Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands

Subject: Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands
From: Sailor Ron
Date: 08 Jun 09 - 05:26 AM

In aid of Fleetwood R.N.L.I. Fleetwood folk club will present their song/narrative/slide show 'Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands' on board the museum trawler the 'Jacinta' in Fleetwood Docks, on Saturday 4th July at 19:30. Cost is £3.00, tickets from the Lifeboat shop, Wild Oats [Preston St.] , Fleetwood Folk Club [The Steamer Hotel Thurs.] or on board on the night. The show tells stories or wrecks & rescues along the West Lancashire coast from the civil war up to the 'Riverdance' wreck of 2008. There are 20 songs & 80 slides. The 'Wyre light orchesta' comprises of 6&12 string guitars, banjo, bazouki, Indian harmonium, baritone uke, anglo concertina & percussion. All monies to the R.N.L.I. Ron

Subject: RE: Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands
From: bubblyrat
Date: 08 Jun 09 - 05:36 AM

Just got back yesterday from visiting my sister in Lancaster, and had a grand day out in the Maritime Museum -----I learned a lot about Fleetwood,Preston et al from that ! Most interesting fact discovered ?? That the ship that appeared as the "Hispaniola" in the 1949 film "Treasure Island" was built in Lancaster as a trading-vessel. Must make sure I /we are in the area on a Thursday next time round !

Subject: RE: Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 08 Jun 09 - 06:20 AM

Poem 124 of 230: FROM MORECAMBE - AUTUMN 2000

A long-and-wide red promenade,
    Art mirroring local fauna,
Pebbles preventing sand-shore fade,
    Boats that may be modern-prawner,
Huge mudflats where birds and folks wade,
    The far-shore tide-guides help shortcut,
Then, higher-and-higher-back laid,
    Fells that peak where the Lakelands jut.

From http://walkaboutsverse.sitegoz.com (e-scroll)
Or http://blogs.myspace.com/walkaboutsverse (e-book)

Subject: RE: Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands
From: Will Fly
Date: 08 Jun 09 - 10:32 AM

bubblyrat:
Just got back yesterday from visiting my sister in Lancaster

Which part does she live in? I used to live in Scotforth when we loved there in 1957, and my youngr sister still lives on the outskirts. It was a really nice place to be in those days (left in'68), but the local council buggered about with the place in the '60s - knocked down an 18thc. Wesleyan chapel and Georgian almshouses - all for an Arndale Centre...

My parents lived up at Hest Bank for years - rough old sands to walk on for the unwary. Ever done the Bay walk?

Subject: RE: Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands
From: Sailor Ron
Date: 09 Jun 09 - 05:40 AM

With ref. to the last 3 posts...though Lancaster Chanty Festival is no more it seems that "son of Lancaster" has been born. Sept.12th & 13th at Morecambe 'I do like to be beside the sea' which has pierios, street theatre, fire eaters, punch & judy AND numerous chanty singers/crews! Info from Val Simpkin /Dave Wright at Lancaster City Council. Now back to the thread. Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands, well worth £3.00 of everybodies money, and it's all for the lifeboat. Ron

Subject: RE: Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands
From: bubblyrat
Date: 09 Jun 09 - 06:42 AM

Oh Goody !! Looks like a return visit to see little sister & niece/nephew again !!-----at least, I don't THINK that it clashes with Wallingford, Towersey,or Banbury....must investigate!

Message for Will Fly....I PM'd you about possible Eke relatives---did you get message ??
   My sister lives in Ash Grove,behind a pub, the Greaves?? Geaves?She's a Social Worker in Morecambe,and her partner works for Dept of Pensions in Preston.So there !!

Subject: RE: Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands
From: Will Fly
Date: 09 Jun 09 - 06:46 AM

Hi bubblyrat - no PM from you in my message box...

Subject: RE: Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 10 Jun 09 - 06:19 AM

"and her partner works for Dept of Pensions in Preston.So there !!" (bubblyrat)...

Poem 122 of 230: PROUD PRESTON - AUTUMN 2000

Heavy autumnal rain
    Had surged the Ribble's flow
When I walked to and fro
    The foot-, motor- and train-
Bridges, that have allowed
    Many - some in combat -
To cross this river at
    A town justly self-proud.

From http://walkaboutsverse.sitegoz.com (e-scroll)
Or http://blogs.myspace.com/walkaboutsverse (e-book)

Subject: RE: Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands
From: bubblyrat
Date: 10 Jun 09 - 11:56 AM

I really think
The Ribble link,
Is jolly good--Misunderstood,perhaps,
But used by chaps
In Breton caps,
to navigate the gentle stretch
(Calm down,Dear--No! You will NOT retch!
Unless you seawards go,in Ketch )
That winds its way through pastures green,
For the most part quite unseen,until at last,it has ter
brush the quay in Old Lancaster.---

And so on !!

Subject: RE: Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 13 Jun 09 - 04:46 PM

Ron - please post Morecambe on Mudcat - do it as a Lyric Add!

See you Monday...

Subject: RE: Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands
From: Ross Campbell
Date: 13 Jun 09 - 07:06 PM

Suibhne
Your wish is my command.
Just recovered the lyrics from Ron's ancient computer files (floppy discs, would you believe?)
I've retitled it as "Who'll Go To Morecambe? / The Last Resort"

link

Ross

Subject: RE: Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands
From: Will Fly
Date: 14 Jun 09 - 03:54 AM

Thanks for the "Morecambe" lyrics - great fun! I used to live in Lancaster and, in teenage years, we used to go to Morecambe during the "Scotch weekends" - when coachloads of Glaswegians would come down to enjoy the bay. The coaches drove down the prom and the blokes would throw handfuls of coins out of the coach windows.

A friend worked as a barman in the King's Arms pub. A good half hour before opening time the staff would fill the counter with pints of Youngers Scotch Bitter. At 11am, two lads would open the big double doors simultaneously, and get behind them as the thirsty hoard piled in.

The northern part of the town, around Queen Square, was known as the "Barbary Coast" - a rare place to be on a Saturday night - with pianos playing, singing, drinking and closing time fighting. Sunday morning in the local Casualty department was a reverential scene of broken noses, cracked heads and hangovers.

Interesting days...

Subject: RE: Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 14 Jun 09 - 04:27 AM

The 'Wyre light orchesta' comprises of 6&12 string guitars, banjo, bazouki, Indian harmonium, baritone uke, anglo concertina & percussion.

Not forgetting the Black Sea Fiddle, Electronic Shruti Box & Jew's Harp in G as played upon by The Narrator; and Mike F's Big Shiny Kazoo...

Subject: RE: Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands
From: Ross Campbell
Date: 14 Jun 09 - 08:06 AM

Not forgetting (as has happened before) the triamgle aka firebell.

Ross

Subject: RE: Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands
From: Ross Campbell
Date: 14 Jun 09 - 08:56 AM

Triangle. I've never been able to find a triamgle. Do they even exist?

Ross

Subject: RE: Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 14 Jun 09 - 11:36 AM

Mike F! They're both Mike F for f**ks sake; too much sun, though precious little of it in Devon, alas. Maybe the Tame Girl / Alerting was included under percussion along with Mike F*****'s Tambour de la Mer.

Ross - Tomorrow, the stakes are high; I need new strings for the Decidable Flask and some drain rods which I'm hoping are available for hire from the hardware shop on Lord Street. Ideas welcome; available for comment no earlier than 1pm if you fancy a wander.

Subject: RE: Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 17 Jun 09 - 08:38 AM

Refresh

Subject: RE: Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 30 Jun 09 - 04:52 AM

It's on this coming Saturday - 4th July - 7.30pm - on board the celebrated Heritage Trawler Jacinta, moored in Fleetwood docks. The evening kicks off with support from Joe Boe, with the all-new improved version of Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands following, as performed by the Gentleman & Lady of the Wyre Light Orchestra.

The Narrator has promised to take some sea-sick tablets before boarding...

Subject: RE: Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands
From: Sailor Ron
Date: 01 Jul 09 - 03:41 AM

The thunderstorm we had last night lit up Morecambe Bay a treat, before 'steam' it was easy to understand how so many vessels were lost in 'the bay'. The story of many of them of couse are told in this show, tickets still available [pay on board].

Subject: RE: Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands
From: Charley Noble
Date: 01 Jul 09 - 08:03 AM

Ron-

What are the titles of some of the songs in the program?

It would be nice to get more of an overview of what you folks are up to.

I suppose I may have missed a link to a website which describes it all.

When the tide turns, do the sand worms turn with it, and would that be the origin of the expression "When the worm turns"?

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands
From: Ross Campbell
Date: 01 Jul 09 - 10:28 PM

The company (The Wyre Light Orchestra) are:-

Ron Baxter (author, illustrator,impresario and non-singing songwriter)
Sean Breadin (narrator, kemence, Shruti box, vocals)
Ross Campbell (guitar, concertinas, vocals)
Mike Fairclough (banjo, bouzouki, vocals)
Mike France (Indian harmonium, percussion, vocals)
Tony Mason (guitar, vocals)
Rachel McCarron (vocals)
Alan Middleton (ukuleles, vocals)
John Webb (laptop & slide projector)

All the songs except one come from the pen of Ron Baxter, while tunes have been set by the respective singers. While we were working up the show early last year a severe storm stranded the Seatruck company's cross-channel freight ferry "Riverdance" on the sands between Cleveleys and Blackpool after her engines failed off the Isle of Man. Attempts to set the undamaged ship upright again for refloating were undermined by successive tides and eventually she was broken up where she lay, just a hundred yards from where the ribs of the sailing-vessel "Abana", a wreck from a hundred years before, can still be seen at low tide. Rachel McCarron's poignant song "Riverdance" just had to be included.

Opening Song - Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands - Ross (concertina, vocals); Sean (kemence/Black Sea fiddle); the company (chorus)
2. The Saint Anne of Dunkirk - Sean (kemence, vocals); Ross (12-string guitar, vocals); Rachel (vocals)
3. The Employment - Alan (ukulele, vocals); Ross (concertina, vocals)
4. Ocean Monarch - Ross (concertina, vocals); Rachel (vocals)
5. Blowing aka The Great Gale - Sean (kemence, vocals); Rachel (vocals); Ross (guitar, vocals)
6. Child of Hale - Mike Fairclough (banjo, vocals); Ross (concertina)
7. Wyre Light aka Fire on the Lighthouse - Alan (ukulele, vocals); Ross (concertina); company (chorus)
8. Henrietta - Tony, Alan, Mike Fairclough, Ross, Mike France (vocals); company (chorus)
9. The Sirene - Mike France (monologue)
10. Arthur Sinclair - Mike Fairclough (banjo, vocals); Ross (concertina)
11. Peas! - Tony (vocals); company (chorus)
12. God's Gift - Mike Fairclough (bouzouki, vocals); Ross (concertina); company (chorus)
13. Foudroyant (Nelson's Flagship) - Ross (concertina, vocals)
14. The Solicitor - Alan (ukulele, vocals); Ross (concertina); company (chorus)
15. Houseboats on the Wyre - Tony (guitar, vocals); Ross (concertina); company (chorus)
16. Maude Pickup - Ross (concertina, vocals); company (chorus)
17. Stella Marie - Tony (guitar, vocals)
18. Riverdance - Rachel (vocals)
19. Three Boats Sailed from Lancashire - Alan (ukulele, vocals); Ross(concertina)
20. Final Song - Wrecks and Rescues - Ross (concertina, vocals); Sean (kemence); company (chorus)

We haven't managed to get a full cast recording yet (there's always somebody missing!), and the bowels of the Jacinta are not the best place for such a project (large generator the other side of the fish-room bulkhead!) but it's a very appropriate place to do the show. While many Fleetwood fishing vessels were lost far away from home, as Ron's songs bring out, the local, familiar waters could be just as deadly.

Hope this helps, Charley. I've just about completed my festival work and should be able to get on soon with producing the CDs I promised you. I can include a work-in-progress version of the above.

Ross

Subject: RE: Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands
From: Charley Noble
Date: 02 Jul 09 - 08:01 AM

Ross-

Thanks!

What a project! I can just imagine the energy that has to be channeled to bring this off.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 02 Jul 09 - 08:24 AM

I can just imagine the energy that has to be channeled to bring this off.

The project very quickly took on a life of its own; even in rehearsal one is aware of a greater power tapped into with such cunning by The Author and further channelled, as you say, by the protagonists. Slick it certainly ain't, but possessed of a wholesome authenticity capable of transporting both performer & audience into other realms... Have a listen to The Opening Song at The Fleetwood Folk Club Myspace Page for a wee taster!

Subject: RE: Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands
From: Jack Blandiver
Date: 02 Jul 09 - 08:39 AM

Two victims of the Fylde Coast Sands:

Abana (wrecked December 1894) & Riverdance (wecked January 2008); May 2008

Could you supply the appropriate caption, Ross? The one from the closing song?

As Rachel wrote of Riverdance:

These sands have been the death
Of many greater ships than I;
What dignity is left for me?
Just break me where I lie.
Still I dream of better days,
And the memories remain -
Can't keep the deep beneath my feet,
And I'll never dance again!

Subject: RE: Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Jul 09 - 09:57 AM

Appropriate caption...
" one hundred years and yarda apart". Ron

Subject: RE: Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands
From: Ross Campbell
Date: 02 Jul 09 - 11:12 AM

From "Fylde Coast's Sands" (Outro):-

Now if you go down, down to Norbreck
You still can see the Abana's wreck
Near where the Riverdance once lay
Two victims of the fury of the Bay
One Ro-Ro ferry, one wooden barque
One hundred years, and yards apart.
But when the call is heard, the boat's still manned
Still beware, beware the Fylde coast's sand.

Ross

Subject: RE: Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands
From: Ross Campbell
Date: 03 Jul 09 - 10:18 AM

The Ann Letitia Russel was a long-serving Fleetwood lifeboat, involved in the wartime rescue of the crew of the Stella Marie among many others. My next-door neighbour set up Wyrelight Models when he retired to produce highly detailed maritime model kits. This is one of his:- Ann Letitia Russel model

Model pics here and here .

You could have had the the real thing (sold) .

Ross

Subject: RE: Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands
From: Ross Campbell
Date: 03 Jul 09 - 01:47 PM

A contemporary report of the "Mexico" disaster, described in the show in the song "Three boats Sailed from Lancashire":- News of the World, 12th December 1886

Ross

Subject: RE: Beware the Fylde Coast's Sands
From: Ross Campbell
Date: 04 Jul 09 - 05:08 AM

The Jacinta FD159 in her working life

Ross