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10 Dec 10 - 08:30 PM (#3050707) Subject: Lyr Add: THE LAST CLYDESDALES (Archie Webster) From: Commander Crabbe THE LAST CLYDESDALES composed by a Fife horseman Archie Webster around 1950 Noo come aa ye young plooboys an 'list tae ma tale, Wha sit roon the table aa drinkin your ale; I'll tak ye aa back tae yon far distant day, When I drove the last Clydesdales tae work on Denbrae. There were twa bonnie blacks wi white faces an feet, In the hale country roun they could never be beat, Ye'd tae look roun gey far 'tween the Forth and the Tay, Tae match ma twa Clydesdales, the pride o Denbrae. They were matchless in power in the cairt, binder or ploo, Ma voice and ma hands on the reins they well knew; There wis niver a thocht in theior minds but obey, Ma twa gallant Clydesdales, the pride o Denbrae. But the time it wears on and the winters grow cauld, And horses like men can dae nocht but grow auld; But I mind on them still though it were yesterday, When I drove the last Clydesdales that worked on Denbrae. So come aa ye young plooboys an 'list tae ma tale, Wha sit roon the table aa drinkin your ale; I'll tak ye aa back tae yon far distant day, When I drove the last Clydesdales tae work on Denbrae. Unfortunately I don't know the original tune for this but it will fit with a tune called "The Luckenbooths" CC Not the exact same lyrics - The Last Clydesdales · Jack Beck & Sandy Stanage |
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10 Dec 10 - 10:17 PM (#3050732) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last Of The Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: GUEST,Bernie Garnet Rogers did a lovely version of this on his 1988 recording "The outside track"...thanks for posting the lyrics.... |
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10 Dec 10 - 11:12 PM (#3050741) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last Of The Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: Beer Must look for it as I love Garnet's songs ad. |
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11 Dec 10 - 12:15 AM (#3050755) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last Of The Clydesdales (Archie Webst From: Ross Campbell Not sure if this is the tune mentioned AS I WENT BY THE LUCKENBOOTHS but it seems to fit. Very poignant song (which I'll now have to learn). When I lived in Stirlingshire in the sixties, there was still a strong Ploughing Society, with ploughing-matches being held every year. One local farmer kept a pair of Clydesdales and worked them regularly. When I met his daughter at a local wedding some years later, I enquired after her parents, and asked if her father still had his horses. She said that when his team grew old and died, it was like losing family for him. He never had the heart to start again with a young pair. One local farm, Balwill, was the home of the Baron of Buchlyvie, a famous Clydesdale stallion whose skeleton now graces the Kelvingrove Museum in Glasgow. In my time Clydesdales were still being bred there. Ross |
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11 Dec 10 - 04:56 AM (#3050816) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last Of The Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: Commander Crabbe Ross Yes that's the same tune I believe. It can be heard here as its the instrumental break in "The last trip home" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKCbJSNNIYY CC |
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11 Dec 10 - 05:16 AM (#3050823) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last Of The Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: Commander Crabbe Ross On another note, my grandfather Thomas Coulter originally from Dunfermline was a member of the secret "Society of the Horseman's Word" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Society_of_the_Horseman's_Word and I spent a fair part of my early youth at the dray stables in Musselburgh. He had one of his ears partly ripped off by one of the clydesdales. His response to this was to walk back to the house and ask my Grandmother, "Kirsty, sew ma lug back on"! Which she did. CC |
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11 Dec 10 - 05:49 AM (#3050842) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last Of The Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: GUEST,guest:-- Pizel The last major sale of a stud of clydesdale horses in Central/ Southern Scotland took place on the Saturday before the Highland Show in June, 1972. It was held at that time to allow overseas buyers, who may have been visiting the show, the chance to see and purchase suitable animals. |
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11 Dec 10 - 08:42 AM (#3050909) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last Of The Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: GUEST,guest:-- Pizel Mr Websters song, composed in 1950, depicts the demise of the clydesdales on arable farms. On the dairy farms of the South and Southwest of Scotland clydesdales were sometimes the only motive power on the farm into the 1960s. Our ex neighbours purchased their first tractor, milking machine and motor car in 1962,they ended up buying the three or four farms surrounding them before the end of the 60s. Six sons and three daughters were all gainfully employed at home in the days of hand milking and horse cultivation so with all the new labour saving devises they increased the size of their farm four fold to keep them all working. It should be noted that they, like those of us brought up in the old Scots tradition, would never buy anything,including a farm or a house, that we could not pay for in cash. |
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11 Dec 10 - 11:22 PM (#3051409) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last Of The Clydesdales (Archie Webst From: Ross Campbell My uncle, and most of his neighbours near Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, continued to use Clydesdales (and sometimes donkeys) for farm work up till about 1960. By then Charlie, the older of his two horses, would have been more than twenty years old. When tractors began to be adopted, there was a profitable business bringing over second hand Fergusons (originally developed and produced in Northern Ireland) from Scotland and England. Initially horse-drawn mowers and other machinery were converted to be drawn by tractor, until eventually even these were abandoned in favour of the various accessories designed to make use of Harry Ferguson's hydraulic lift and power take-off inventions. Can't remember the last time I saw a draught horse over there. Donkeys, once ubiquitous, have also nearly disappeared save for a few used as companion animals for riding horses. Ross |
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12 Dec 10 - 05:58 AM (#3051619) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last Of The Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: GUEST,guest:-- Pizel In the 60s.& 70s. I saw hundreds of the wee grey "Fergies" sold at the Lanark Market monthly implement sales for export to Ireland At these sales one could buy most things, from the proverbial needle to the anchor. I once bought, for the princely sum of £2 {£43new}, an unused alloy surveyors staff. This purchase pleased my assistant as it was a third of the weight of the Edwardian mahogany and brass staff provided by our employers. |
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12 Dec 10 - 07:26 AM (#3051664) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last Of The Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: GUEST,guest:-- Pizel At the sale mentioned in a previuos post nine clydesdales were sold. The top price paid was, for the sellers,a disappointingly low £900 As a comparison my Grandfather, in 1946, paid £100 for his last working clydesdale, at the same time he paid £32-10s. for an Ayrshire calving quey. An it"s weel dae ah min the trauchal o ca"in the kirn fur ma Grannie wi only the thocht o a guid waught o soor milk as arles tae keep me gaun. As far as food was concerned, we ootbye folk did not know there was such a thing as a war. Early on in the war I broke the spring in our wind up gramaphone and was thus unable to play my Fathers collection of records, this comprising mainly-- the gospel singers D.McNeill William McEwan Melodian players the Wyper Brothers, Tony Capaldi, Will Hanna and Jimmy Shand. |
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12 Dec 10 - 07:43 PM (#3052119) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last Of The Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: GUEST,guest:-- Pizel The last major stud of Clydesdale horses to be sold in Scotland,some eighteen head, were sold at the farm of Beauly Mains, up ayont Inverness, in the late 1980s. I missed this sale by a week so can give no indication of the prices paid. A breed of animal and a race of men have gone from the land, the like we"ll never see. We"ve sung the last o the auld sang. The sang o the plooman chiel, As the chains garred clink on his horses sides, When they wheeled at the fit o the dreel. |
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12 Dec 10 - 08:24 PM (#3052133) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last Of The Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: Tattie Bogle Thanks for the lyrics: it is also sung by Jack Beck, and by Archie Fisher (who of course worked and recorded with Garnet Rogers). There is a wonderful CD called Gentle Giants (A Celebration of the Clydesdale Horse in Song)which has to be on your Christmas list, those of you who have such fond personal memories of heavy horses. See: http://www.greentrax.com/music/artists/reviews/Various-Artists-Gentle-Giants-A-Celebration-Of-The-Clydesdale-Horse-In-Song/ |
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12 Dec 10 - 08:54 PM (#3052148) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last Of The Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: Tattie Bogle P.S. Sorry, but I DON'T think the Luckenbooth tune in the middle of the Last Trip Home Youtube track that CC has posted is the same tune as for The Last Clydesdales: I'll have another listen to my recordings of it and try to post the tune. |
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13 Dec 10 - 07:46 PM (#3052869) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last Of The Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: Commander Crabbe Tattie Bogle That would be great if you could post the original tune. As I said I had no Idea of the original tune but the lyrics will fit with the Luckenbooths. CC |
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14 Dec 10 - 12:07 PM (#3053385) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last Of The Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: GUEST,leeneia People still raise the great draft horses - Clydesdales, Percherons, Belgians - in America. Go to youtube and search the breed names to see videos. Of course, the most famous are the Budweiser Clydesdales. beautiful animals! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xD6ghskNKa8&feature=related |
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14 Dec 10 - 06:36 PM (#3053624) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last Of The Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: Gallus Moll Ross, was the local farmer you mentioned (who still worked a pair of Clydesdales) by any chance Willie Martin of Blackhouse Farm? |
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14 Dec 10 - 07:15 PM (#3053643) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last Of The Clydesdales (Archie Webst From: Ross Campbell The very same, GM. His wife taught maths at Balfron High School, daughters Mary and Janet were there same time as I was, Janet married my friend John Hamilton. Last heard of them in Hexham about twenty years ago, lost touch since. Did you know the family? What's your connection? Ross |
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15 Dec 10 - 04:28 AM (#3053814) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last Of The Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: GUEST,Moleskin Joe Does anyone have the words for the song "The Baron of Buchlyvie"? |
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15 Dec 10 - 05:01 AM (#3053827) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last Of The Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: GUEST,guest:-- Pizel The mention of Balfron reminds me that there was a well known wheelwright and cartwright in that place. Was he a Patterson? or is my memory so failling that I am confusing him with a farmers daughter from that airt that I met at a dance in the Queen Margaret Union. "Ah, days of youth,how sweet are ye! But ye ne!re return again." From a clydeside song of the 18th C. Incidentaly this song contains the only written evidence I have found confirming the oral tradition pointing out the spot on the North bank of the Clyde where the hero of the old ballad, Willie, took to the water on returning from his aborted visit to his sweetheart Maggie. " "And the clattering o Clyde"s watters it wad fear five hundred men" I have checked the O.S. maps and all the local histories but the song is the only source that indicates that there may be some truth to the local legend. |
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15 Dec 10 - 02:12 PM (#3054158) Subject: Lyr Add: THE BARON O BUCHLYVIE (Allan Cairney) From: GUEST,Ken Campbell of The Ideal Band Hi all. You are asking for the words of the song Baron of Buchlyvie. I first recorded it back in the 80's and we have performed it many times with the Ideal Band. Still in the band's set after so many years and many people still ask for it. It was written by a friend of mine Allan Cairney who still lives in Gartmore up the road from me here at Gartocharn Loch Lomond If you would like to contact The Ideal Band and hear more of what we do, you will find us at http://theidealbandscotland.co.uk If you come to any of our gigs and ask, we will sing it for you as well. Here are the words, enjoy. Ken Campbell THE BARON O BUCHLYVIE Allan Cairney The Baron was a famous Clydesdale stud horse, brought down in his prime as the song explains, just after a famous court case taken to the House of Lords to determine his ownership between the two guys who owned him. CHORUS: For he looked sae braw taller than them aw Whitna size powerful and wise Aye weel dreesed wi a barrel o a chest He was the baron o Buchlyvie 1. Now the crowds all came for mighty was his name Far and wide across the countryside Strong and proud the darling o the crowd He was the baron o Buchlyvie BRIDGE: And when he marched in the grand parade all the menfolk cried Here comes the king of champions and all the ladies sighed CHORUS 2. Now the folks came down from every hieland town Up from the south his name on every mouth From the east and the west they came to see the best The baron o Buchlyvie 3. In the pubs they'd dwell with tales to tell Of his strength and might far into the night And every man would raise a dram To the baron o Buchlyvie BRIDGE: They'd toast his pedigree with the barley bree in the Rob Roy Inn fair foo Whilst other gaed doon the main street and filled the Red Lion too CHORUS 4. He had a famous son whose work was never done Dunure Footprint was never one to stint And bonny Buchlyvie later did arrive To boost the baron o Buchlyvie BRIDGE: But then one day such a tragedy as his latest love he wooed The mare lashed out and kicked him and broke his leg in two 5. [Slow] So they put him down though it saddened half the town The mighty Clydesdale king had had his final fling And to Kelvingrove his muckle skeleton they drove To show the baron of Buchlyvie CHORUS But we mind him braw taller than them aw |
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15 Dec 10 - 07:18 PM (#3054365) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last Of The Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: Gallus Moll Hi Ross, my mother lived near Buchlyvie as a child, Betty (Martin) was her school friend (still is!)and in later years I spent childhood weekends at Arngibbon, Blackhouse and Redlairdston playing with Mary, Janet and their sisters and cousins. I have emailed Mary to ask if I can put you in touch with her for news of the family - not sure how I can contact you privately, do you have to put your email address on the forum or what? Not sure how that works. Are you in the UK? I could phone or text you - -? |
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15 Dec 10 - 09:51 PM (#3054453) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last Of The Clydesdales (Archie Webst From: Ross Campbell Gallus Moll - I have sent you a PM (Personal Message) with my email address - look for a link at the top of your forum page, click to take you to the message page. The lyrics for all of the songs on the "Gentle Giants - a celebration of the Clydesdale Horse in Song" CD mentioned above by Tattie Bogle are available here:- Gentle Giants lyrics (click) Thanks, Ken for your lyrics. I can recommend the Ken Campbell Band (no relation!) for excellent music and songs. Saw their Edinburgh Festival gig a couple of years ago and unfortunately haven't been able to catch any more since. I still have the "Ideal Band" LPs from years ago - great stuff. Googling the "Baron of Buchlyvie" reveals that he is remembered locally in Baron Court, a recent addition to the development of the village, and honoured as the logo of Buchlyvie Primary School. I can remember when Mr Brown the head teacher used to ferry the whole school football team (ie quite a large proportion of the boys in school at that time) around in his VW Beetle. Things improved slightly when he got a Mercedes Benz (but only very slightly!) Ross |
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18 Dec 10 - 02:08 PM (#3056569) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last of the Clydesdales (Archie Webst From: Ross Campbell Refresh |
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20 Dec 10 - 03:34 PM (#3057990) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last of the Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: GUEST,Ken Campbell Ross hi, Thanks for your kind comments about The Ideal Band. We are alive and well and active. You can all join us on 8th January in St Andrews in the Square Glasgow for a wonderful evening featuring all sorts of musicans from Glasgow - Irish, Gaels, Africans, Adam McNaughtan, and the Ideal Band. If you asked we might even sing "the Baron". St Andrews in the Square G1 5PP 7pm for 7.30pm £10/ £8 www.ticketsoup.com 0844 4818898 You can find all we are up to on www.theidealbandscotland.co.uk kc |
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21 Dec 10 - 01:29 PM (#3058682) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last of the Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: DonMeixner In 1957 my family moved from the stretch of the Seneca River in New York State where I had lived for my first seven years. We moved a total of three miles. When we lived in Jack's reef I would walk across our lawn then up the bank to watch the combines on the fields when the hay was harvested. These were huge noisy machines pulled by iron wheeled tractors. When we moved we past a farm that had 60 acres in wheat. But of those acres there was a plot near the barn that was fenced but still planted in wheat. When the time came to bring in the wheat the combines arrived and did their hired job. But the farmer brought out a team of drays for the fenced in plot. My Dad and I watched him mow those two acres. As the horses and the mower went by I remember hearing the fall of the feet and the vibration in the ground as they stepped in perfect rhyme. I remember to this the sing of the teeth in the cutter bar and the rustle of the wheat as the straws fell behind. My Dad knew the farmer and I was introduced. I aked why the horses cut that one plot and the combines cut the rest. He said the horses were his friends and that they were old but still wanted to work and that they missed it if they didn't. I know the farmer passed away a few years later about the time I turned 10. The farm was sold at auction and along with it the horses. Every time I hear The Last Trip Home or Heavy Horses I am reminded of that day in 1957. I wasn't aware then that I was witness to a change in the world. D D |
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21 Dec 10 - 06:45 PM (#3058944) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last of the Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: GUEST A Scot named Ed Miller, who's living in Austin, Texas, sings a song that makes me weep. There's a line that goes "Steady, boys, walk on...". It's about "driving" the big horses home on the occasion of their last working day. It's quite a beautiful song & always makes me see (in my mind's eye) some of those enormous working horses I saw being trained in a field once when I was a child. Aren't those breeds called "draught horses"? Tw |
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21 Dec 10 - 06:46 PM (#3058945) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last of the Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: GUEST That's me--Tannywheeler. Where's my cookie??? Tw |
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21 Dec 10 - 07:36 PM (#3058969) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last of the Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: Jeri TW, that's "Last Trip Home" by Davy Steele. Great song! |
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27 Dec 10 - 08:37 PM (#3062278) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last of the Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: Tattie Bogle Commander Crabbe asked on 13th Dec if I could post the tune for The Last Clydesdales. Sorry I haven't done so yet, rather a lot going on here (not just Christmas!) but I have rooted out my CD of the Gentle Giants, so will get it done in the next few days: anyone who reads notation I can send the dots if they pm me with an email address to send to. Otherwise, I'll try a sort of ABC tho' I don;t know how to do it properly. But not tonight! it's definitely not the Luckenbooth tune BTW, nice tho' it is! |
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04 Jan 11 - 03:21 PM (#3067198) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last of the Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: Tattie Bogle I have just scored the tune for "The last Clydesdales" so if anyone wants it please PM me with an email address to send to: I've emailed it to Ross C. |
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20 Jan 11 - 12:37 AM (#3078415) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last of the Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: GUEST,AggieCan Am looking for history of 'The Baron of Buchlyvie' he sired a stud 'Munchausen' born 1912 and imported to Canada in 1920. Also looking for information on Munchausen who was owned by my grandfather. |
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20 Jan 11 - 05:40 AM (#3078483) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last of the Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: GUEST,Scowie Well that didn't work first time around! A note of interest to all on this topic, which I have really enjoyed, there is an account of the Society of the Horseman's Word in George Ewart Evans book "The Horse in the Furrow" it includes the initiation oath and even the "Word" It is a facinating account and very easily readable. As a lad I worked with the Horses on my Grandfathers farm on the Pennine foothills of Lancashire, alas they went soon after. I still love Heavy Horses of all denominations, the ones I had Experience of were of course Shires, I still attend Ploughing Matches regularly, they are country entertainment at its finest. Best Regards to all, Scowie. |
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27 Jan 11 - 06:49 AM (#3083239) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last of the Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: Ross Campbell AggieCan - Only a few of Baron O' Buchlyvie's progeny listed here (Click on "Reports" for a drop-down menu - then click "Progeny"). Munchausen untraceable on google apart from your own query! There appear to be a few people around the world who possess copies of the Clydesdale Stud Books - might be worth trying one or more of them? Scowie - I know you from your songs (via Giff and others) but I don't think we've ever met. Any of George Ewart Evans' books are worth seeking out - he was doing for the spoken word and rural lore what the folk-song collectors were doing for song - but with much more connection to the lives of his sources. There used to be a Heavy Horse Centre across the Wyre in Out Rawcliffe (Valiants). Bob Gardner bred Shire horses there and eventually developed the farm into an equestrian centre. He died just last year, the day after one of his horses won a rosette at Cartmel Show. Ross |
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07 Feb 11 - 04:02 AM (#3090245) Subject: Lyr Add: JACK AND JILL From: theleveller My grandfather started his working life as a ploughboy at the age of 12 on a farm on the Yorkshire Wolds where his father was a farm labourer. Over 40 years ago I remember hearing a friend of his telling about the times on their farm using Clydesdales and about when they changed over to a tractor. Many years later I turned this into a song, which starts with a verse of We're All Jolly Fellows Who Follow the Plough, which he used to love to sing. I once sang the song in a pub (called, appropriately, The Chestnut Mare) in the next village to where my grandfather had lived. After I'd finished, a massive old Wolds farmer, with a weather-beaten face and hands like hams, turned round to me with tears running down his face and said, "Aye, lad, that's just 'ow it wo' on our farm". Here's the song: JACK AND JILL 'Twas early one morning at the break of the day The young cock was crowing and the farmer did say Rise up me young fellahs and work with a will Your 'osses need summat their bellies to fill. I was only a nipper when me dad showed me how And with the old team I would harrow and plough Instead of in school I'd be out on the hill With our two heavy horses called old Jack and Jill CHORUS: With the reins 'cross my shoulder as my hands grip the shafts And across the cold morning their heavy breath wafts Bright brasses jingle as they both take the strain And old Jack and Jill work the hillside again. When Dad bought our first tractor it filled me with joy I was just like a lad who had got a new toy Instead of an acre I could plough the whole hill And I never thought once about old Jack and Jill. CHORUS No need to rise now an hour before dawn To harness the team in the cold early morn But when I came home after working all day I found old Jack and Jill had been taken away. The paddock was empty, the stable was bare Empty collars and harness were all they'd left there It was then that I realised I'd lost my best friends And we'd never work on the hillside again. CHORUS Now I sit by the fire with my pipe in my hand My bones ache from years of working the land But as I gaze in the embers I'm back on the hill Ploughing an acre with old Jack and Jill. CHORUS You can hear us singing it here: Jack and Jill |
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22 Mar 11 - 01:05 AM (#3118748) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last of the Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: Ross Campbell Just spotted this, Leveller. I like the song, thanks for posting the lyrics and the link. I just found an earlier thread which looks like it refers to the "Last of the Clydesdales" song:- Dun Brae Only two posts, the reply to the OP mentions Garnet Rogers as possibly having recorded the song. Google reveals there is a song titled "Denbrae" on "The Outside Track" album. No trace of a playable soundfile, one torrent site has a huge collection of Garnet Rogers material, but lots of LPs and CDs available thru MusicStack - I'll try to get one. Ross |
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22 Mar 11 - 01:35 AM (#3118755) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last of the Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: Ross Campbell My brother just sent me an obituary notice that appeared in the "Scottish Farmer". It's for a man we used to work for in school holidays - Oliver Macdonald of Ballat Farm. "OLIVER MACDONALD, formerly of Ballat Farm, Stirlingshire, died peacefully on Christmas Day 2010, just one month short of his 100th birthday, after a short illness. To know Oliver was to love him and such a privilege shared by so many - not least the west of Scotland farming community. Oliver took over the running of Ballat Farm in 1928, after the premature death of his father. Along with his mother he kept the farm going through difficult times. Ballat was a hill farm - arable land and sheep were Oliver's passion. Oliver was a well-kent face at the local markets, including Stirling, Lochgilphead and Dalmally. He enjoyed many agricultural shows, ploughing matches and he was a life member of the Royal Highland Show committee. He served on Strathendrick Farmers committee for 30 years and the Young Farmers committee. Oliver met Jean Watt from Paisley, Glasgow and married in 1953. He was fortunate enough to enjoy a long, happy and healthy retirement in Drymen. He played golf at Balfron and Buchanan Castle Golf Clubs and was a keen bowler in Drymen and Fintry - up until very recent years. He was the subject of "The Hired Lad", written by the recently deceased Ian Campbell Thomson. He so much enjoyed watching his beloved Rangers football team play over the years. Oliver never complained. He was an inspiration, full of wise sayings and a friend to so many folk. He is survived by his only daughter Sheena who shares his passion for sport." The horses had long gone by the time we worked there (1966/67) but those early post-war days are described in the book mentioned above:- "The Hired Lad" by Ian Campbell Thomson. Published by The Farming Press in 1993, and later by Drum Publishing 1998, it is still in print from Birlinn Ltd (2010). Copies at Bookfinder.com from a couple of pounds. The author, who also died recently, was giving a talk about his book in Drymen, when he was astonished to see "the boss" (Oliver Macdonald) turning up with a copy of the book in hand. There is a sound clip of the author reading his introduction to "The Hired Lad" at the Drum Publishing website. Ross |
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24 Mar 11 - 06:56 AM (#3120276) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last of the Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: Tattie Bogle it's the same song on Garnet Rogers' album: I have it on tape: I would speculate that he learned it from Archie Fisher, with whom he did some recording, and I've also heard Archie sing it. There are couple of Youtubes of the two of them doing other songs in 1986, but not this one. You might like this one too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uagkau3kOw4 |
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24 Mar 11 - 11:03 PM (#3120890) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last of the Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: Ross Campbell First, a correction to the above obituary - the spelling of Oliver's surname is McDonald - mea culpa. Second - I did wonder whether Archie Fisher might have been the source for Garnet Rogers' version of "Denbrae". There is a live recording of Archie singing the song on a Minnesota Public Radio's "Radio Heartland" programme from April 24, 2010 - scroll down to the "listen" link for that date after clicking http://minnesota.publicradio.org/radio/programs/radio_heartland/ The song is embedded in the second hour of a two-hour streaming programme, with two other songs and a conversation with Archie, so you'll just have to wait (75 minutes in)! (and endure news reports from last year's political convention). Still ploughing (!) through that myself. The song comes in at about the 90th minute. Archie Fisher got it from Archie Webster himself. Ross |
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24 Mar 11 - 11:23 PM (#3120898) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last of the Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: katlaughing I love this thread, everytime I see it come back up. theleveller, thanks. Like the song very much! One of the family papers I inherited is a title to what was said to be the first Clydsdale to come to western Colorado, via purchased by my great-grandfather. I didn't know about it when I named my son, Colin, but "Lord Meldrum's" sire was a "Colin" something; I'll have to look it up. It's got a great, orange-red seal from Scotland on it, etc. |
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25 Mar 11 - 11:29 AM (#3121319) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last of the Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: Tattie Bogle Thanks Ross, for all your interesting postings. Another person who sings "The Last Clydesdales" is Pete Shepheard, of Shepheard, Spiers and Watson. (By coincidence, my Dad died aged 93 on Christmas Day 2010 also, but in Aberdeen - not a farmer, however). |
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25 Mar 11 - 09:28 PM (#3121691) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last of the Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: Ross Campbell The only on-line version of the Clydesdale Stud Book I could find is here:- The Clydesdale Stud Book @ Internet Archive Volume XXVIII, 1906 - a scanned copy of one year's edition of the records of The Clydesdale Horse Society Of Great Britain and Ireland. The scanning interpolation is pretty poor, so finding the name of a particular horse or owner would be a matter of luck. There are scanned hard-copy versions of most years' editions available as on-demand reprints via Amazon for about £19 a copy ($30?). Kat, there's a reprint available of the American Clydesdale Stud Book V3 (1887) ($37.19 from Amazon.com with Free Super Saver Shipping!) which might contain details of your grandfather's Clydesdale. There's a warning on most of these reprints about the limitations on quality, so may be as difficult to peruse as the on-line copy. A used original appears to be available at £1,161.91 (+ £2.80 postage, the chisellers). Maybe a typo? Ross |
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25 Mar 11 - 09:58 PM (#3121697) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last of the Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: katlaughing Wow, thanks, Ross! I will dig the original out, tomorrow and see where it gets us. That's pretty neat! |
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26 Mar 11 - 11:02 PM (#3122375) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last of the Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: Ross Campbell Another recording of "Last of the Clydesdales" can be found on Gordon Easton's CD titled (handily) "Last of the Clydesdales", available from Springthyme Records: Scotland's Living Tradition in Song and Music where can also be found a treasure-house of traditional song and balladry. It's also a UK source for the Loomis Press reprints of the Child and Bronson collections. Ross |
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27 Mar 11 - 07:23 PM (#3122971) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last of the Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: Tattie Bogle Thread drift, but it's Pete Shepheard who runs Springthyme Records: and the annual Fifesing weekend, which is coming up shortly! Gordon was one of the guests a couple of years back. http://www.springthyme.co.uk/fifesing/ |
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28 Jul 11 - 06:03 PM (#3197527) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Last of the Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: GUEST,AggieCan I recently located a set of Clydesdale Stud books 1919 to 1944. Found many of Munchausen's offspring. |
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03 Aug 11 - 08:21 PM (#3201340) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Last Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: Ross Campbell (Copied from the Dunbrae/Denbrae thread) Obviously a lot of ploughing still going on! NO4715 : Denbrae Farm near to Denhead, Fife, Great Britain And:- " 2009 DMR Club Ploughing Match Was finally held on Sunday 11th January 2009 at Denbrae Farm. Cupar KY15 4PZ The results were: Case Tractor Class: 1. George Mellville International Tractor Class 1. Rab Birrell. 2. Gary Sands 3.Stuart Forsyth David Brown Tractor Class 1.John Winter 2.Robert Mckechnie 3.Jim Harrow Junior DB/IH Plough 1.Raymond Smart 2.Willie Greive 3.Jim Harrow Snr." So no more horse classes. There are still a few people keeping the craft of horse-ploughing alive: The Northern Ireland Vintage Ploughing Association will be running The European Vintage Ploughing Championships on the 2nd and 3rd of September, 2011. Events include:- • European Vintage Tractor & Ploughing Championships • European Horse Ploughing Championships Ross |
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23 May 13 - 08:45 PM (#3518625) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Last Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: GUEST,Tattie Bogle Thought I might refresh this as there is concurrently a thread on Songs about Horses, and I also diverted into the one on The Last Trip Home, and there was someone called BK looking for The Last Clydesdales way back in 1999! Thread #127051 Message #4126754 Posted By: Tattie Bogle 19-Nov-21 - 07:39 PM Thread Name: Songs about a man's love for his horse Subject: ADD: The Last Clydesdales
I don’t think anyone has mentioned this one yet. Archie Fisher, among others, sings it. |
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24 May 13 - 10:58 AM (#3518808) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Last Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: GUEST,sciencegeek we have a small herd of Scottish Highland Cattle, but no horses at the moment. But every county fair in New York State has a day set aside for the draft horse shows. Mostly Belgiums, Percherons and Clydesdales and the occasional Shire. Americans tend to raise taller and taller stock, which I'm skeptical of; but at least we keep the breeds intact. And the Amish have been moving onto our hill, so the drafts still earn their keep, as opposed to be being kept for "hobbists". Many a failed or retired Standardbred (harness horse racer) has ended up pulling an Amish wagon or buggy. Always a hoot when I see a pacer on the road. |
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19 Nov 21 - 09:40 PM (#4126761) Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Last Clydesdales (Archie Webster) From: Joe Offer The Last Clydesdales · Jack Beck & Sandy Stanage |