Paul Robeson singing to British miners

Subject: Paul Robeson singing to British miners
From: Jack Campin
Date: 01 Nov 19 - 04:26 PM

https://youtu.be/B0bezsMVU7c

The narrator of that clip says he was singing at Woolmet in the Lothians. But I first saw the same clip posted by Durham Miners Gala on FB, where they say it was at their event. Somebody explain?

Subject: RE: Paul Robeson singing to British miners
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 01 Nov 19 - 05:42 PM

Oh God, that is just amazing. Thanks, Jack.

Subject: RE: Paul Robeson singing to British miners
From: Thomas Stern
Date: 01 Nov 19 - 06:35 PM

fyi
Paul Robeson - The Proud Valley

Thomas.

Subject: RE: Paul Robeson singing to British miners
From: GUEST,bigJ
Date: 01 Nov 19 - 07:52 PM

In 1999 there was a BBC Radio 4 programme presented by Ray Brown and produced in Manchester by Lindsay Leonard called INAUSPICIOUS MEETINGS - STARRY, STARRY NIGHT. It was described thus - The day that Paul Robeson sang to people in Liverpool City Centre from the back of a lorry on a bomb site.

Subject: RE: Paul Robeson singing to British miners
From: Thomas Stern
Date: 01 Nov 19 - 08:02 PM

https://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/interviews/paul-robeson-coal-mine-peter-pickering

https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle-2-15039/video-folk-hero-paul-robeson-entertains-miners-in-edinburgh-1-4305447

Subject: RE: Paul Robeson singing to British miners
From: Thomas Stern
Date: 01 Nov 19 - 08:21 PM

https://www.theartsshelf.com/2017/04/05/latest-review-the-proud-valley-blu-ray-studiocanal/

https://www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/news-bfi/interviews/paul-robeson-coal-mine-peter-pickering

https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle-2-15039/video-folk-hero-paul-robeson-entertains-miners-in-edinburgh-1-4305447

Subject: RE: Paul Robeson singing to British miners
From: The Sandman
Date: 02 Nov 19 - 05:46 AM

great thanks

Subject: RE: Paul Robeson singing to British miners
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 02 Nov 19 - 06:31 AM

I was kissed on the head by Paul Robeson when he sang on a bomb-site in Liverpool
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Paul Robeson singing to British miners
From: JHW
Date: 02 Nov 19 - 06:53 AM

What a joy to hear him again. Thanks.
Usher Hall in Edinburgh immediately recognisable, didn't spot anywhere I'd know in Durham. Worked there 20 years.

Subject: RE: Paul Robeson singing to British miners
From: Pete MacGregor
Date: 02 Nov 19 - 07:11 PM

I remember hearing him sing in Holyrood Park after an Edinburgh Miners Gala day. I'm not sure which year. We went to the gala from Bo'ness every year - sometime in the late 1950s?
PM

Subject: RE: Paul Robeson singing to British miners
From: GUEST,jim bainbridge
Date: 03 Nov 19 - 05:11 AM

Excellent 30 minute programme about Paul Robeson & his links with the Scottish miners on Radio Scotland recently.

Look on Radio Scotland 'Sounds' site for 'The Common Struggle of Paul Robeson'- it'll be available for 15 more days.

As a Durham lad, I'm not aware of any specific links between PR and the miners of that county.

Subject: RE: Paul Robeson singing to British miners
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Nov 19 - 05:35 AM

Re. Pete McG's post above.
I remember seeing Paul Robeson in Holyrood Park. I was probably between the age of 8 & 10 so I'd guestimate it would be in the region of 1956 - 58.

Subject: RE: Paul Robeson singing to British miners
From: Iains
Date: 03 Nov 19 - 09:12 AM

The film Proud Valley was shot in the Valleys and Paul Robeson later sang with Welsh Miners with the aid of a transatlantic telephone link,during the time his passport was revoked.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1hLPRnmAjw

Subject: RE: Paul Robeson singing to British miners
From: GUEST,Ada the Cadre
Date: 03 Nov 19 - 09:38 AM

Sorry got it wrong in my first post. I was not even born for his 1949 visit. The incident I recalled was 1959 when his passport, confiscated by the US Authorities had been returned. He came to England to sing, to talk about peace and to play Othello at Stratford.

Subject: RE: Paul Robeson singing to British miners
From: GUEST,Brian Bennison
Date: 04 Nov 19 - 04:07 PM

Robeson certainly visited County Durham. I met him myself on Stockton station in 1959. On 6th May 1949 he was in Gateshead and met by the town's MP Konni Zilliacus, who he first encountered in 1930. Robeson gave a free afternoon concert at the Bensham Cinema with many turned away. He had tea at the home of the chairman of Gateshead Labour and Trades Council. He then gave an informal rendition of Negro spirituals at St John's church. After that he performed before 2000 at an evening concert at the Town Hall. This latter event was the beginning of a formal tour that took him to Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield and Clydebank.

Subject: RE: Paul Robeson singing to British miners
From: The Sandman
Date: 04 Nov 19 - 04:54 PM

I find this clip uplifting, and comforting Paul was a giant amongst humanity

Subject: RE: Paul Robeson singing to British miners
From: Megan L
Date: 05 Nov 19 - 01:44 AM

In 1938 Paul sang at the Empire Exhibition in Bellahouston Park Glasgow. An almost three year old was there with his parents when they went of to see something else the little one disappeared. When they tracked back there he was standing right at the stage. child in hand they once more tried to see the other exhibits only for the little Houdini to once more disappear.

Subject: RE: Paul Robeson singing to British miners
From: Megan L
Date: 05 Nov 19 - 01:50 AM

dratted sticky finger.

Once more the found him standing at the stage enraptured by the big man with the special voice. Paul Robeson spotted the child lifted him up and sang before telling him he shouldn't run away from his mum and dad.

that little boy will be 84 in December this year and still loves the voice of his big man.

Subject: RE: Paul Robeson singing to British miners
From: Thomas Stern
Date: 05 Nov 19 - 04:38 PM

for those interested in hearing him:

https://folkways.si.edu/paul-robeson/on-my-journey-independent-recordings/african-american-music-folk-struggle-protest/album/Smithsonian

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=203552

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=3156

lots more available....

If anyone is interested, I would post a list of his film appearances.

Thomas.