FTX-212 - TWO JOLLY MINERS

George HOYLAND & Louis WROE

Two of the musicians for the Grenoside (Sheffield) "Morris" (Long Sword Dance), George "Cavill" Hoyland (Old English accordion) and Louis Wroe (Anglo-German concertina), describe the custom, sing the songs and play the dance tunes. Includes SIX JOLLY MINERS, THE OLD TUP (local Mummers Play) as well as some Old-time dances and Clog-dance music. An early description of Grenoside Morris appeared in The Pall Mall Gazette, 1885. The dance was published by Cecil Sharp in SWORD DANCES OF NORTHERN ENGLAND, 1913.

1. THE CAPTAIN'S SONG sung by Louis Wroe (unacc) - 1'55"

2. George Hoyland talks about the Revival of the Custom, their Christmas performances, encouragement by the Rev. R. and Mrs. Gatty, which helped local quarrymen and miners in the cold weather, while other times they entertained themselves - 3'11"

3. Louis introduces the dance and plays tunes on concertina: (a) THE JIG (Drops of Brandy)/ (b) SINGLE & DOUBLE SWORDS (Roxburgh Castle)/ (c) The Song, TANTIRO, tune played/ (d) THE REEL (The Wonder Hornpipe)/ (e) THE ROLL (Smash the windows/ Roaring Jelly)/ (f) THE ROLL or "RING A ROSES" (Soldier's Joy) - 5'17"

4. Talk about final step-dance for applause and story of one man - 1'30"

5. Talk about CALLING-ON SONG or NOMINY and story - 1'50"

6. Talk about visiting pubs and gentlemen's houses, costume, women etc - 3'28"

7. Old-time dances, "Ale & Baccy Band" of old colliers, Servants Ball at Wortley Hall, names of dances, then plays OLD WALTZ on concertina - 3'28"

8.He talks about his family working in mines, parents charcoal-burners, biggest pit burned, grand-parents, Bridge Inn, job before retiring - 1'38"

9. Song: SIX JOLLY MINERS/ Louis talks about Christmas custom performed by six teenage boys in ragged trousers with knee-pads and black-faces in the old days they were accompanied by a fiddler/ words of song & explains "motty" wages - 2'43"

10. Song sung again with George accompanying on accordion followed by tune on its own - 1'38"

11. George talks about the custom - 0'37"

12. George talks about THE OLD TUP Christmas Play performed in Ecclesfield & district: refreshments, taking collection, etc./ describes tup, sheeps head on stick, stopped by The "Closing Act" of Licenced Premises/ sings song (Cf. THE DERBY RAM)/ description of play, remembers BUTCHER, DOCTOR, FOOL, DEVIL DOUBT with money-box, EEZUM- SQUEEZUM (i.e. Beelzebub) with long broom - 7'23"

13. Talk about the Old Tup chasing servants and pinning them in a corner - 0'31"

14. Talk & George plays A BRASS BAND TUNE, the first he played on the accordion/ talk about learning to play - 3'31"

15. Talk & THE LANCASHIRE BREAK DOWN/ CLOG DANCE - 1'51"

16. Talk & SCHOTTISCHE learned from travelling organ-grinder - 2'06"

17. Talk & VARSOVIANA (Waltz) - 1'59"

Recorded at the home of Louis Wroe, Wortley nr Sheffield, West Yorkshire by Peter Kennedy 20th August, 1959. Edited by Peter Kennedy and first published on Folktrax cassettes 1975.

#9 is published in FOLKSONGS OF BRITAIN & IRELAND (Cassells/ Schirmer 1975/ Paperback by Oak 1985 & distributed by Music Sales) p534.

#12-13 For a description of THE OLD TUP by Ivor Gatty - see The Journal of The English Folk Dance & Song Society 1946 pp23-30.