michael sam wild Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 (edited) In my latest Folk Music Journal Nov 2010 (EFDSS Vol 10.No.1 page 131) is a short article by Gordon Ridgewell, there is a copy of a photo ( from Illustrated Chronicle 31 May, 1921) of this NE sword team taking part in a distress fund procession. There was also a pic of North Walbottle Soup K.itchen. Mr John Hall of Westerhope is mentioned as a musician (English Concertina). He is on the photo I don't know if this can be found online . Maybe this was in the post WW1 depression that met the heroes and their families Edited December 3, 2010 by michael sam wild Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael sam wild Posted December 7, 2010 Author Share Posted December 7, 2010 That depression my account for the activity of those rapper dancers on Gav Davs post off Pathe News. Maybe hard times brought people out to play, sing and dance for a few bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael sam wild Posted December 11, 2010 Author Share Posted December 11, 2010 They interspresed shots of that archive pic with some current rapper men on the BBC 4 show with the Unthank sidters last night on BBC4. Well worth a catch up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inventor Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 I was at King's College Newcastle 1958-62, and an enthusiastic member of the Morris Dance Club. During my time there the Squire, Bill Cassie (Professor of Civil Engineering) brought along the Musician who had played for the Westerhope rapper dancers, with his English-concertina. I don't remember his name but I guess it was the musician named above. At that time we performed the North Wallbottle dance with the Tommy and Bessie joining in at the end. The Westerhope dance differed slightly from the N-W dance, in particular a spare dancer joined in at the end not the T & B. This musician no longer played, and presented his instrument to Bill Cassie. Inventor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inventor Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 The 1930s depression did bring out a bit of a revival of Rapper dancing in the North-east, with a number of teams including for instance Prudhoe, and Mickley who weren't around in Cecil Sharp's collecting days. It was a case of anything you could do for a few pennies to buy food to keep your family from starvation! Fred Foster from High Spen Rapper told us of how they danced all the way down to London, and being very well received and accomodated by EFDSS groups. They made very much more than they could have made "doon the pit". Inventor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael sam wild Posted January 28, 2011 Author Share Posted January 28, 2011 Nice first hand information. Where would that concertina be now i wonder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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