216 - THE SAILOR'S HORSE
MINEHEAD MAY FESTIVAL
Minehead in Somerset with actuality sounds of accordions and drums, and the "Booter"ceremony, 1952. Alfie Webber, coxswain of the lifeboat, talks about
the origins of the local hobby horses, "the Gullivers", and how the custom is
maintained. He explains to some local children how to construct a horse & he sings the words to two of the hobby-horse dance-tunes: OLD JOE, THE BOAT
IS GOING OVER, and IF I WERE AT MINEHEAD, JOHNNY.
1. Music in the street: Jack WEBBER (melodeon) with Ken GUBB (drum) (the tune
is a variant of SOLDIER'S JOY) - 1'27"
2. (over the sound of drum practice) Alfie talks to a group of children about
what he calls "The Old Transdition", he describes the history of the custom,
the routes in Minehead and Dunster and the "Booter" Ceremony - 7'20"
3. Alfie tells about how the horse caught fire the previous year - 1'11"
4. Ken GUBB talks about helping Alfie - 0'27"
5. The drum rhythm is demonstrated - 1'45"
6. (music behind) PK asks about drumming Ken & Alfie talk about the rhythm
and music for the dance (music is faded up to end) - 2'40"
7. Alfie sings the words for the two Hobby Horse tunes - 0'39"
8. Further talk (Ken & Alfie) about traffic problems when collecting money,
PK asks about May Day itself. Other horses in Poland and at Padstow (Cornwall),
but Minehead has the only proper hobby-horse in the country (Music with whistling
faded up, followed by the "Booter" ceremony - 6'23"
9. (over music) Peter Kennedy asks Alfie about the daily programme & routes,
going to Dunster Castle & town, Alcombe, the route through Minehead, refreshments,
the following days programme, last night at Cher, description of Booter in the
Square, three cheers and horse is stabled for the next year - 3'52"
10. Why it's called "The Sailor's Horse" ? Its construction - 1'20"
11. He describes the mask, breathing and durations - 0'55"
12. Previously there were two adult horses, how he made his and his brother
took over another belonging to Mr. Martin and has now done it for 28 years -
0'31"
13. About collecting, watching out for traffic, showing appreciation - 1'17"
14. The Gulliver, its construction, actions, pinchers, police, breaking windows
etc. - 1'06"
15. Why custom is kept up, small horses, dangers of it being discontinued -
0'53"
16. More about the Padstow (Cornwall) Hobby Horse - 0'25"
17. May Day elswhere, rioting in Japan and Germany, value of it, bringing visitors
to the town, the effect of the music on people - 0'55"
18. Origins, keeping off invaders including the Danes, Napoleon and Hitler
- 0'25"
19. (talking to members of a Young Horse Party): The old days, the Gulliver,
drinking, Dunster Castle, trouble with real horses in Dunster street, story
about Mr. Adam - 3'30"
20. Other stories: Jimmy Date and someone who disapproved of the custom - 2'26"
21. Difference today and years ago, the police, how townspeople look forward
to it, how during the previous year they danced twice and also went to Porlock
- 2'18"
22. (talking to the children): Details of Hobby Horse construction, steaming
withy or holly wood to get the shape, demonstrates how to operate as one of
the children, Harry, gets inside - 7'05"
23. Harry asks Alfie how he got started, about being a sailor and how he became
signalman, bowman and coxswain of the lifeboat - 2'18"
24. Harry asks: "Why its called Sailor's Horse ?", "What are the ribbons for
?" In the old days they were more frightened than they are today. No guns. How
it will be during the next few days - 1'57"
25. The 2 Minehead tunes (acc & drum) announced beforehand: IF I WAS
AT MINEHEAD, JOHNNY & OLD JOE, THE BOAT IS GOING OVER followed by the
final Booter Ceremony and 3 cheers - 3'34"
Recorded & edited by Peter Kennedy and first published on Folktrax cassettes
1975.
See also FT-215 The Padstow (Cornwall) Horse Documentary.
