Johnny: I think I may be able to help. There is great advantage to living with a folkie scholar, and his library! When I asked if he could shed some light, he went to the shelf and immediately pulled down the Journal of the English Folk Dance Society from 1927 (how does he DO that?!). It contains an article written by Anne Gilchrist entitled "The Lancashire Rush-Cart and Morris-Dance". This is a transcript of the relevant bit:

"Dr Henry Brierly, a native of Rochdale, sends me the tune of a 'Coco-nut Dance' which accompanied the Rochdale rush-cart in the 'fifties [she is referring to the 1850s]. The dancers held half a coco-nut shell in each hand, a half-shell also being strapped to each knee, and clapped the shells rhythmically to this unvarying tune, played by the band. The dance was stationary, but according to his recollection the coco-nut dancers preceded the drawing-team of young men, 'prancing' in the procession. The tune has a general resemblance to Mr Cecil Sharp's traditional versions of 'Country Gardens' and 'Hunt the Squirrel'. I have seen no other record of this dance."

It goes on to transcribe the music and it does indeed start with the major part.




Mr S also wanted me to add as a postscript that the Britannia (Bacup) Nutters play two tunes for the nut dance, one of which is only played by the concertina players rather than the brass band. The concertinas don't actually play on the streets on Easter Saturday, but sometimes accompany them when they dance in the pubs.