatam, Warcup, learned melodeon from his father and from an older fiddler who played for dances at Grasgill, Soulby, Crosby Garret, Musgraqve and Kirkby.

Billy BOWMAN led the oldest dance band in the area and with his brother Jack played for all the local farm dances and Hunt Balls.

Recorded by Peter Kennedy 1954. Edited by Peter Kennedy and first published on Folktrax Cassettes 1975.