Lyr Req: Manchester Recruits by Bernard Wrigley

Subject: Lyr Req: Manchester Recruits by Bernard Wrigley
From: Roberto
Date: 27 May 03 - 02:25 PM

I'd like to find the lyrics of the song Manchester Recruits, composed by Bernard Wrigley. Can somebody help? Thank you. Roberto

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manchester Recruits by Bernard Wrigley
From: Harry Basnett
Date: 27 May 03 - 03:57 PM

Afraid not but I've just recorded a song of my own ,'Three Hundred Men of Lancashire' which deals with the same subject...CD in the offing...plug, plug......

All the best............Harry.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manchester Recruits by Bernard Wrigley
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 28 May 03 - 05:06 AM

Try emailing him. Here.

He is ever such a nice bloke I guess he would not nind.

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Manchester Recruits by Bernard Wrigley
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 May 03 - 07:43 AM

"Manchester Recruits" is included in a book of 36 songs and monologues by Bernard Wrigley called "Wrigley's Writings" advertised at Wrigley's own website here. It was also on the 1974 Topic LP "Rough and Wrigley," which is available on CD by mail order from Wrigley: Click here. A sound sample is also available on that page, from which I transcribed this:

Cold and gray on a market day and the people stood around
When a band of men from Scotland came to recruit for the Stewart bound (?)
Some were dressed in the uniform while the others they had none,
And a female following all the while was beating on the drum.
Now when they reached the marketplace, it's there they...

Subject: Lyr Add: MANCHESTER RECRUITS (Bernard Wrigley)
From: delphinium
Date: 30 May 03 - 09:59 PM

Not meaning to deter anyone from buying the book - here's the complete lyrics, transcribed from listening to the "Rough and Wrigley" album (not sure of the bits in italics).

THE MANCHESTER RECRUITS
(Bernard Wrigley)

Cold and gray on a market day and the people stood around,
When a band of men from Scotland came to recruit for the Stuart bound

Some were dressed in the uniform while others they had none,
And a female following all the while was beating on the drum.

Now when they reached the marketplace, it's there they made their stand,
Saying who will join with Bonnie Prince Charles and fight at his right hand.

The people heard the cries they made and quickly gathered round,
And some'd murmur treason, while others made no sound.

Then Tom Siddall the blacksmith's son came forth to where they stood,
His father at Sacheverell had fought and shed his blood,

And when that they had welcomed him, the shilling in his fist,
Tom Chadwick and Tom Deacon came and cried we will enlist.

James Bradshaw then the merchant's son gave off that he would too,
His friends and brothers followed him and swore they would be true,

The papers signed, the task was done, and still the day was new,
Eighty men for Charlie's sake bid Manchester adieu.

---

Wrigley's album notes:
I wrote this for a documentary about the Jacobites, for which Will Darlington and Rowena, his wife, wrote the script. This episode is memorable because no one thought that a bunch of Scots could walk into Manchester and start recruiting for the Stuart crown, but they did, and came away with 80 men.