Tunes reqd: (Songs from) Devon

Subject: Tunes reqd: Nth Devon
From: GUEST,D-String
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 02:40 AM

Does anyone know a traditional song from the Biddicombe(?) area in Devon?

Subject: RE: Tunes reqd: Devon
From: greg stephens
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 02:47 AM

Now, if you'd said Widdecombe...

Subject: RE: Tunes reqd: Devon
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 12:00 PM

Or even Bideford??

Subject: RE: Tunes reqd: Devon
From: Cats
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 02:30 PM

Try contacting the Wren Trust in Okehampton. They have huge archives of music collected in Devon, including all the Baring Gould tunes as well as songs which he collected. If they don't know then you can be sure that they will know someone who does. Ask for Paul or Marilyn, failing that, others at Wren might know.

Subject: RE: Tunes reqd: Devon
From: GUEST,D-string
Date: 30 Aug 04 - 11:41 PM

Yes, Tattie Bogle, you're right. I did mean Bideford. Do you know anything from that area?

Subject: RE: Tunes reqd: Devon
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 12:53 AM

There don't seem to be any traditional songs from Bideford that I can find reference to; nor any found being sung there. Truly local songs are rare in any case.

There was, however, a broadside printer operating there in the 1860s or thereabouts: J Wilson on Bridge Street. You can see a decent selection of his output at Bodleian Library Broadside Ballads:

Song sheets from J Wilson of Bideford

That will give you an idea of what sort of thing was circulating there at the time, at any rate.

Charles Kingsley included a verse of the Bonny Portmore / Sunderland for Me / Streams of Lovely Nancy type in his Westward Ho!, for which see thread Origins of Bonny Portmore

Apart from that apparent localisation, I can't think of anything. Perhaps other people will know of more.

Subject: RE: Tunes reqd: Devon
From: BB
Date: 31 Aug 04 - 02:15 PM

A version of 'Pleasant & Delightful', similar to other versions in North Devon & North Cornwall, was apparently the club anthem of the Bideford Rugby Club at one time.

Barbara

Subject: RE: Tunes reqd: (Songs from) Devon
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 01 Sep 04 - 05:55 PM

I have friends in Bideford, but I don't know any songs from there! Malcolm's information will be much more useful!
Some time ago I downloaded words of a song by Sir Edward German called "Devon, Glorious Devon" via a link from Mudcat, but I've never managed to get the tune. Malcolm? (It doesn't secifically mention Bideford, by the way!)

Subject: RE: Tunes reqd: (Songs from) Devon
From: greg stephens
Date: 01 Sep 04 - 06:00 PM

The lack of folksongs from Bideford is because the inhabitants of that town are dullwitted morons who wouldnt recognise culture if you shoved it in their eye. In Barnstaple, on the other hand, a few miles away, the inhabitants are handsome and intelligent, sing blithely at their work and are a credit to their parents, their county and their country.And please note, it's called Barnstaple Bay, not Bidfeord Bay.

Subject: RE: Tunes reqd: (Songs from) Devon
From: greg stephens
Date: 01 Sep 04 - 06:01 PM

or Bideford, for that matter.

Subject: RE: Tunes reqd: (Songs from) Devon
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 01 Sep 04 - 06:22 PM

Just as well my friends in Bideford come from Cornwall then!

Subject: RE: Tunes reqd: (Songs from) Devon
From: Hawker
Date: 01 Sep 04 - 08:09 PM

Jerry & Hilary Bix run the Bideford Folk Club, I will pm you their phone No.
Cheers Lucy

Subject: RE: Tunes reqd: (Songs from) Devon
From: BB
Date: 03 Sep 04 - 03:47 PM

Greg, I was feeling quite indignant on behalf of folk singing friends in Bideford - like Jerry & Hilary mentioned above - until I read your last sentence, which made me laugh out loud. You're obviously a Barnstaple man, then, Greg. Do you actually live in these parts or are you forced to reside elsewhere?

Barbara (ex-Barum, now Combe Martin)