Origins: evidence tommy armstong in music halls

Subject: Origins: evidence tommy armstong in music halls
From: *#1 PEASANT*
Date: 24 Feb 20 - 09:20 AM

we know that tommy was not the best singer but he was a comic
some of his tunes came from music hall

did he perform?

he was known for his "concert" which may have been traveling acts
thanks

cb

Subject: RE: Origins: evidence tommy armstong in music halls
From: cnd
Date: 24 Feb 20 - 05:58 PM

I looked through online copies of the local newspapers but didn't turn up a ton of useful information.

From Music and social class in Victorian London, I found this:

"These urban ballads, however, were not for a community market; because of London's size and the desire to sell widely there was no personalizing of events as in, for example, the songs written by Tommy Armstrong for his Durham coal-mining community. When Armstrong sang `The Trimdon Grange Explosion' in the local Mechanics' Hall in 1882, he could refer to Mrs Burnett and her dead sons Joseph, George and James, as characters his listeners actually knew"


I also found this, from The Voice of the People: The Social Meaning and Context of Country Song. It doesn't directly answer the question but strongly implies that generally it was not performed in music halls.

"The singing of songs to express feelings or beliefs shades out at one end into entertainment and at the other into ritual. Central to this group however, is a class of song, usually sung by individuals, rather than massed groups, which may be called 'songs of complaint' and which are found in both industrial and rural areas. These songs were usually sung in a context of 'entertainment', that is in the home or pubs, at the workplace etc., but their content, which is explicitly political or social, marks them as songs which, by and large, would be sung to express definite feelings. To this group belong the mining songs, or many of them, which the second folk revival has made familiar. Many of these, especially those written by the Durham pitman Tommy Armstrong, were sung in the streets and sold as broadsides to raise money after a disaster or during a strike."

Not exactly musical in nature but there was a Tommy Armstrong who was known to perform with the Royal Earsdon Sword Dancers (link). Not sure if it's the same one or not but it's a performance.



One comment to make: you have been making a few different threads about Mr. Armstrong. Have you considered consulting local libraries or other online resources? newspapers.com is a great resource if you know what you're looking for - it wasn't extremely useful for me just because I know very little about the man, but if you make an account there you have access to thousands of period texts. Some local libraries give you access to that website. A second good place to look is jstor.

Subject: RE: Origins: evidence tommy armstong in music halls
From: *#1 PEASANT*
Date: 25 Feb 20 - 03:51 PM

thanks for the citations-

aL Lloyd referred to him in two books
I am revisiting a book I published a while back
web page is
cbladey.com
check the publications section
CB

Subject: RE: Origins: evidence tommy armstong in music halls
From: cnd
Date: 26 Feb 20 - 12:36 PM

Always glad to help. If you come across anything else, make sure to share.

Using the newspapers.com site there were several references in the 1880s-1910s of a "T. W. Armstrong" singing in England, some of which were in the London area, but I was unable to figure out what Tommy's middle name was.

I don't recall the exact details, but I do remember one being singing for a Christmas service. If that sounds right I could look into that further for you.

Subject: RE: Origins: evidence tommy armstong in music halls
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 26 Feb 20 - 03:03 PM

Tommy Armstrong was named Thomas Armstrong.

He was born in Shotley Bridge and spent his life as a miner around Tanfield - with a brief spell in Whitley Bay as a newsagent. He was married at Gateshead Register Office - on Christmas Day, 1869.