Lincolnshire Poacher

Subject: Lincolnshire Poacher
From:
Date: 19 Oct 96 - 03:18 PM

I am trying to determine the earliest known version of The Lincolnshire Poacher. I would like to find someone who can tell me what source they have found that has determined the age of this piece. I love it, but I won't let my Fife and Drum Corps play it, unless it comes from the 18th Century. Thanks for the help, in advance.

Mark Logsdon

Subject: Reasking the question
From: GUEST,Mark
Date: 21 Aug 00 - 07:48 PM

Are there a number of versions to this song?

Subject: RE: Lincolnshire Poacher
From: GUEST,Bruce O.
Date: 21 Aug 00 - 08:09 PM

That's usually not possible on songs from broadsides. It's #299 in Steve Roud's folk song and broadside indexes, and copies by Pitt and Catnach are of the 1st half of the 19th century. Northamptonshire seems to be found as the place more often then Lincolnshire. Search title/fist line/tune on the Bodley Ballads website (in Mucat's Links) for copies under several titles: Poachers, Bold Poachers, Shiny Night.

Subject: RE: Lincolnshire Poacher
From: GUEST,Bruce O.
Date: 21 Aug 00 - 08:55 PM

Robert Bell's headnote, 1857, about a copy printed at York about 1776, is reprinted in a book at Click Search there for "The Lincolnshire Poacher"

Subject: RE: Lincolnshire Poacher
From: GUEST,Bruce O.
Date: 21 Aug 00 - 08:58 PM

My blue clicky didn't work. Go to: www.geocities.com/~spanoudi/poems/ballads.html or click onto Bell's book on the SCA Minstrel website.

Subject: RE: Lincolnshire Poacher
From: GUEST,Mark
Date: 21 Aug 00 - 09:10 PM

The Lincolnshire Poacher (from http://www.geocities.com/~spanoudi/poems/TitleIdx/titles-l.html)

Apparently the original tune is that of a Lancashire air, well known as The Manchester Angel; but a florid modern tune has been substituted.

Does anyone know what the "Florid modern tune" is? I am off to look for the Manchester Angel.

Subject: RE: Lincolnshire Poacher
From: GUEST,Bruce O.
Date: 21 Aug 00 - 09:18 PM

"The Manchester Angel/ Lincolnshire Poacher" is in William Chappell's PMOT, p. 734, so the other is probably "The Lincolnshire Poacher" on p. 732. T

Subject: RE: Lincolnshire Poacher
From: GUEST,Mark
Date: 22 Aug 00 - 03:12 AM

Thanks Bruce.

Much appreciated.

Dont spose there's a web source for the above refs.

Subject: RE: Lincolnshire Poacher
From: GUEST,Bruce O.
Date: 22 Aug 00 - 03:30 PM

Wm. Chappell says the tune for "Manchester Angel" was used for "The Lincolnshire Poacher" in 'the North of England, and the site was changed from Lincolnshire to Lancashire.' The last one is the tune collected by W.P. Merick from a Mr. Hills at Shepperton in Nov., 1899.

X:1
T:The Manchester Angel
S:Chappell's PMOT, p. 734
Q:120
L:1/8
M:6/8
K:Eb
(E/F/)|G2 G (EF)G|A2FD2E|F2GE2E|\
(E3 E2)F|G2A (Bc)d|e2cA2B|cde d2 c|\
(B3B2)F|G2A (Bc)d|e2cA2B|cde d2c|\
(B3B2) E/F/|G2 G (EF)G|A2FD2E|F2GE2 E|||(E3E2)|]

X:2
T:The Lincolnshire Poacher
S:Chappell's PMOT, p. 732
Q:120
L:1/8
M:6/8
K:Em
E|G2 G (GF)E|(D2C) B,2 D|G2GA2F|\
(G3G2)D|G2AB2c|(d2B)G2A|B2B (BA)G|\
(A3A2)D|G2 AB2c|d2BG2A|B2B BAG|\
A3.B2A|G2G GFE|D2CB,2D|G2GA2F|(G3G2)|]

X:3
T:The Northamptonshire Poacher
S:JFSS I, #3, p. 118, 1901
Q:120
L:1/8
M:6/8
K:Cmix
G|F2EC2C|G3F2D|F2EC2C|(C3C2)C|F2FG2G|\
c3F2F|c2c=B2A|(G3G2)||C|F2FG2G|c3F2F|\
c2c (B3/2A/) B|G3G3|F2DC2C/ C/|G2AB2 G/ G/|F2EC2C|(C3C2)|]