Sound Recordings, Cheshire
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Details
Type of record: Archive
Title: Sound Recordings, Cheshire
Classmark: LAVC/SRE/A305r
Creator(s): Pattison, Susan
Site Location(s): Subject - Antrobus, Cheshire, England, United Kingdom( 53.3206, -2.52977 ); Subject - Appleton Thorn, Cheshire, England, United Kingdom( 53.3505, -2.54488 )
Date(s): [1975]
Size and medium: 1 x 12.7cm open reel spool; Duration: 72' 07".
Persistent link: https://explore.library.leeds.ac.uk/special-collections-explore/414356
Collection group(s): Leeds Archive of Vernacular Culture
Description
Jim Wright, recorded at home in Antrobus, talks about his involvement with the Antrobus Soul-Cakers; roles played; first experience of play as a bedtime story told by father and grandfather; pig killing and use of real blood in grandfather's time; the play in other villages, dying out [?after World War One] and current interest in Antrobus; mixing of versions (reference to ?Sevenoaks in Cheshire); gang members; no rehearsals; new elements; soul-cakers as ghosts; character of Beelzebub and old beliefs; symbolism of the horse's head; gang rivalry of the past and keeping the horse's head; why perform the play; publicity and public perception of the custom; performance venues, including country houses, pubs; the collection; the future; costumes. [Tr. 4]
Cecil Bland, recorded at home in Appleton Thorn [collector announcement names informant as Grey Hodnett]; involvement with Antrobus Soul-Cakers since 1948; childhood recollections of the play and the horse's head; first involvement on leaving the Army, playing part of the Doctor in a young gang; history of gang and gangs in other villages; dying out of custom in these villages and maintenance of interest in Antrobus; informant's enjoyment in participation; publicity and public perception of the custom; horse symbolism; tone of the play; performing at private parties by invitation; audience; internal disputes during the 1950s/1960s; loss of members to other interests; social aspect of the custom; performance times; transport; importance of horse's head and competition from other gangs for ownership; history of current head; play text and modern influences; audience and support of local people; when performed; explanation of terms soul-caking and soul-cake; Beelzebub character; elements of
surprise in the play; acting abilities; costumes; comedy/accidents during performance; children's fear of the horse; reference to local supernatural legend - Marbury Hall apparition; Marbury Dun (horse); horses' heads. [Tr. 5]
6 of 9.
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Physical and technical conditions
9.5cm/sec. High recording level - some distortion. Playback speed increases towards the end of Jim Wright's interview. Adjusted on AC copy but still runs fast.
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