Ruth Archer, I am sure you have the common sense to realise that any form of public display of music and dance will reflect the fashionable music of the time. This is why we today have "pop stars" attempting to act in pantomime and the modern, American influenced, baton-twirling majorettes in local carnivals.
Minstrel songs were popular in the 1920's and '30s - see any music book of that time for proof. I have two "News Chronicle" song books, both of which contain Negro Spirituals and Plantation Songs (quoting from the titles). A date in one is 1932 and I know the book wsa second-hand then, because it belonged to my late Father-in-Law.
So, of course, songs of years ago were likely to have been the "pop somgs" of their day, in the same way as some of our folk songs were of their time.
As time moves on, so those pop songs become old-fashioned and are no longer used.
So it is with Padstow Darkie Days.
Please stop trying to change history. Just accept that things have moved on and enjoy that which is current, in the same way as you today enjoy a particular band who, tomorrow, yu will not even look at!
Colyn.