FTX-415 - THE OLD STABLE JACKET

Village Traditions - Gloucestershire 

SONGS, MORRIS & FIGHTING TALK. Recorded by Peter Kennedy in 1957 from Harry Illes, Bill Williams, Tom Denley & George Joynes. Includes songs: OLD STABLE JACKET, JONES'S ALE, SOLDIER & SAILOR, OUTLANDISH KNIGHT, LAZY MOOCHER, BRIAN O LINN, WILD MAN, HUNTING SONG & REAPER CALLED DEATH, as well as talk about hard times in the Gloucester area: bark-stripping for the tanyards & stone-breaking in the winter, and the better fun times: donkey-racing, fighting, minstrels and Morris dancing.

1. WRAP ME UP IN MY OLD STABLE JACKET sung by Harry Illes (pronounced "Eyles"), Lower Swell (talk after) - 3'01"

2. WHEN JONES'S ALE WAS NEW: talk after about where he learnt it and Morris dance musicians - 3'33"

3. THE SOLDIER AND THE SAILOR sung by Bill Williams (84) of May Hill rec by PK at 62 Alvin Street, Gloucester: talk before about learning song from his father & his own singing/ talk after about song, hard times, working in the S.Wales collieries, bark-stripping with his father, stone-breaking instead of school holidays, getting the whip from Major Probyn of Huntley Manor at 8 years old - 9'40"

4. THE FALSE-HEARTED MAN (Child #4 LADY ISABEL & THE ELF or OUTLANDISH KNIGHT) talk before about his mother - 2'27"

5. THE LAZY MOOCHER - 1'20"

6. Talk about his father fighting 3 men on Over Bridge (over the River Severn), Gloucester, and subsequently in "The Plough Inn" at Newent - 5'07"

7. BRIAN O LINN (frag) talk after about his mother, the Forest of Dean, compressed coal-dust blocks - 1'59"

8. Talk about his grandfather playing fiddle with Stephen Baldwin (see ftx-115) for Morris dancing and donkey-racing opposite the pub - 1'05"

9. Morris at "The Yew Tree", Mitcheldean, "The Nag's Head", Longhope, "The Farmer's Boy", Lea Lane, description ofth both men and women dancing, mention of an old Country Dance called "The Cotton Breeches", Morris at "The Wagon and Horses". Hucclecote, the Sterry family, triangle and tambourine - 4'47"

10. THE WILD MAN OF BORNEO sung by Tom Denley, Brockhampton, Cheltenham: talk before about his uncle singing in local Minstrel Troupe - 4'00"

11. JIM THE CARTER'S LAD (chorus only remembered) talk after - 0'28"

12. WHAT A FINE HUNTING DAY or WE'LL ALL GO A-HUNTING TODAY sung by George Joynes (67), Longborough, Moreton-in-the-Marsh - 2'33"

13. THE REAPER CALLED DEATH (sung to "The Old Hundredth" psalm-tune) - 1'35"

Recorded by Peter Kennedy 1957. Edited by Peter Kennedy and first published on Folktrax cassettes 1978.