Dave Prebble

Many thanks to Mark & Joan for all their hard work in organising such a cracking weekend - and thanks to each and everyone all who cane and shred songs tunes and stories - I so enjoy meeting old friends and making new ones and the Bradfield 'gathering' really is the highlight of my year. One nice little happenstance .... I sing very very rarely these day due to big malfunctions in my 'memory department', but in one of the sessions the 'urge' came upon me. Of the many the songs I know (well, half remember), by strange chance, I chose a song I learned from a cassette recording I made from the BBC Folkweave 35 or so years ago. The song was 'Both sexes give ear to my fancy, a rare variant of 'When Adam was first created ' and was sung by Isca Fayre. I was surprised to get a timely prompt when I lost track of a line, and found it quite spooky to find out I was sat next to one of the two members of Isca Fayre who now (unbeknownst to me) sing in the Claque. What a fluke that all those years later II chose that particular song at that particular time. I'm already looking forward to next year Dave PS typo in first line should read ' came and shared ' .... made me smile so I've left it in

Hi Dave I would think Black is the best all-round bet. The Buckingham Green would look well on green bellows - far less common though, than the black I still have a very nice 32 key C/G Jones completely restored - all except for the papers so I await your decision with interest Cheers Dave

The right key might help him through Dave

Hi Folks Dropped onto this little piece while researching something else Shame we can't get the same level of punishment from today's wishy-washy Courts Lucky for him it was just a cheap concertina ! (£0.40) be good and be lucky Dave ------------------------------------------------------------------------- From the Old Bailey Proceedings, 10th May 1858. Reference Number: t18580510-514 514. DAVID JACOBS (18) , Stealing 1 concertina, value 8s.; the goods of Alexander Van Wurden. MORRIS LEWIS . I am assistant to Alexander Van Wurden, a warehouseman, of 18, Houndsditch. On 22d April, in the afternoon, I was in the shop, packing up a concertina, and saw some one walking out of the shop, who I had not seen in it—I ran to the door, and saw the prisoner going across the road, with something under his arm—I ran after him, and he ran away into some strange house—I called a policeman, and went in, and found the prisoner in the parlour, with this concertina in his hand; it is my master's—Ibrought him out and gave him to the policeman. Prisoner. I bought it in Rosemary Lane. Witness. It was safe in the shop not one minute before, and I found you in the house with it, five minutes after seeing you in the shop. JOHN BROOKS (Citypoliceman, 666). I was called by Lewis, and ran after the prisoner down Aldgate—I pursued him to the house; Lewis got in before me, and I met him and the prisoner, with the concertina, in the passage. GUILTY .—He was further charged with having been before convicted. WILLIAM SMITH . I produce a certificate—(Read: "Mansion House, London, Oct., 1857; David Jacobs, Convicted, on his own confession, of stealing 1l. 6s., of his master; Confined six months")—the prisoner is the person; I had him in custody—he had only been out a few days when he committed this offence. GUILTY.—The Governor of Newgate, and the Governor of Holloway Gaol, gave him a very bad character. Three Years Penal Servitude. http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?path=sessionsPapers%2F18580510.xml

I had a pad fall off in a session at Bradfield this year.... no glue available ... a small blob of Blutack cadged from the pub Landlord ... did the job a treat. .... hmmm... come to think of it, I can't remember if I ever got round to doing the job properly ??? I've seen many pads attached with chewing gum, sealingwax, candle wax & all manner of other unidentifiable materials ... even had a box in recently where most of the pads were cemented on using glaziers putty .... easier to put on than remove, I can tell you! Once had a twenty key lachenal where all the springs had been replaced using fairly heavy duty safety pins, nice neat job mind you. You needed pretty strong fingers to knock a tune out of that one but the overall effect of such a heavy action was to make it play a bit like a single row Hohner melodion .... very 'snappy' Dave

Like I said - Try as I might, I can't do dots at all ... I just play it! The only 'measure' I ever knew was 'a pint' ...... and even that is denied me now Can anyone who knows the tune offer corrections please ??? Dave

Hmm .... that would be me playing I guess I play by ear as you know and can't do the dots at all but the following abc was dotted out by a friend and based on how I remember the tune from the playing of Jim Harding, about 30 odd years ago. Don't know where Jim's original source material came from, and sadly he died a few years back, so I can't ask him now. Hope you can make sense of it .... it is a cracking tune X:1 T:Jinky Wells 'Harvest Home' N:As remembered from the playing of Jim Harding in about 1980. N:Where Jim got this tune I know not, but he always referred to it as Jinky Wells' Harvest Home Q:1/4=160 I:abc2nwc M:4/4 L:1/8 K:G |G2BB A2GG|F2G2A2AA|A2c2B2A2|GFGA B3A| G2B2d2gg|g2d2e2ge|d2B2c2AA|G2B2G4:| B B2d2g3|g g2d2e3-|e e3f g2a2| (3fgf d2d4| Bc d2g4|g2f2e2e4|A3B c2d2| (3(cdc) B2B4| G2BB B2dd|d2c2A4|F2AA c2ee|e2d2B4| G2BB d2gg|g2d2e2ge|d2B2c2A2|G2B2G4|] Dave P

I still claim the record for the deepest concertina playing at 4200 feet below ground in a coal mine. These Mad Geezers have gone in totally the opposite direction !! Vertical Sailing Greenland Enjoy !! Dave P

Eh Up Alan, I put the pans back in the box whenever possible and bolt up. When I'm working on the bellows and the pans and ends will be off for some time, they are clamped up and the whole kit and kaboodle put in a sealed poly bag in a cool bottom drawer. when a pan has to be on the bench, I keep it off the impervious worktop surface by standing it on a low cylinder cut from a sturdy cardboard roll. This helps keep the humidity the same on both sides of the pan. Do remember to keep them out of the sun or they can curl up like crisps in a very short time. The action board/endframe assemblies are just as liable to warp so look after them as well. A lot of pans already have a degree of warp in them so when I start work on a box, I always put the pan flat on the bench and give it the 'rock test' If there is any rock I shave a sliver of wood till it just fits under the 'gap'. This way I can check as I go on, whether any further movement is taking place. Just occasionaly there is, and I have to put the job aside to a drier and/or cooler day. looking forward to you playing Springtime in Battersea on it next time at Bradfield be good and be lucky Dave

Much the same with 'C/G' Jeffries I'll hazard a wild guess that perhaps a third of such instruments today, when closely inspected, were originally Bb/F (I can hear the rustle of screwdrivers whipping off endplates from here ) Dave

Well, apparently not. Being impatient, I just removed this and the drone key is now working fine - I'm now simply puzzled as to why it might have been installed in the first place. Of all the novelty buttons, bells, baby cries and squeakers, the asthmatic cow button is by far the rarest - and you have gone & wrecked it - Vandal!! Dave

Couldn't agree more Greg I had my own disasters with both neatsfoot oils and saddle soap many, many years ago. If you are stuck with a tin of neatsfoot oil, Alan, either buy a pair of pit boots or swap your armchair for a saddle Cheers Dave

Diddley diddley diddliy i did ...... only faster than I can type it Dave

Hi Guys, I use either 22 SWG = 0.711mm / 0.0280" (28 thou) or 23 SWG = 0.609mm / 0.0240" (24 thou) for a lighter spring. Spring grade phosphor bronze wire. A piano or harpsichord specialist suppliers should be able to supply you in small quantities Dave 0.025" = approx 0.63mm as per my vernier caliper readout and my failing eye sight . Mike

Hi Dick, I remember Pete Dickey telling me that the band arose many many years ago from a regular music session at the .... wait for it.... 'Moorcock Inn' up in the wild lands of the Wear Valley. He did mention the Tina players name but my feeble brain has lost it. Cheers Dave

Hi Dick, Just saw this thread and was beginning to get paranoid that your Lasher might have taken offence at the key change and spontaneousely retuned itself back to Ab/Eb regards Dave

Most distressing news. My condolences to his family, friends and his close team of colleagues at Buttonbox. While we never met, we corresponded on many issues regarding repairs and restoration am I shall miss his wise and cheerfully given advice. I am hopeful that his friends at Buttonbox will be able to carry forward Richards sterling work. Dave Prebble

Couldn't get the link to work properly but sounds like Planxty Irwin to me Try searching under ' Josefin's Dopvals ' or Josefin's Waltz (Josefin's christening waltz) The tune was penned by a Swedish fellow called Roger Tallroth who played with the group Väsen. A beautiful waltz. Do resist the urge to speed it up. Played slowly, it is a haunting tune, and a Concertina & Cello combination really sounds special. Cheers Dave

..... or have a cupboard under the stairs crammed full with half used jars of mustard ? Dave

Let sleeping dogs lie - works just fine I would say. Dave

Hi Dave, I've seen a couple over the years. The last one was similar vintage but a 20 key. Not too impressed with the quality of the reeds I remember. Perhaps a short lived experiment on Lachenal's part ?? Regards Dave P

Eh Up Al, Do I hear rumours about a new tune from your pen ?? "The chocolate Dogsbody" Dave

If you are looking for a perfect companion for the Westmoreland waltz, try the Sommervals Dave ......................................... X: 1 T: Sommarvals M: 3/4 L: 1/8 R: waltz K: Gmaj |:d2c2|B3A G2|A4F2|G6|E3FE2|D2G2A2|c4B2|B2A2G2|A2d3c| B3A G2|A4F2|G6|E3FE2|D2E2G2|G4F2|G6|G2:| |:F2G2|A3AA2|A2F2D2|c6|B3AG2|E2ABc2|d3cBA|G2F2G2|A2B3A| G3AG2|F3GF2|E3FE2|D2G2A2|1B3AG2|A2d2F2|G6|G2:|2c3BAG|A2d2F2|G6|G2|| Recorded by Frifot (Per Gudmundson, Ale Moller, Lena Willemark) on the album Jarven. Also recorded by Old Swan Band and Andrew & Margaret Watchorn

Hey Dave, From what I've seen, you've already more than made up for your past sins! But hey, what the heck .... we all needed a hobby! Anyway, who amongst us could not be shamed, by someone producing a YouTube of some very embarrassing moment from our teens? And if this particular memory of yours is but a substance or alcohol induced phantasy, hey, don't worry, it could be worse, you could be imagining yourself doing something REALLY REALLY outrageous ......... like voting TORY! Hey Dave, I know the Royal Mail aren't perfect, but I hope that's not how a certain Ab/Eb Lachenal arrived at your door? Fear not old chap. It arrived in one piece with strains of 'Onward Christian Soldiers', eminating from the parcel. be in touch soon Dave

Eh Up Dick, Glad to say I cannot recall personally ever having burned a concertina, though my playing has left scorch marks on a few I do look back with embarrassment on the wanton destruction I took part in in the sixties. At most village fetes around Sussex, there would be a competition for the adults to smash up pianos, by any means, into lumps small enough to pass through a toilet seat. The accompanying event for juniors was to smash up a concertina into pieces that would fit through an inch & a quarter napkin ring. I took part in this event more times than I now care to remember, and always recall just how tough Jeffries reed pans were to break up! ..... by contrast, Edeophones were a cinch Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa Regards Dave P Hi Dave, I can understand the smashing up of Pianos, especially given that it's so hard to get rid of an old one, or even a half decent one, these days. Nobody wants them. However, sad to hear about the Tina smashing. Now if it were Piano Accordions, I could get into that, big time! Cheers Dick Hi Ptarmi, The deep sense of shame and guilt I now must bear, is only eased a little by Amitriptylene and the ministrations of skilled psychotherapists. I am trying to redress the balance but know that I am doomed to pass my days repenting my sins and serving out a lifetime of penance rebuilding concertinas from bags of scrap. Dave ps .... it is April the first isn't it ??? .... Nurse, Nurse, .... is it time for my pills yet ???