FTX-332 - LUCKY LUCKHURST

LONDON SONGS AND CUSTOMS

1. Song: LITTLE JOHNNY BROWN, talk & parody: THERE IS A HAPPY LAND - 3.20"

2. Talk about urban development and song: THE 'OUSES IN BETWEEN - 6.09"

3. Talk (incl Jack-in-the-Green) & UP COMES I WITH MY LITTLE LOT - 4.39"

4. Talk and song: BUBBLING WATER - 3.29"

5. Talk about his family, the pubs and song: 'ALF A PINT OF ALE & street cry: PIG'S TROTTERS followed by talk about off-licence for drinking at home - 5.28"

6. Horse-drawn vehicles & funeral parody: THE WHEEL FELL OFF THE HEARSE - 2.03"

7. Song: THE FOUR-HORSE CHARABANC - 4.14"

8. Song: DOWN THE ROAD AND AWAY WENT POLLY - 4.18"

9. Talk about milkmen & song: PRETTY POLLY PERKINS - 5.22"

10. Talk & song: SHE COST ME SEVEN AND SIXPENCE - 2.41"

11. Suicide Ballad: VILLIKINS AND HIS DINAH - 2.55"

12. Talk about Kid's Games and Customs: TIN CAN COPPER - 1.18"

13. BUNG THE BARREL - 0.50"

14. BUS HORSES - 0.21"

15. ST.JAMES'S DAY "GROTTAS" - 3.37"

16. CIGARETTE CARDS - 0.40

16. MARBLES, HOOPS & SKIMMERS - 1.35"

17. BOY'S GANGS & SECRECY/ NICK-NAMES - 1.33"

18. PITCH AND TOSS - 2.19"

20. Talk & song: KNEES UP, MOTHER BROWN - 2.43"

Recorded by Peter Kennedy at Soundpost Studios. Edited by Peter Kennedy and first published in 1978.

"LUCKY" Fred LUCKHURST was born at Edmonton, N.London in 1918. He left school at 14 and got his first job in a printing works in Twickenham. Then he worked as a "forcer" (nowadays, in the plastics industry, called an "extruder) in Poppe's Rubber Factory.

During the war he served as a paratrooper in the 1st Parachute Squadron in the Royal Engineers. He was one of those dropped at Arnhem in Holland and immediately taken prisoner by the Germans, but, after 200 days, managed to escape and make his way home.

After the war he worked as a process-worker/ production control clerk at Hardinge's Engineering Works at Hanworth, then did various jobs, including centre-lathe-turner at Vickers.

For the last 8 years, before retiring, he has been Usher at the Crown Court at Swindon and has been a regular performer at the Swindon Folk Club run by Ted Poole. Fred has known most of these songs since childhood, but says that he has had to "bone up" on some of the words since he started singing them in the club.

NOTE: There is a revised version of London Songs on FTX 331