Lyr Req: The Duchess of Kent (Graeme Miles)

Subject: Lyr Req: Procession it started at Ayresome
From: r.padgett
Date: 17 Apr 09 - 09:39 AM

"The procession it started at Ayresome past the parK and museum as well

Past Kirkham's fruit stall and the 'Boro town hall and into the Baltic Hotel"

Where all the Civic dignataries promptly got drunk!!
I heard this song regularly from Sid Chambers back in the 1970s

Any one a recording of this or know who wrote it!!

It is a Yorkshire song as it is about Middlesborough

Ray

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Procession it started at Ayresome
From: Cath
Date: 17 Apr 09 - 11:43 AM

Frank Toward used to sing it if I recollect but no one seems to be too sure where he is.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Procession it started at Ayresome
From: Dave Sutherland
Date: 17 Apr 09 - 12:33 PM

It is a Graeme Miles song, one of his best known I always thought.
The only recording that I am aware of was on the Teesside Fettlers' second album which came out around 1976.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE DUCHESS OF KENT (Graeme Miles)
From: bill\sables
Date: 17 Apr 09 - 01:31 PM

The Duchess Of Kent

The mayor and his click held a meeting, a proposal were put to the board
That a letter be sent to the Duchess of Kent to open a new hospital ward
The alderman had a collection to acquire the mayor's chain out of pawn
And a note was sent round to the heads of the town saying collars and ties must be worn

The flags and the bunting were flying and crowds lined the Middlesbrough streets
And the mayor and his band with their hats in their hand at the station the Duchess would meet
At the station they waited and waited but the Duchess she weren't on the train
Then somebody cried "She's at the dockside she's arrived on the Tees floating crane"

The procession it started at Ayrsome, past the park and museum as well
Passed Kirkham's fruit stall and the borough town hall and into the Baltic Hotel

Now the beer in the Baltic were heavy, the beer in the Baltic were strong
The Duchess went wild over a pint of brown mild and was singing The Match Factory song
The mayor he had twenty five bitters The Duchess she had twenty nine
Then she said "man I'm starved" so they downed one more half and went into St, Mary's to dine

The community kitchen was crowded There wasn't no room for no more
So the mayor and his group bought their black bread and soup and sat themselves down on the floor
The runner bean soup was delicious and the crab apple Melba a dream
The crust was well done to the very last crumb poured thick with evaporated cream

When they all walked out of the kitchen the crowd how it cheered and it yelled
The Duchess was first to go quench her thirst back into the Baltic Hotel
To the diesel the Duchess she staggered and when she had clambered aboard
The mayor he cried stop for he'd quite clean forgotten to mention the hospital ward.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Procession it started at Ayresome
From: GUEST,mick travis
Date: 11 Jun 11 - 06:35 PM

On a point of info: I used to sing this song back in the 60's. I got corrected by a 'Boro native for singing 'Kirkham's'. Apparently it's 'Kirkup's fruit stall'

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Procession it started at Ayresome
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Jun 11 - 06:42 PM

I got the song from Tommy Gilfellan when he was a student in Manchester circa '62. I later met another guy from the NorthEast (name escapes me), Ken or Keith something I think. He had a slightly different last two lines which I nabbed for my own version.
'The party went back to the station; and carried the Duchess aboard.
As they waved her away, said the Town Clark "Lads, eh, we've forgotten to open the ward".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Procession it started at Ayresome
From: GUEST,Guest - Betsy
Date: 11 Jun 11 - 08:15 PM

Definitely Kirkups fruit stall as Mick Travis wrote. Bill got everything correct except Ayresome (not an "i").
Middlebrough used to play at Ayresome Park.
St. Marys restaurant in the song was a little bit of poetic licence - it was a great and cheap place to eat - preferable to our own school's dining room and all the aggro. Happy days.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Duchess of Kent
From: GUEST,Dave Johnson
Date: 17 Jul 11 - 08:58 AM

Going back to the 60's I used to go to the folk nights at the "Stork and Castle" in Mbro and to the "Rifle" in Stockton.
Very Wonderful days, where have they gone?
They are kept alive a little as Mike Harding is my neighbour.
David

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Duchess of Kent (Graeme Miles)
From: Hoblander
Date: 21 Jul 11 - 12:40 PM

Hello The correct title for the song is "The Baltic Taverners' Song" and is included in Graeme's last songbook Forgotten Songs Remembered. The book is avaiable from me for £12.00 plus P&P. There are words and music to 67 songs therein.PM your details if you would like a copy.
As to the words to the Procession as we all know it, there are so many variations that Graeme himself has written, never mind the folk process and people's memories. The Teesside Fettlers have done a grand job , along with others, of keeping Graeme's songs in their repertoire for over 40 years.
And still his songs keep appearing, he has just dug out 5 or 6 that he wrote in the 50s and 60s about the Transporter Bridge in Middlesbrough and the River Tees.
Kevin

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Duchess of Kent (Graeme Miles)
From: GUEST,sheepplayer
Date: 08 Dec 11 - 07:56 AM

Recorded by Richard Grainger on 'Town-in-Time' CD (a great CD all about Middlesbrough & Teesside). Some copies were still available at the Whitby Festival stalls this year.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Duchess of Kent (Graeme Miles)
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 08 Dec 11 - 10:48 AM

Thanks, it's a clever song.

I'm going to be litry here and point out that the format of the verses posted above disguises the clever internal rhymes which make the song click along and which are also hard work and deserve attention.

Examples:
Then somebody cried
"She's at the dockside.
She's arrived on the Tees floating crane"

or

Then she said "man I'm starved"
so they downed one more half
and went into St, Mary's to dine

(use dialects to make 'starved' and 'half' almost rhyme.)


0r

The mayor he cried stop
for he'd quite clean forgot (not forgotten)
to mention the hospital ward.


Guest, I love your line:

As they waved her away,
said the Town Clark "Lads, eh,
we've forgotten to open the ward".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Duchess of Kent (Graeme Miles)
From: GUEST,Dave Kent
Date: 13 Jan 12 - 06:08 PM

The mayor and his group held a meeting
A proposal was put to the board
That a message be sent
To the Duchess of Kent
For to open a new hospital ward

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BALTIC TAVERNERS' SONG (Graeme Miles)
From: Hoblander
Date: 14 Jan 12 - 11:45 AM

Hello
I am not sure of the procedure here,
but this thread started out as a lyric request. Therefore does it require a separate "lyric add" ?
The following lyrics are from the man himself, pages 44 & 45 of Forgotten Songs Remembered. Many of Graeme's songs have been learnt by lots of folks over the years and the versions have been changed, many by Graeme and by the folk process. Those that have been published either in Songscapes or FSR are the versions Graeme would like people to learn, but nobody is going to unlearn the earlier verions, like Bill's above. So just for the record.

The Baltic Taverners' Song 1961 ( a.k.a. The Procession )

Spoken
Well the mayor and 'is clique 'eld a meetin'
A proposal was put to the board
That a request be sent to a Duchess in Kent
For to open a new 'ospital ward
An' the aldermen 'eld a collection
To redeem the mayors' chain out o' pawn
An' a note was sent round to the notables in town
Sayin' collars an' ties will be worn
An' the flags an' the buntin' were flyin'
Crowds lined the Middlebrough streets
An' the mayor an' 'is band wi' their 'ats in their 'ands
The Duchess they waited to greet
At the station they waited an' waited
Then the Town Clerk 'e cried, " She's at the dockside
She's arrived on the Tees floatin' crane

Sing chorus
The procession it started at Ayresome
Past the park an' museum as well
By Kirkup's fruit stall an' the boro town 'all
Then into the Baltic 'otel.
1.
Now the beer in the Baltic was 'eavy
The beer in the Baltic was strong
The Duchess went wild o'er 'er pint o' brown mild
An' was singin' the Match Fct'ry song - ALL WRONG
2.
Well the mayor e' supped twenty five bitters
The Duchess knocked back twenty nine
then she said, "ee I'm starved" so they downed one more 'alf
Then went to St. Mary's to dine.
3.
The community kitchen was crowded
There jus' wern't no room for no more
So the mayor an' 'is band wi' their trays in their 'ands
Parked themseves down on the floor
4.
The runner bean soup was delicious
The crab apple melba a dream
The crust was well done to the very last crumb
poured thick wi' evaporated cream
5.
Now the Duchesses Lady-in-Waitin'
Crept away from the mighty procession
An' when she was found she'd sneaked into town
To the Farrer Street grand bingo session
6.
They come out of the community kitchen
The crowd 'ow it cheered an' did yell
An' the Duchess was first to go quench 'er thirst
Back in the Baltic 'otel

Spoken
To the train they all tottered an' staggered
An' the Duchess was carried aboard
Then the town clerk cried, "Stop!-
She's plumb clean forgot
To open the new 'ospital ward

Sing chorus
The procession it started at Ayresome
Past the park an' museum as well
By Kirkup's fruit stall an' the boro town 'all
Then into the Baltic 'otel.

there you go
Kevin

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Duchess of Kent (Graeme Miles)
From: Hoblander
Date: 14 Jan 12 - 11:47 AM

oops
the title should read "The Baltic TAVERNERS' Song"
Nivek

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Duchess of Kent (Graeme Miles)
From: GUEST,Tess
Date: 10 Jan 14 - 08:06 PM

I remember Dave Pope Malcolm Ellis GED Drum and SandyRelph and Nancy Wwren all singing at the stork and castle in the 60's

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Duchess of Kent (Graeme Miles)
From: GUEST,Mick Travis
Date: 19 Jul 18 - 05:38 AM

Just revisiting this thread, not sure why!
So far as alternative verses go I really like this stanza that I picked up from the aforesaid Keith/Ken (which of course I grabbed)

The community kitchen were crowded
And there wasn't no room for no more
So the Mayor and his band sat with trays in their hands
On the stairs by the gents' netty door

"netty" is a Geordie word for 'toilet'. Presumably it's in the vernacular in Middlesborough only 30 miles south by crow?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Duchess of Kent (Graeme Miles)
From: GUEST,Ebor Fiddler
Date: 20 Jul 18 - 09:24 AM

Ee, this brings back memories! Good ones.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Duchess of Kent (Graeme Miles)
From: leeneia
Date: 22 Jul 18 - 10:12 PM

Meanwhile, back at the palace, the Duke of Kent was dancing away. We know this because there are two fine waltzes called "The Duke's of Kent's", and they are still in the country dance books.

I'm sure you can find them online if you want to find a companion piece for the above.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Duchess of Kent (Graeme Miles)
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 23 Jul 18 - 12:31 AM

What's the Match Factory song?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Duchess of Kent (Graeme Miles)
From: r.padgett
Date: 23 Jul 18 - 01:47 AM

Was this an actual event? Steve Gardham would not have it on the Yorkshire Garland song db as he said we could be sued!

Ray

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Duchess of Kent (Graeme Miles)
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Nov 19 - 03:26 PM

In fact Bill Sables bless him didn't get all the lyrics correct! I lived in exactly the location of the song setting. The song was regularly sung in folk clubs around Teesside in the 60s and I remember as a tender teenager going to the clubs and hearing a song about EXACTLY where I lived. Ayresome Street I crossed every day to go to school at Ayresome infants and juniors, just along from the General Hospital and the main gated entrance into Boro's football ground. At the east end of Ayresome St. was the junction with Linthorpe Road where stood the main Albert Park gates and the Dorman Memorial museum. Chris Rea's dad's ice cream parlour and coffee bar was there too and the Park Chocolate Shop, Allan's hardware shop on the corner of Kensington Rd. and Forshaws? tobacconist. The supposed procession turned left to go into town along Linthorpe Rd. and here's where it seems everybody has got an important lyric wrong. The fruit and veg shop on the left side of the road …..much of the produce outside on the pavement in boxes and crates ….was not called Kirkhams but KIRKUPS!!! My mam and nana would regularly shop there as we walked up from town back to where we all lived on Clive Rd.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Duchess of Kent (Graeme Miles)
From: GUEST,Eddie Walker
Date: 07 Nov 19 - 03:54 PM

Apols ...that last post ...should have identified myself ...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Duchess of Kent (Graeme Miles)
From: JHW
Date: 08 Nov 19 - 02:48 PM

Malcolm Wood used to sing it in the Britannia, Darlington, way back when