Bullock Smithy - UK group

Subject: Bullock Smithy
From: Gin Crewe
Date: 11 Apr 04 - 03:45 PM

I am STILL searching for the writer of "All Honour To The Longbow" and someone at Poynton Festival (thankyou, whoever you are!) suggested that a group called Bullock Smithy recorded it. I can find no mention of the group though I do remember seeing the name, way back in the mists of time- anyone know anything?

Subject: RE: Bullock Smithy
From: Gin Crewe
Date: 12 Apr 04 - 02:31 PM

Not ANYBODY?

Subject: RE: Bullock Smithy
From: John J
Date: 13 Apr 04 - 08:18 AM

Me.

The late Stan Gee was a prime mover of Bullock Smithy (which is the old name for Hazel Grove in Stockport. It's also the name given to a 58 mile walk in the Peak District each September organised by Hazel Grove Scouts).

There are still a couple of members of Bullock Smithy around, the best man to contact is Arthur Ball who now lives around Mossley, near Ashton-under-Lyne. I'm not sure if Arthur performed with Bullock Smithy, but he certainly played, sang & drank with Stan very frequently.

I'll see If I can dig out some contact info for you.

Cheers,

John

Subject: RE: Bullock Smithy
From: GUEST,pete bristow
Date: 29 Apr 11 - 09:08 PM

if anyone knows of any recorded stuff by bullock smithy, i would be very interested. ty

Subject: RE: Bullock Smithy
From: GUEST,pete bristow
Date: 29 Apr 11 - 09:10 PM

oh yes ! my father was the mandolin player trevor cowdrey

Subject: RE: Bullock Smithy
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 30 Apr 11 - 06:49 AM

If Arthur Ball is still alive he will be around 86 - he was at school with my father. Yes, he was a member of Bullock Smithy, who were previously known as the Slipper Alley Sidewalk Stompers.

I've never heard of the song though.

Subject: RE: Bullock Smithy
From: John J
Date: 30 Apr 11 - 06:53 AM

Well bugger me! I remember Trevor and his Morris Traveller with fondness!

You can contact Ian (Arthur's son - who lives just across the road from Ian) via his website: http://www.iballmagic.co.uk/

I'm sure they'll be able to help you.

JJ

Subject: RE: Bullock Smithy
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 30 Apr 11 - 06:58 AM

I bet Chris Cole knows things - search for him on facebook

L in C#

Subject: RE: Bullock Smithy
From: Peter C
Date: 01 May 11 - 06:37 AM

My wife (Astrid Little) was a groupie of Bullock Smithy way back in Stockport! She tells me they were mostly members of the Derbyshire Cave Rescue Team

Subject: RE: Bullock Smithy
From: GUEST,Peter C
Date: 03 May 11 - 11:38 AM

My wife reminds me they had a girl singer,and a bass player called Ged (or Jed) One of their big numbers was 'Geordie'
Peter C

Subject: RE: Bullock Smithy
From: Ian Hendrie
Date: 03 May 11 - 11:47 AM

I'm a resident of Hazel Grove (formerly Bullock Smithy) and have a home recording of the 'Ballads of the North West' programme about lead mining. This programme featured Bullock Smithy of whom I have some recollections seeing them performing at Poynton Folk Club.
If you e-mail me Pete (you will need to sign up to Mudcat) I'll try to find the recording and get a copy to you.

Subject: RE: Bullock Smithy
From: GUEST,Jenny Bostock
Date: 04 Dec 11 - 03:07 PM

Hi Guys I am the former wife of Geoff Bostock (HeebyGeeby)I have set up a facebook page as a tribute to Bullock Smithy and Geoff and I are working on uploading photos and music to it to share.
To find the page type www.facebook.com/search into the address bar or Google and click on the website that appears.
Next type in Bullock Smithy Folk Group into the search box, click on the search icon and the page will appear. [or click here]
If you have photos, videos and fond memories it would be good to share them.
Best wishes
Jenny

Subject: RE: Bullock Smithy
From: Ian Hendrie
Date: 08 Feb 12 - 01:08 PM

An audio recording of The Great Lead Rush featuring Bullock Smithy has been uploaded to http://www.waterwaysongs.co.uk/Archive_Recordings/Great_Lead_Rush.mp3.

I have had this recording for many years but can no longer remember when it was recorded. As the end of the recording runs into an account of local folk festivals I am tempted to deduce that this is a recording of a radio programme rather than the TV series.

Subject: RE: Bullock Smithy
From: GUEST,999
Date: 08 Feb 12 - 01:14 PM

The site this is from said they got it from Mudcat.



All honour to the longbow, which merry men of yore,
With hand and heart and early morning greenwood forest bore


The tent is pitched, the target reared, the ground is measured out
For the weak arm, 60 paces, and a hundred for the stout.
Come gather ye together the youthful and the fair
And poets' praise, in distant days the victor shall declare.


Let busy creatures lay aside the needle and the thread,
To prick the golden centre with a pointed arrow head
Ye sportsmen quit the stubble, ye fishermen the stream.
In glory stand before the billy and eye the rowley gleam


Oh, famous is the archer's sport- twas honoured long ago
The god of wit, the god of love, bore both of them the bow
Love laughs today if youth desires with blushes in his cheek
And wit is heard in every word the merry archer speaks.


The archer's heart, though, like his bow, is a tough and sturdy thing.
Its pliance still annealing when affection pulls the string
And all his words and actions are like arrows, pointed well
To find the golden centre where true love and friendship dwell

Subject: RE: Bullock Smithy - UK group
From: Mark Dowding
Date: 08 Feb 12 - 03:20 PM

That's interesting Ian - The programme you've put online seems to have been part of a programme by Tony Capstick who had a folk show on BBC Radio Sheffield. There was certainly a TV programme in 1973 under the Ballad of the Northwest series. It's quite possible that Ken Campbell of the Pennine Folk rewrote it for a radio performance.
Ballad of the Northwest actually started as a radio programme with scripts written by Alan Bell and then transferred to TV. The first programme entitled Ballad of the Northwest was broadcast as part of the BBC Folk on Friday strand. More info Here

Cheers
Mark

Subject: RE: Bullock Smithy - UK group
From: Dulci-Ed
Date: 06 May 13 - 02:22 PM

I am trying to trace Alison Cowdrey or Pete Bristow, progeny of late Trevor Cowdrey of Bullock Smithy, Trevor was 'best man' at my marriage, obliged for any leads I can be contacted at [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Bullock Smithy - UK group
From: GUEST,Glynne Davies
Date: 22 May 13 - 08:03 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1yxvaqf2wU&feature=youtu.be

A recording of the Bullock Smithy Folk Group

Subject: RE: Bullock Smithy - UK group
From: GUEST,Ian Hendrie
Date: 23 May 13 - 02:28 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1yxvaqf2wU&feature=youtu.be

Subject: RE: Bullock Smithy - UK group/All Honour to the Lo
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Aug 13 - 04:11 PM

Just discovered an old version of the words I must have submitted. I amended some once the archery errors were pointed out to me. As a point of interest I have tracked the song down:
"Bowmeeting at Arley Hall‏" This song, known to us as "All Honour to the Longbow" is titled as above: Colonel Lee Egerton of Tatton wrote the words in 1861 and Jim Kelly of Bullock Smithy put the tune to it. It can be found, I am told, in "Songs and Ballads of Cheshire" We are indebted to Mr Steve Mills of Snelson, Macclesfield for this information.

So now we know! I thought that you would like to know, too.

Subject: RE: Bullock Smithy - UK group/All Honour to the Lo
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Aug 13 - 04:11 PM

Just discovered an old version of the words I must have submitted. I amended some once the archery errors were pointed out to me. As a point of interest I have tracked the song down:
"Bowmeeting at Arley Hall‏" This song, known to us as "All Honour to the Longbow" is titled as above: Colonel Lee Egerton of Tatton wrote the words in 1861 and Jim Kelly of Bullock Smithy put the tune to it. It can be found, I am told, in "Songs and Ballads of Cheshire" We are indebted to Mr Steve Mills of Snelson, Macclesfield for this information.

So now we know! I thought that you would like to know, too.