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Origins: Will Joblin / William Jobling (died 1832)

Joe Offer 12 Oct 18 - 12:14 AM
Joe Offer 28 Sep 18 - 04:18 PM
GUEST, Chris Tearney 28 Sep 18 - 03:33 PM
GUEST,Andy's Ex 18 Jan 12 - 05:04 PM
GUEST,Liverpool Phil 20 Sep 11 - 07:23 PM
GUEST,Steve Evans 06 Jul 11 - 05:37 AM
GUEST,Guest 06 Dec 10 - 07:45 PM
GUEST 13 Feb 10 - 05:39 PM
GUEST,Paul Hudson 13 Feb 10 - 03:32 PM
nickp 06 Feb 10 - 11:45 AM
Dave Sutherland 04 Feb 10 - 05:17 PM
GUEST,Nikkiwi 04 Feb 10 - 04:44 PM
GUEST,Nikkiwi 15 Jul 08 - 09:46 PM
nickp 15 Jul 08 - 05:02 AM
GUEST,Betsy at Work 15 Jul 08 - 04:24 AM
Snuffy 15 Jul 08 - 04:14 AM
nickp 14 Jul 08 - 01:41 PM
nickp 14 Jul 08 - 06:17 AM
GUEST,Nikkiwi 14 Jul 08 - 06:00 AM
Betsy 13 Jul 08 - 06:58 AM
GUEST,Nikkiwi 13 Jul 08 - 05:36 AM
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Subject: RE: Origins: Will Joblin
From: Joe Offer
Date: 12 Oct 18 - 12:14 AM

There's sound samples and information at http://steve-thompson.org.uk/jobling/ about a musical titled:
    JOBLING
    A Musical: Book and Lyrics: Tom Kelly, Music: Steve Thompson

    JOBLING is based on events surrounding the gibbeting of William Jobling, Jarrow Pitman and the last man gibbeted in the north in 1832. Jobling was tried and hung at Durham, then gibbeted on Jarrow Slake for his part in the murder of South Shields magistrate Nicholas Fairles.

    The action moves between 1831 and 1832 in the north-east and London: from the 1831 Binding Strike, a year after the birth of the Northern Union of Pitmen, led by Tommy Hepburn, to the gibbeting of Jobling in August 1832.

Recording by Alan Burke: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9v-IMBUdHX4

Performance by The Rachel Hamer Band: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gs0w55Cwljc


Here's a different song about Jobling, "William Jobling" by Ushna" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQYySHZ6UEk


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Subject: RE: Origins: Will Joblin
From: Joe Offer
Date: 28 Sep 18 - 04:18 PM

No listing for this song in either the Digital Tradition or the Traditional Ballad Index. At this time, Roud has only one entry:
    An Account of the Gibbeting of William Jobling At Yarrow Slake
    First Line After the body of Jobling had hung on the drop... [Prose]
    Roud No V29433 [Search for V29433 in the current indexes]
    Source Vicinus, Ballads of the Industrial North pp.40-41
    Printed : Street literature : Broadside facsimile


I bought the Martha Vicinus book, and it arrived today. I was disappointed to find that it's a newspaper clipping, not a song. Here's the text:
    An Account of the Gibbeting of William Jobling At Yarrow Slake
    On Monday August 6th, 1832, pursuant to his sentence, for the murder of Nicholas Farles, Esq., resident Magistrate of South Shields with a correct Representation of the Gibbet.

    After the body of Jobling had hung on the drop at Durham for an hour, it was taken down, the clothes were stripped off, but no incision made, it was covered over with pitch, and the cloths in which he was hanged were then replaced.
    On Monday morning, at 7 o'clock, the body was brought in a four-wheeled wagon, drawn by two horses, from Durham, escorted by a troop of the 8th hussars, and two companies of the 18th regiment of Infantry, Mr. Griffiths; the under-sheriff Mr. Frushard, the gaoler, officers of the gaol, &c. &c.
    They proceeded by way of Chester-le-street, Pictree, Sludge Row, Portobello, over the Black Fell, to White Mare Pool, and thence, by the South Shields turnpike road, to Jarrow Slake, where they arrived at half-past one o'clock. The spectators were not numerous perhaps 1000 in number, and not many pitment amongst them; arising, probably, from a meeting ??? held by them that day on Bowden Fell.
    [portion missing - corner torn off]
    ......thighs, the bowels, the breast, and the shoulders; the hands were hung by the side and covered with pitch; the face was pitched and covered with a piece of white cloth. Being laid on a hand barrow, the body was fixed nearly opposite the spot where the murder was committed, and about 60 yards from high water mark.
    The gibbet is formed of a square piece of oak, 21 feet long, and about three feet in diameter, with strong bars of iron up each side. It is fixed in a stone 1-1/2 (?) ton weight, which is sunk in the Slake. At high water there will be 16 or 17 feet of the gibbet visible.
    The body was then hoisted up and secured, and left as a warning for the futer (sic), and a memento of the past.
    There will be a Military guard on the spot for a fortnight.
    The procession passed on its route without the least interruption; and on the spot, every thing was quiet and orderly. One solitary voice only, as thye carried the body from the waggon to the gibbet, shouted out "Take the police with him, over the water."

    The following Handbill was distributed in Shields and the neighborhood:
      NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC. - In the act of Parliament ordering the dead Bodies of Murderers to be hung in Chains, there is a Clause inflicting the punishment of Transportation for seven Years, upon all who may be guilty of stealing the Body from the Gibbet.


And here's a chilling description of Jobling's punishment: http://blog.twmuseums.org.uk/a-grim-death-for-a-most-heinous-crime%E2%80%A6/


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Subject: RE: Origins: Will Joblin
From: GUEST, Chris Tearney
Date: 28 Sep 18 - 03:33 PM

I remember hearing Andy sing this at the Boilermakers Folk Club in Gateshead and then winning a song writing competition with it at the Guildhall, Newcastle in about 1973. Prizes presented by no other than Vin Garbutt!


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Subject: RE: Origins: Will Joblin
From: GUEST,Andy's Ex
Date: 18 Jan 12 - 05:04 PM

Yes , it was Andy wot did it.
He was still getting the odd royalty cheque when we were married.
He is involved in Music, in Scaborough. He is an excellent folk guitarist


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Subject: RE: Origins: Will Joblin
From: GUEST,Liverpool Phil
Date: 20 Sep 11 - 07:23 PM

I heard a cracking new arrangement of this by Alan Burke at Hope Street Feast in Liverpool on Sunday last, dedicated to the four miners killed at Pontardawe last week. I also recall him singing another version with the band Afterhours around 1984/5 onwards - they may have recorded it on their first (hard to find) CD.


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Subject: RE: Origins: Will Joblin
From: GUEST,Steve Evans
Date: 06 Jul 11 - 05:37 AM

Song was written by Andy Dutfield who was a member of Crooked Oak with myself I am now living / working in Port Harcourt Nigeria


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Subject: RE: Origins: Will Joblin
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 06 Dec 10 - 07:45 PM

would anyone have guitar tab / chords for this song


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Subject: RE: Origins: Will Joblin
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Feb 10 - 05:39 PM

I learnt this song from the Album by Crooked Oak I think it was called at the foot of wor stairs. i have been singing it for a number of years. There is now a statute erected to commemorate Will Jobling at JARROW. my version is from the singing of Steve Evans


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Subject: RE: Origins: Will Joblin
From: GUEST,Paul Hudson
Date: 13 Feb 10 - 03:32 PM

In 2001 a young English composer called Will Todd wrote a two act opera (libretist Ben Dunwell) called The Blackened Man. This opera is based on the story of Will Jobling. You will see by visiting Todd's website that the opera has been a great success and may be performed again next February in Durham, art grants permitting. I would imagine the libretist would have done an immense amount of research on Jobling and would maybe know as much about him as anyone. Hope this helps!


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Subject: RE: Origins: Will Joblin
From: nickp
Date: 06 Feb 10 - 11:45 AM

I have been in touch with Alan Green who was a member of Crooked Oak at the time. He believes Steve Evans is now in South Africa.


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Subject: RE: Origins: Will Joblin
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 04 Feb 10 - 05:17 PM

Andy Dutfield and Steve Evans were certainly members of Crooked Oak however I don't have that album to confirm the song. Before I left the North East in 1978 I do believe that they were involved in the Jopling project which was based in a Jarrow Arts Centre.


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Subject: RE: Origins: Will Joblin
From: GUEST,Nikkiwi
Date: 04 Feb 10 - 04:44 PM

Sorry for the necropost.... I have done a bit of googling around, and have found that a song by the same name attributed to Dutfield/Evans, was recorded by the band "Crooked Oak" on their 1979 album "Foot O'Wor Stairs"

Is anyone out there able to check/confirm if it is the same song?

Thanks for any assistance

Cheers


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Subject: RE: Origins: Will Joblin
From: GUEST,Nikkiwi
Date: 15 Jul 08 - 09:46 PM

Thanks for all the responses (and the other set of lyrics)...:)

Its fascinating seeing the "folk process" in action with respect to the two sets of lyrics, and how one version has morphed into the other over time and distance. I agree that Glamorgan is most likely correct (and is what I sing myself), but not being familiar with the Durham locality, I didn't know if there were such a place as Glen Morgan, so stuck with my friends lyrics for the post.

Nick...I hope you can find your recording of this song as it would great to hear how its been performed by others (esp. the original artists!!!)

Thank you all again for your input

Cheers

Nikkiwi


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Subject: RE: Origins: Will Joblin
From: nickp
Date: 15 Jul 08 - 05:02 AM

Yes... I was a bit concerned about some of that intro but it was the transcription of what I believe I heard on the tape so I'm only too happy to be corrected.

Having spent several hours last night going through more cassettes than any sane man should admit to owning (!) I can only find Andy & Mike performing different songs. A shame because I had hoped to post an mp3.

That must mean that the above from my notebook is likely to have been re-transcribed from some other piece of paper (in a 'grand tidying up') that would have been written up in the 70's from a tape that no longer exists. Consequently twice as much chance for error. It won't have been written up from memory so I'll keep looking for the tape but don't hold your breath.

Fun this, isn't it... Nick

Oh, and there's an Andy Dutfield in the Scarborough area who is involved in generally folky type music. I'm guessing he's the same one - maybe there's a Yorkshire-based Catter who knows.


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Subject: RE: Origins: Will Joblin
From: GUEST,Betsy at Work
Date: 15 Jul 08 - 04:24 AM

Couple of details from that site which I couldn't blue clicky and may help to fill in details of the song.

Gibbeting is when someone is hung and then their body is placed on display in a hanging steel cage.

Miner William Jobling who was gibbeted at Jarrow Slake in 1832.
(Near Newcastle)

He was the last man to be punished in this way in England but it is believed he may have been innocent.

He was gibbeted after being tried at Durham Assizes and found guilty of killing a local magistrate.

It was later discovered that he might have been innocent and that it was his friend who allegedly killed the magistrate.

Gibbeting is when someone is hung and then their body is placed on display in a hanging steel cage.

Jobling's corpse was removed from the gibbet after three weeks. His friends are said to have stolen his body and its whereabouts are still unknown.


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Subject: RE: Origins: Will Joblin
From: Snuffy
Date: 15 Jul 08 - 04:14 AM

Jobling was hanged, but not drawn and quartered: he was the last man to be gibbeted. And it was 1832, not 1930.


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Subject: ADD: Will Jobling
From: nickp
Date: 14 Jul 08 - 01:41 PM

WILL JOBLING
(which I credited in my note book to Andy Dutfield but that is only in my opinion. If I can find my old recording of it I'll check for any corrections. This is what came from my tape, transcribed about 15 years ago.)

Will Jobling was a miner, he lived in Jarrow town
And every day he worked so hard to take his pay pack home
But conditions working underground were worse than being in hell
So Jobling and his workmates they rallied to the bell

CHORUS
Ally ee ally ay ally oo ally ay
Help the miners' union and clear Will Jobling's name

Now Will Jobling's kids grew hungry, his pay they did forsake
While the owners smiled unto themselves that soon the strike would break
And the name of the miners' union was sneered at all the time
Right from down in Glamorgan up to the river Tyne

Now Jobling was the leader of a new and dangerous scheme
To free the mines from tyranny, it was his only dream
The owners they were worried, their profits to keep high
They reckoned the first chance they got Will Jobling he should die

On a rainy night in Jarrow, while out walking with a friend
They met Judge Fairliss from South Shields and asked a pound to lend
But Fairliss he just laughed, he made to pass them by
When Jobling's friend attacked him and they left him there to die

To the local Quarter Sessions Will Jobling had to go
For the murder of Judge Fairliss, though he had struck no blow
And the judge's voice was "Guilty", the judge's voice was heard
"You'll be hung, drawn and quartered, lad, that's my final word"

On a cold and rainy morning, his body hung in chains
Will Jobling died in agony all for the owners' gains
His body in a metal cage was buried there close by
As a martyr for the unions his name will never die.


And I also transcribed the introduction that they gave which was:

"Will Jobling was a miner in Jarrow around 1930 (1830) and was one of the first miners to be an active unionist. The pit owners at the time were really annoyed about this because their profits were being really cut into by strikes. On the first major strike, Will Jobling and his friend had been out of work for a long time, he and some friends were out walking and met Judge Fairliss from South Shields. The judge being a bit of a 'nob', they asked him for the loan of a pound. The judge said "No" and Jobling's friend attacked him and he died as a result of his injuries. Will Jobling was caught and his friend wasn't and the outcome really was that Will Jobling was the last man in England to be hung, drawn and quartered at Jarrow"

Recording by Alan Burke: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9v-IMBUdHX4

Performance by The Rachel Hamer Band: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gs0w55Cwljc


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Subject: RE: Origins: Will Joblin
From: nickp
Date: 14 Jul 08 - 06:17 AM

It may have been written by Mike Brewer and/or Andy Dutfield who were at Bede College, Durham (n.e. UK for the non UK based) from (roughly) 1970-74. I was there from 72 to 75 and they were certainly performing it circa 72. Whether they wrote it I couldn't be sure but they did some 'own material'. Somewhere I have a recording of it.

I think its Glamorgan not Glen Morgan. From a very long ago listening i think the lyrics are pretty close. I'll try and find it.

Mike Brewer was (I believe) sadly killed in a car crash but I think Andy Dutfield is still around although I have no idea ifhe is involved in music.

They also did an excellent (re-write?) version of Long Lankin.

Nick


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Subject: RE: Origins: Will Joblin
From: GUEST,Nikkiwi
Date: 14 Jul 08 - 06:00 AM

Thank you very much Betsy! It's amazing just how much difference one letter makes....

Next question: Does anyone know who wrote the song I posted?

cheers

Nikkiwi


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Subject: RE: Origins: Will Joblin
From: Betsy
Date: 13 Jul 08 - 06:58 AM

Hi Nikki ,
there's plenty of info around but you need to put a "g" on the end of his name - Jobling .

Try this ......(I CAN'T DO THE BLUE CLICKY )

http://www.bbc.co.uk/tyne/content/articles/2008/06/19/heritage_lottery_feature.shtml


Cheers Betsy


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Subject: Origins: Will Joblin
From: GUEST,Nikkiwi
Date: 13 Jul 08 - 05:36 AM

Hi all the experts out there,

I was introduced to this song by a friend of mine, and have tried to find out more about it, with little success (a google search brings no joy, and my friend's only comment was that she learnt it from her brother in the UK). I have included the lyrics below, in the hope that someone out there can enlighten me further.

Thanks in advance

Nikkiwi
^^
WILL JOBLIN
(unknown)

Will Joblin was a miner and he lived in Durham town
And every day he worked so hard to bring his pay back home
Now conditions working underground were worse than bloody hell
Will Joblin and his workmates did rally through the town

Ch.

Arlihoo arlihay, arlihoo arlihay
Won't you help the miners union to clear Will Joblin's name

Will Jobin's kid's grew hungry, and their needs he had to meet
The owners swore unto themselves that soon this strike they'd beat
And the name of the miners union lay dormant all the time
From right down in Glen Morgan, up to the river of Tyne

Ch.

On warm and sunny evening, while out walking with a friend
He met George Burrow from South Shields and he asked a pound to lend
George burrow he did laugh, and made to pass them by
Will Joblin's friend attacked the man and left him there to die

Ch.

To the Durham court and session Will Joblin had to go
For the murder of George Burrow, though he had struck no blow
And the judge's voice said "guilty" and the judges voice was heard
"you'll be strung up high and gibbeted lad, and that's my final word"

Ch.

On a cold and frosty morning, his body hung in chains
Will Joblin died in agony, all for the miner's games
His body in a metal cage was buried there close by
As a martyr for the union, his name will never die

ch. to fin


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