Sound Recording, Cheshire
Details
Type of record: Archive
Title: Sound Recording, Cheshire
Classmark: LAVC/SRE/A635r
Creator(s): England, Alan
Site Location(s): Subject - Northwich, Cheshire, England, United Kingdom( 53.2588, -2.52025 )
Date(s): 12 December 1970
Size and medium: 1 x 12.7cm open reel spool; Duration: 36' 52".
Persistent link: https://explore.library.leeds.ac.uk/special-collections-explore/414686
Collection group(s): Leeds Archive of Vernacular Culture
Description
William England, recorded at home in Northwich; recollects his involvement in the Cheshire [? Comberbach] soul-caking tradition; talks about soul-caking during World War One and the proceeds going towards soldiers' parcels; changes to the words/characters over time; learning the play parrot-fashion; 7 or 8 mummers in the group, house visiting; turnip lantern; the soul-caking song; choice of houses, farms, pubs to approach; sings the soul-caking song; the letter-in, and entering houses; describes the play (as performed by the informant, c. 1920), each of its characters, their costumes, props and actions, and recites the words they say (King George, Black Prince, Old Woman, the Doctor, Dairy Dout, Beelzebub, Horse and Driver); talks about fighting between rival mummers' groups for the Horse's head; reference to the Spinner and Bergamot pub in Comberbach; talks also of a local travelling show, sellers of cures at a local market, his father, the village water pump and a poem written by Egerton
Warburton; the village wedding tradition of roping (rope across the street to stop the bride and groom passing); practical jokes.
Biography or history
The collector was possibly a student at Eaton Hall College of Education, Retford.
Access and usage
Reproduction
Access
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Physical and technical conditions
9.5cm/sec.
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