Lyr Req: Old Parkin Raine the Fiddler (Vin Garbutt

Subject: Parkin Raine
From: TheBigPinkLad
Date: 20 Jan 06 - 12:17 PM

Anyone have information on Parkin Raine (The Teesdale Fiddler)? I was listening to Vin Garbutt's tribute song and I'm certain I saw the man himself in Barnard castle when I was a nipper. I can't find a photo, web page or tune anywhere on the web ...

Subject: RE: Parkin Raine (The Teesdale Fiddler)
From: nutty
Date: 20 Jan 06 - 03:11 PM

I have a book of poetry written by the Teesdale poet Richard Watson.
I'm sure there is a poem in there dedicated to Parkin Raine.
If I can find it I'll post it.

Subject: Lyr Add: OLD PARKIN RAINE THE FIDDLER (R Watson)
From: nutty
Date: 20 Jan 06 - 03:52 PM

Amazingly I found this straight away - I hope it's what you want.


OLD PARKIN RAINE THE FIDDLER.
A SONG.

Ye merry musicians of Teesdale,
Who love on the fiddle to play,
Who go unto concerts and parties,
Where music and dancing hold sway;
Your music is sweet, and you please us
With many a fine melting strain;
But the best of your corps is ta'en from us—
Our fav'rite,—brave old Parkin Raine!

CHORUS—
He's gone, "He's gone," and we'll never
At merry nights see him again;
But the people of Teesdale will ever
Remember brave old Parkin Raine!

So neatly the bow he could handle,
And few men could truer time beat;
We heard his performance with pleasure,
His tones were so mellow and sweet.
Though praised by the dalesmen around him,
He ne'er was conceited and vain:
A plain, unassuming, good fellow,
Was the fiddler—brave old Parkin Raine!

Chorus—He's gone, &c.

At fairs, plays, and sports we now miss him,
Where the dale lads and lasses oft met
To follow the practice of dancing;
Those scenes we can never forget.
His polkas, quadrilles, reels, and hornpipes,
Kept toe and heel going amain;
Few men were so skilled in such music,
As the fiddler old Parkin Raine!

Chorus—He's gone, &c.

When farmers had finished their harvest,
They often for Parkin did send,
And got all their workers together,
A jovial evening to spend;
And many a stout country damsel,
And many a hard handed swain,
Kept up the enjoyment till morning,
To the music of old Parkin Raine!

Chorus—He's gone, &c.

He always was hearty and cheerful,
And ne'er in the least thought it wrong
To mingle with social people,
And sing a good old hunting song.
But the cry of the hounds pleased him better,
As they sped over hill, dale, and plain,
With the loud tallyho of the hunters;
A sportsman was old Parkin Raine!

Chorus—He's gone, &c.

By Stainmore and Brough they well knew him,
He did at their holly-nights play;
'Tis long since the holly was lighted,
The custom is now done away.
His fiddling and hunting are over,
He's gone from this drear world of pain;
But the people of Teesdale will ever
Remember brave old Parkin Raine!

Chorus—He's gone, &c.


From POEMS AND SONGS OF TEESDALE by Richard Watson published 1884

Subject: RE: Parkin Raine (The Teesdale Fiddler)
From: TheBigPinkLad
Date: 20 Jan 06 - 04:54 PM

Those are also the lyrics to Garbutt's song. Hmmm ... I wonder who the gadgy I saw was then?

Subject: RE: Parkin Raine (The Teesdale Fiddler)
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 20 Jan 06 - 08:32 PM

Vin set Richard Watson's poem to a tune of his own (a jig that he called King Gooden). Another album held hostage by Celtic Music of Harrogate (Vin Garbutt: King Gooden, Trailer Records, LER 2102, 1976).

Subject: RE: Parkin Raine (The Teesdale Fiddler)
From: Gillie
Date: 21 Jan 06 - 07:33 PM

I was brought up in Barny, and knew Parkin Raine's grandson or great grandson, of the same name. He was a well known historian and worked at the time for Radio Cleveland.   The original Parkin lived in Middleton-in- Teesdale, and tales of his fiddling abound around the area.

I believe that Charles Dickens meet with him, having stayed at the King's Head in Barnard Castle.

Don't know if Parkin is still alive, he was a bachelor so no off spring.

Gillie

Subject: RE: Parkin Raine (The Teesdale Fiddler)
From: greg stephens
Date: 30 Jan 06 - 10:37 AM

What an interesting thread. You wait ages for a bus, and two come at once, and the same applies to northern English fiddlers sapparently: you can also read a thread entitled "William Irwin, Lake District fiddler" which is on the go right now. Sorry, I dont know how to do a clickie to another thread, maybe someone could oblige? And also put a clickie on the Irwin thread back to this one? That way, people chasing English fiddler will be led to all the right places.

Subject: RE: Parkin Raine (The Teesdale Fiddler)
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 30 Jan 06 - 11:05 AM

William Irwin, Lake District fiddler

Subject: RE: Parkin Raine (The Teesdale Fiddler)
From: greg stephens
Date: 30 Jan 06 - 01:09 PM

Thanks Malcolm, much appreciated

Subject: RE: Parkin Raine (The Teesdale Fiddler)
From:
Date: 31 Jan 06 - 09:17 AM

i am richard watsons great great grandson i have been searching for books about him for a while now and have drawn a blank. would you be interested in selling your book or could you advise me where i may get one. i will be very grateful if you can help.

Subject: RE: Parkin Raine (The Teesdale Fiddler)
From: nutty
Date: 31 Jan 06 - 09:59 AM

So glad you found this thread Paul. Your great, great grandfather was a very interesting and talented man. For a leadminer with only a limited education his poetry is breathtaking.

I'm sorry to say that my poetry book will never be up for sale but thanks to the wonders of the internet some of it can be viewed online through this wonderful resource.

FARNE Archive

After you access the site through the above link, click on search the site and then put Watson in the search box to access some of Richard Watson's Poems and Songs of Teesdale.

Subject: RE: Parkin Raine (The Teesdale Fiddler)
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 31 Jan 06 - 10:18 AM

Secondhand copies turn up. Here is a link to the search routine at bookfinder.com: Watson: Poems and Songs of Teesdale

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parkin Raine (Vin Garbutt)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 14 Feb 10 - 01:56 PM

Vin Garbutt's song PARKIN RAINE appeared on his album "King Gooden" (Greentrax 1976). KING GOODEN was also a separate cut on the same album.

The Tees Side Fettlers also recorded PARKIN RAINE, which they attributed to Richard Watson, on their album "Travelling the Tees" (RTÉ Records, 1975). I don't know whether they used the same tune as Vin Garbutt.

The text of OLD PARKIN RAINE THE FIDDLER: A SONG can be seen in Poetical Works of Richard Watson by Richard Watson (Darlington [England]: Printed at the office of William Dresser, 1884), page 77ff. There is no indication of what tune is to be used.

It is also at The Internet Archive.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parkin Raine (Vin Garbutt)
From: GUEST,Tony Raine
Date: 04 Mar 10 - 09:04 AM

Parkin Raine (my Grandmother's cousin)is still alive and living in Barnbard Castle - he has published some books of old photograghs of Barnard Castle and the surrounding area and from memory I think these include a photo of Parkin Raine he Fiddler.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Parkin Raine (Vin Garbutt)
From: Gillie
Date: 04 Mar 10 - 06:59 PM

Wow, he must be getting on now, he'd not long re-tired when I left Barny in 1992. Give him Clare Wakefield's (nee Brown) my regards if you see him. An amazing chap with lot's of stories himself!!