Northumbrian Minstrelsy

Northumbrian Minstrelsy is a book of 18th and 19th century North East of England folk songs and pipe music, intended to be a lasting historical record. The book was edited by John Stokoe and the Rev John Collingwood Bruce LL.D., F.S.A., and published by and on behalf of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1882. It was reprinted in 1965 by Folklore Associates, Hatboro, Pennsyslvania, with a foreword by A. L. Lloyd.

Northumbrian Minstrelsy

Author	John Collingwood Bruce and John Stokoe
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English, many in Geordie dialect
Publisher	Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne
Publication date	1882
Media type	Print
Pages	206 pages

Details

Northumbrian Minstrelsy was written with the intention of providing a historical record of some of the North Country songs and music. "A book for the collection and preservation of the old music and poetry of the North of England" was what Algernon Percy, 4th Duke of Northumberland had suggested.

The book is divided into two sections; the first giving the lyrics (with some music) of local, now historical songs, and the second part giving the music to many Northumbrian smallpipe tunes with very few lyrics. The book was edited by John Stokoe and the Rev John Collingwood Bruce, with the help of committee members, and published by and behalf, of the Ancient Melodies Committee of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1882.

Background

The project first started in 1855 after Algernon Percy, 4th Duke of Northumberland, patron of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne expressed a desire that the Society should turn its attention to the collection and preservation of the old music and poetry of the North East of England. A committee was appointed, consisting of Robert White, John Clerevaulx Fenwick, and William Kell (1797–1862); with Bruce, a member of the society, acting in an ex-officio role.

Robert White, was a farmer's son from Kirk Yetholm, Northumberland, worked all his life in a brass foundry in Newcastle. He was an avid researcher into Northumberland legends, folk lore and folk songs, writing regularly for local newspapers on local matters. John Clerevaulx Fenwick was the son of a lay-preacher, a lawyer by profession, a lover of pipe-music and author of a small (18-page) book "A few remarks upon bagpipes and pipe music". William Kell was the first Town Clerk of Gateshead, elected 1836 to 1854, and also a pipe-music lover, and collector of music relating to the Northumbrian smallpipes. Bruce was a pillar of society: a headmaster, a Moderator of the Presbyterian Church, a founder of the Y.M.C.A., a workhouse guardian, a respected antiquary, etc., etc., and consequently gave much credence to the committee and its work. He was possibly an influence in the omission of slightly bawdy ballads from the final works.

In 1857, after two years there was still no book, and the delays caused some embarrassment to members of the committee. The reasons given in the committee’s apologies included the fact that they did not want to credit any of the work as "Northumbrian" if it were not. As time went on, Kell (1862) and White (1870) died, and Fenwick moved his law practice to London. In the meantime, John Stokoe had been appointed to the Committee. He had for many years been transcribing and copying out, by hand, many songs, lyrics and/or music, and had collected a large number.

The committee now had numerous other sources to choose from, including Joseph Ritson's Bishopric Garland and Northumberland Garland, John Bell's Rhymes of Northern Bards and Joseph Crawhall II's Tunes for the Northumbrian small Pipes. These then, together with the collected papers of its committee members, were the main sources of Northumbrian Minstrelsy, but works from other similar compilations were considered and used. There appears to have been relatively little collecting in the field.

When John Stokoe joined the team on the committee, the work moved forward. The various sources and manuscripts were sifted, collated and ordered. A final selection was made, enabling publication too occur finally in 1882.

The publication

Northumbrian Minstrelsy is a book of Border ballads, Northumbrian folk songs and Northumbrian pipe music consisting of over 200 pages. It contains 132 song lyrics and over 100 pieces of music, and was published in 1882. It is divided into the two sections; the first song lyrics, the second pipe music where only a handful of pieces have lyrics. There is little in the way of biographies of the writers of the music or lyrics, but some information on the histories of the events and a considerable amount on the history of the music.

The selection however has been made from the point of musical and prose quality rather than the popularity of the (sometimes slightly coarse) songs of the period. In addition several of the songs have been "modified" from the original versions for inclusion in this book.

Contents

Note – The page numbers refer to those in the 1965 reprinted edition, and may differ from the original 100+ year old edition.

Page	Title	Songwriter	Tune	Comments	Notes	Ref
v	Foreword by A L Lloyd
iii	copy of cover
iii	Introduction
iii	comment on	Thomas Doubleday
iv	comment on			the bag of the bagpipes
v	comment on			the reed of the bagpipes
iv	comment on			the drone
xii	The two Sections
1	PART I – BALLADS & SONGS
1	Chevy Chase – (ancient ballad of)			history of and comments on
1	Chevy Chase – (ancient ballad of)
3	Chevy Chase – (ancient ballad of) The first Fit		Chevy Chase
10	Chevy Chase – (modern ballad of)	may be Richard Sheale	Chevy Chase	according to Mr Chappell
10	a mention of	William Chappell
17	Battle of Otterburn – (The)		Chevy Chase	a variation on Chevy Chase – about a battle fought 9 August 1388
25	Bewick and the Graeme, the	Transcribed by Sir Walter Scott		taken from the "Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border" possibly 16th century
29	comment on			"The Bewick and the Graeme" and chivalry
31	Brave Earl Brand and the King of England's Daughter – (The)
33	comment on			The close relationship between the last song and many others
34	Hughie the Graeme	Graeme Clan
35	short bio	Joseph Ritson
36	short bio	Graeme Clan
37	Jock o' the Syde			first published 1784 in the Hawick Museum, a provincial miscellany, by John Elliott, Esq., of Reidheugh
41	short bio	Jock o' the Syde		maybe a nephew of the Laird of Mangerton,
42	Death of Parcy Reed – (The)
46	short bio	Parcy Reed
48	Outlandish Knight – (The)
50	short bio	Outlanders		someone from the Outlands or Debatable Lands
51	Fair Flower of Northumberland – (The)	Thomas Deloney or T.D.		The English version – there is a Scottish version by Kinlock
55	short bio	Thomas Deloney or T.D.		alias the "ballading silk weaver" who died c1600
55	short bio	Kinlock,		A Scottish version of "Fair Flower of Northumberland"
56	Laidley Worm (The) (of Spindleston Heugh)	(this version by Robert Lamb, Vicar of Norham)	from an old MSS
60	short bio	Reverend Robert Lambe		Vicar of Norham
60	comment on			The Worm O Spindleston Heugh
61	Binnorie, or, the Cruel Sister,			first published as broadsheet by Mr. Rimbault c 1656.
63	a mention of	Mr. Rimbault printer
63	comment on			history of Binnorie
64	Lord Beichan
69	comment on			versions of "Lord Beichan"
71	Derwentwater's Farewell
72	short bio	James Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Derwentwater
73	comment on			Derwentwater's Farewell
74	Derwentwater
75	comment on			Derwentwater
76	Lay the Bent to the Bonny Broom
78	comment on			simple melodies
79	Whittingham Fair
81	Blow the Winds, I-ho
82	Keach I' the Creel – (The)
84	O I hae seen the Roses blaw
86	O the Oak and the Ash and the Bonny Ivy Tree		Goddesses *	* The tune is in Sir James Hawkins' "The Dancing Muster," 1650, under this title
87	comment on			history of song "Oak Ash and Bonny Ivy
88	Bonny at Morn
89	Water of Tyne (The)
90	Willow Tree or Rue ard Thyme – (The)	attributed to Mrs Francis Habergham, of Habergham, Lancashire (died 1703)		according to William Chappell
90	Rue ard Thyme – (The)	attributed to Mrs Francis Habergham, of Habergham, Lancashire (died 1703)		Alternative title of "Willow Tree"
91	short bio	William Chappell
91	comment on			history of "The Willow Tree"
92	Sair Fail'd, Hinney			Actually titled "Sair Fyel'd, Hinny" in the book
93	I Drew my Ship into a Harbour
94	Miller and His Sons – (The)
95	comment on			The Miller in poetry and satire
96	Shoemaker – (The)
97	My Love is Newly Listed			no lyrics – music only – first published when Thomas Doubleday placed it in "Blackwood Magazine" 1821
97	a mention of	Thomas Doubleday
97	comment on			history of My Love is newly listed
98	Broom, Green Broom
100	O the Bonny Fisher Lad
102	Hexhamshire Lass – (The)
104	Mode o' Wooing – (The)
107	Northumberland Bagpipes – (The)
108	a mention of	William Chappell
108	comment on			pipes
109	Durham Old Women
110	Aboot the Bush, Willy
111	Christmas Day in the Morning	Traditional Carol
112	Elsie Marley	Elsie Marley	to its own tune	An Alewife at Pictree, near Chester-le-Street
113	short bio	Elsie (or Alice) Marley		first published by Joseph Ritson in "Bishopric Garland" 1784
113	comment on			short history on "Elsie Marley"
115	Bobby Shaftoe	Traditional
116	Up the Raw
117	Dol Li A
118	Broom Buzzems – (or Buy Broom Busoms)
119	short bio	William Purvis
120	A You A, Hinny Burd			named as "A U Hinny Burd" in this book
121	Ca' Hawkie through the watter			The title given is "Water" in this book
122	Anti-Gallican Privateer (The)
123	comment on			The ship, first to sail fitted and manned from Newcastle
124	Adam Buckham, O!
125	Captain Bover
125	short bio	Thomas Doubleday
125	short bio	Captain Bover
126	Here's the Tender coming
127	Liberty for the Sailors	John Stobbs		a Shields song for the days of the Press-gang	Tune-Br
128	Sailors are a' at the Bar (The)			Actually titled "The Sailors are all at the Bar" in book
128	a mention of	John Bell
128	Lad wi' the Trousers on
129	Twelve Days of Christmas – (The)
129	comment on			history of "Twelve Days of Christmas"
132	Ma' Canny Hinny			Actually titled "Maw Canny Hinny" in this book
134	Robin Spraggon's Auld Grey Mare			transcribed by Mr Fairless
135	comment on			days gone by
136	short bio	Mr. Fairless of Hexham
137	Sword Dancers' Song – (The)			no lyrics – music only
137	Kitty Bo-bo,			no lyrics – music only
138	(Weel May) The Keel Row	Traditional
139	comment on			history of "The Keel Row"
140	Northern Minstrel's Budget – (The)	Henry Robson
143	short bio	Henry Robson
144	blank
145	Part II – Small pipe tunes
	the following tunes are music only except where a comment to the contrary is given.
145	Chevy Chase – (pipe tune)		Chevy Chase
145	Coquetside		Coquetside
146	Wylam Away		Wylam Away	referred to as "Gingling Geordie" in an old ms of 1694
146	Cockle Geordie		Cockle Geordie
147	I saw My Love passing by Me		I saw My Love passing by Me	two lines of lyrics discovered
147	Jockey lay up in the Hay Loft		Jockey lay up in the Hay Loft
148	Pelton Lonnin'		Pelton Lonnin'	two verses also located, Title actually given as "Felton" but verses say "Pelton"
148	Kye's Come Home (The)		Pelton Lonnin'	two verses also located
148	a mention of	Cuthbert Sharp		given as "Pelton Lonin" in "Bishoprick Garland"
149	Stay a Wee Bit, Bonnie Lad		Stay a Wee Bit, Bonnie Lad
149	Broken-legged Chicken – (The)		The Broken-legged Chicken
150	Bonny Pit Laddie – (The)		Bonny Pit Laddie	two verses given
150	Bonny Keel Laddie – (The)		Bonny Pit Laddie	three verses given
151	Dorrington Lads		Dorrington Lads
151	Blackett o' Wylam		Blacket o' Wylam	erroneously spelt "Blacket" in this book
152	Peacock followed the hen (The)	William Midford	The Peacock followed the Hen	two verses given	Tune-Cr
152	history of tune			"The Peacock followed the Hen"
152	Meggy's Foot		Meggy's Foot
154	Because he was a Bonny Lad		Because he was a Bonny Lad	one chorus given
154	Fair Maid of Whickham – (The)		Fair Maid of Whickham – (The)
155	My Dearie Sits Ower Late Up – or My Bonnie Bay Mare and I		My Dearie Sits Ower Late Up	four verses given
155	history of tune			"My Dearie Sits Ower Late Up"
156	Newburn Lads		Newburn Lads	also known as "The Braw Lads o' Jethart"
156	a mention of	Thomas Doubleday
156	Cut and Dry Dolly		Cut and Dry Dolly
157	I'll have Her in Spite of Her Minnie		I'll have Her in Spite of Her Minnie
157	Lads of AInwick – (The)		The Lads of AInwick
158	Sir John Fenwick's the Flower amang them		Sir John Fenwick's the Flower amang them	"Sir John Fenwick's the Flower amang them"
158	history of tune
159	Sir John Fenwick's the Flower amang them (newer lyrics)		Sir John Fenwick's the Flower amang them	one chorus given
159	Cuddie Clauder		Cuddie Clauder
160	All the Night I lay awake		All the Night I lay awake
160	Ail Hands upon Deck		Ail Hands upon Deck
161	Noble Squire Dacre		Noble Squire Dacre
161	short bio	The Dacre Family
162	Go to Berwick, Johnnie		Go to Berwick, Johnnie
162	Parks o' Yester – (The)		Parks o' Yester – (The)
163	Wedding o' Blyth – (The) – or Blue's gaen oot o' the Fashion		Wedding o' Blyth
163	Blue's gaen oot o' the Fashion		Wedding o' Blyth	Alternative title of "The Wedding o' Blyth"
163	a mention of	Thomas Doubleday		transcribed the tune "Wedding o' Blyth" with one verse
163	Lousy Cutter – (The)		Wedding o' Blyth	two verses given
164	Black Cock of Whickham – (The)		The Black Cock of Whickham
164	Coffee and Tea – or Jamie Allen's Fancy		Coffee and Tea
164	Jamie Allen's Fancy			Alternative title of "Coffee and Tea"
164	Jamie Allen's Fancy		Coffee and Tea	alternative name vof "Coffee and Tea"
165	Keelman Ower Land – (The)		The Keelman Ower Land
165	Small Coals an' Little Money		Small Coals an' Little Money
166	Shew's the Way to Wallington		Shew's the Way to Wallington
166	Shew's the Way to Wallington	Mr Anderson, a miller at Wallington	Shew's the Way to Wallington	5 verses given
167	short bio	Mr Anderson, a miller at Wallington
167	Jockey stays lang at the Fair		Jockey stays lang at the Fair
168	Stagshaw Bank Fair		Stagshaw Bank Fair
168	We'll all away to Sunniside		We'll all away to Sunniside
169	Miller's Wife o' Blaydon – (The)		The Miller's Wife o' Blaydon	three verses given
170	Holey Halfpenny – (The)		The Holey Halfpenny
170	Hoop Her and Gird Her		Hoop Her and Gird Her
171	Fenwick o' Bywell		Fenwick o' Bywell	also known as "Newmarket Races" and "Galloping ower the Cow Hill" and similar to Irish air "Garryowen"
171	history of tune			Fenwick o' Bywell
172	Drucken Moll Knox		Drucken Moll Knox
172	Lass and the Money is all my own – (The)		The Lass and the Money is all my own
173	Canny Hobbie Elliot			or Canny Hobby Elliott
173	comment on	Thomas Doubleday
173	comment on	John Bell		named as "Hobby Elliott"
173	Peacock's March	John Peacock	Peacock's March
174	Peacock's Tune	John Peacock	Peacock's Tune
174	short bio	John Peacock
175	Peacock's Fancy	John Peacock	Peacock's Fancy
175	Footie	John Peacock	Peacock's Fancy	a mention only
175	Pipers' Maggot or Fancy		Pipers' Maggot or Fancy
176	Green Brechans o' Branton		Green Brechans o' Branton
176	Jackey Layton		Jackey Layton
177	Till the Tide comes in		Till the Tide comes in
177	short bio	Cuthbert Sharp
177	Till the Tide comes in	Henry Robson	Till the Tide comes in
177	Lamshaw's Fancy		Lamshaw's Fancy
178	Morpeth Lasses		Morpeth Lasses
178	Major – (The)		The Major
179	Andrew Carr		Andrew Carr	two verses given
179	Follow Her over the Border		Follow Her over the Border
180	Little Fishie		Little Fishie
180	Leazes Hopping		Leazes Hopping
181	Cooper o' Stannerton Heugh – (The)		The Cooper o' Stannerton Heugh
181	Mile to Ride – (A)		A Mile to Ride	also known as Stannerton (or Stamfordham) Hopping, Stanhope, Weardale and The Fleet's a coming
181	Stannerton (or Stamfordham) Hopping		A Mile to Ride	alternative name of "A Mile to Ride"
181	Stanhope		A Mile to Ride	alternative name of "A Mile to Ride"
181	Weardale		A Mile to Ride	alternative name of "A Mile to Ride"
181	Fleet's a coming – (The)		A Mile to Ride	alternative name of "A Mile to Ride"
182	Sandhill Corner		Sandhill Corner
182	Lang stay'd away		Lang stay'd away
183	Blaw the Wind southerly		Blaw the Wind southerly	one verse given – usually spelt as "Blow the Wind Southerly"
183	comment on	Cuthbert Sharp
183	history of tune			Blaw the Wind southerly
183	Cuckold come out o' the Amrey		Cuckold come out o' the Amrey
184	Ower the Border		Ower the Border
184	Sunderland Lasses		Sunderland Lasses
185	New Highland Laddie		New Highland Laddie
186	Little wot ye wha's coming		Little wot ye wha's coming
186	history of tune
186	Little wot ye wha's coming		Little wot ye wha's coming	a mention of Scottish version listing clans
186	Little wot ye wha's coming		Little wot ye wha's coming	a mention of English version with two lines preserved
187	Fairly shot of Her
188	Black and the Grey – (The)		Black and the Grey – (The)
189	Rantin' Roarin' Willie – or Mitford Galloway – (The)		Rantin' Roarin' Willie – or Mitford Galloway – (The)
189	Mitford Galloway (The)			alternative name of "Rantin' Roarin' Willie"
189	history of tune
189	Mitford Galloway (The)	Thomas Whittle	Rantin' Roarin' Willie – or Mitford Galloway – (The)
189	short bio	Thomas Whittle
190	Hen's March – (The)
191	Blanchland Races
191	FINIS
193	Index

Notes

• Tune-Br -The tune is not given in the book – but it has been added as attributed in Brockie's The Shields Garland
• Tune-Cr -The tune is not given in the book – but it has been added as attributed in Joseph Crawhall's A Beuk o' Newcassel Sangs, 1888

See also

• Allan's Illustrated Edition of Tyneside Songs and Readings
• A Beuk o’ Newcassell Sangs Collected by Joseph Crawhall 1888
• Rhymes of Northern Bards
• Music of Northumbria

External links

• Northumbrian Minstrelsy