Subject: Lyr Add: COPSHAWHOLME FAIR From: Date: 09 Sep 97 - 12:46 PM COPSHAWHOLME FAIR On a fine evenin' fair in the month of Avril O'er the hill came the man with the bythe sunny smile And the folks they were throngin' the roads everywhere Makin' haste to be in at Copshawholme Fair I've seen 'em a' comin' in from the mountains and glens Those rosy-faced lasses and strappin' young men With a joy in their heart and unburdened o' care A' meetin' old friends at Copshawholme Fair There are lads for the lasses there's toys for the bairns There tumblers and jugglers and folks with no arms There's a balancing act here and a fiddler there There are nut-men and spice-men at Copshawholme Fair There are peddlers and potters and gingerbread stands There are peepshows and poppin-darts in the green caravan There's fruit from all nations exhibited there With kale plants from Orange at Copshawholme Fair When the hirin's, o'er off they all sprang Into the ballroom for to join in the throng And "I Never Will Lie With My Mammy Nae Mair" The fiddles play briskly at Copshawholme Fair Transcribed from "The King -- The Best of Steeleye Span" |
Subject: RE: LYR ADD: Copshawholme Fair From: Jerry Friedman Date: 09 Sep 97 - 10:37 PM In the second line, is "bythe" some Scots word I don't know (there are a lot), or is it a typo for "blythe" (blithe)? |
Subject: RE: LYR ADD: Copshawholme Fair From: Date: 10 Sep 97 - 12:04 AM 'month of Avril' is a new one to me, too. |
Subject: Lyr Add: COPSHAWHOLME FAIR From: Alan of Australia Date: 10 Sep 97 - 07:11 AM G'day, I hear it as follows:-
COPSHAWHOLME FAIR
On a Friday it fell in the month of Avril
I've seen 'em a' comin' in from the mountains and glens
There are lads for the lasses there's toys for the bairns
There are peddlers and potters and gingerbread stands
When the hirin's, o'er off they all sprang Also, when Tim Hart and Maddy prior sang it on their own there were about 3 more verses. I'll type them up & post them sometime soon. They sing 'Avril' both times. In the meantime here is another version. From "Traditional Tunes" - Kidson, 1891, republished 1970. I'm surprised it's not 'Avril' here.
COUPSHAWHOLME FAIR
On a Friday it fell in the month of April,
They were seen coming in frae the mountains and glen,
It's a day when auld courtships are often renewed,
There's pedlars and potters and gingerbread stands,
There's lads for the lasses, and toys for the bairns,
Now next is the hiring, if you want to hear tell,
The first I saw hired was a strapping young queen,
Cheers, |
Subject: RE: LYR ADD: Copshawholme Fair From: Shula Date: 10 Sep 97 - 07:51 AM If there's a linguist about, could you elucidate the Gaelic/Gallic "Avril" connection? Shula |
Subject: Tune Add: COPSHAWHOLME FAIR From: Bruce Date: 10 Sep 97 - 10:51 AM Kidson noted that the song was a Scots one, reputedly by a Robert Anderson, and further, thought that he might be missing one or more verses. He identifed Coupshawholme as a local name for Castleton. In ABC format, here is Kidson's tune, which he took to be an old one. |
Subject: RE: LYR ADD: Copshawholme Fair From: Alan of Australia Date: 10 Sep 97 - 12:32 PM I'm no linguist but I wouldn't have thought that a French word was all that uncommon in old English or particularly Scottish dialects. Cheers, |
Subject: RE: LYR ADD: Copshawholme Fair From: Shula Date: 10 Sep 97 - 01:15 PM Had the same view, but wanted to check with someone more knowledgeable because of Jerry's comment. Shula |
Subject: Lyr Add: COPSHAWHOLME FAIR From: Alan of Australia Date: 16 Sep 97 - 11:56 AM Here is the complete song as sung by Tim Hart and Maddy Prior (approx.) It turns out there were 6 more verses. COPSHAWHOLME FAIR
On a Friday it fell in the month of Avril
I've seen 'em a' comin' in from the mountains and glens
There are lads for the lasses there's toys for the bairns
There are peddlers and potters and gingerbread stands
And now 'bout the hiring if you want to hear tell
The first I saw hired was a strapping young queen,
Just then the pit lass stood a wee while and gloom
Says he, "But m'lass that's a very big wage."
He took out a shilling for to hold the pit wench
When the hirin's, o'er off they all sprang
Now this is the fashion they thus pass the day Cheers, |
Subject: RE: LYR ADD: Copshawholme Fair From: GUEST,Chris Date: 23 Aug 06 - 11:03 AM Surely the kail-plants will be from HAWICK, in the Scottish Borders, not from Harwich? Cheers Chris |
Subject: RE: LYR ADD: Copshawholme Fair From: ard mhacha Date: 23 Aug 06 - 11:42 AM A great song well performed by SteelEye Span, could Avril not be April, the hiring fairs usually took place in early May and October. |
Subject: Lyr Add: COPSHAWHOLME FAIR From: The Borchester Echo Date: 23 Aug 06 - 11:51 AM Jon Boden sings 'April' on Bellow. From the sleevenotes: A wonderful insight into the world of the hiring fair - a mixture of malevolence and youthful exuberance - perhaps not so different from their descendants, the modern-day fun fair. On a Friday it fell in the month of April On a hill came the sun with a blythe sunny smile And the folks were a thronging the roads everywhere Making haste to be in at Copshawholme Fair I've seen them coming in over mountain and glen Both rosy faced lasses and strapping young men With a joy in their hearts and unburdened of care They'll be meeting old friends at Copshawholme Fair There's lads for the lasses, there's toys for the bairns There are fiddlers and tumblers and folks with no arms There's a balancer here and a fiddler there And a nut man and spice man at Copshawhome Fair Oh but now about the hiring if you want to hear tell You should ken it as far as I've seen it mysel' What wages they adle it's ill to declare The muckle they vary at Copshawholme Fair Justielle I have seen, she's a strapping young queen And he asked what her age was and where she had been What work she'd been doing - how long she'd been there What wages she wanted at Copshawholme Fair Just then the big lass stood a wee while in gloom Then she turned and she scraped with her feet on the ground Then she plucked up her heart and did stoutly declare I'll have five pound and ten at Copshawholme Fair He says but my lass that's a very big wage Then he turned him about like he'd been in a rage Said I'll give you five pound but I'll give you nae mair But I think you will take it at Copshawholme Fair He put his hand in his pocket, took a hold of bit wench In case it should enter her hand for to flinch But she grabbed at it muttering I should have had mair But I think I shall take it at Copshawholme Fair Now the hiring is over and off they all gang In to the ballroom for to join in the thrang And I never shall lie with my mammy nae mair For the fiddlers play briskly at Copshawholme Fair (Trad. arr. Spiers & Boden) |
Subject: Lyr Add: COPSHAWHOLME FAIR From: jacko@nz Date: 23 Aug 06 - 08:17 PM Lots of versions here. Seems to me that the late Willie Scott (b. 1897), who learned the song from his mother, should get a mention. Willie, who was born into a shepherding family in the Borders, quite conceivably attended the Copshawholm Fair before it was last held in April 1912. (It was held on the second Friday of April or the Friday before the 17th of May). It was actually called the Castleton Hiring Fair. Myself, I finish with the spare four lines substituted into in the last whole verse instead of as shown Jack COPSHAWHOLM FAIR On a Friday it fell in the month of april Ower the hills cam the morn wi her blithesomest smile The folks were aa thranging the roads everywhere Makin haste tae be in at the Copshawholm Fair They were seen comin in frae the mountains and glens Baith rosie faced lassies and strappin young men Wi a joy in their hairts and unburdened wi care When meetin auld freens at the Copshawholm Fair 'Tis a day when auld courtships are often renewed Disputes set aside or more hotly pursued When Barleycorn Johnny sees fit tae declare Is law for he's king at Copshawholm Fair There are lads for the lassies and toys for the bairns There's blin' ballad singers and folk wi nae airms A fiddler is here an a thimbler is there Wi nutmen and spicemen at Copshawholm Fair There's pethers and pothers and gingerbread stans Peepshows, puff and darts an great caravans There's fruit frae a nations exhibited there And kale plants frae Hawick at the Copshawholm Fair Noo aboot the hirin if ye want tae hear tell Ye shall ken it as far as a've seen it masel That whit wages are gien, it's ill tae declare Sae muckle they vary at Copshawholm Fair Jist yin a hae seen, a strappin young quine Heard her speir whit her wage wis an whaur she had been Whit work she'd been daein an how lang she'd been there Whit wages she wanted at Copshawholm Fair At first the young lassie a wee while stood dumb She blushed an she scrappit her fit on the grun At last she took hairt and did stoutly declare A'll hae five pund and ten at Copshawholm Fair Says he "But ma lass that's a vera big wage' And turnin about as he'd been in a rage, says "A'll gie ye five pund, but A'll gie ye nae mair A think ye maun tak it this Copshawholm Fair He held oot a shillin tae arle the bit wench In case it should enter her noddle tae flinch She grab at it mutterin 'A shoulda haen mair But yet a will tak it at Copshawholm Fair Noo the hirin wis dune and aff they a sprang They've run tae the bar-room tae jine in the thrang "I never will lie wi my mammy nae mair" The fiddler plays briskly at Copshawhom Fair There's one in the corner sits drinkin his gill Another beside him sits sippin his yill Anithir is strippit an swearin richt sair Room will ye no gie me at the Copshawholm Fair Noo this is the fashion they thus passed the day Till nicht comes at last and they ellie away But some are sae sick that they canna dae mair Wi dancin and fechtin at Copshawholm Fair |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Copshawholme Fair From: Matthew Edwards Date: 25 Aug 06 - 04:46 PM Jack, that's a splendid version from Willie Scott; is that from Alison McMorland's book? Another person who deserves mention here is Robert Forrester of Carlisle who was recorded singing it in 1953 by Jack Little, although he had to wait until 1982 for the recording to be issued! Sue Allan discovered the recording in the archives in Carlisle Castle and issued it on a wonderful LP, 'Pass the Jug Round' and Veteran re-issued it on CD, VT142CD, in 2001. Robert Forrester's singing can also be heard on the Topic CD TSCD655 Come all my lads that follow the plough in the Voice of the People series. (In the same series there is a recording of him playing the song tune in waltz time on a mouth organ with the Alf Adamson Square Dance Band at Low Hesket village hall in 1956.) The Topic booklet gives a transcription of Robert Forrester's 12 verse version, but it leaves out the spoken introduction of the 1953 recording which is well worth adding here:- "My name is Robert Forrester, and I'll sing you this song of Copshawholme Fair; a song of the Border where my ancestors hail frae. It is the story of a country fair, and the hiring of farm servants. This air, played by my friend Norman Alford has, you may have noticed, a strong Scottish flavour. To do it with the tin whistle, much used at northern fairs in days gone by, matches the wildness of the border country." Robert and Norman collected and played many traditional Cumberland songs and tunes in the early 1950's, but this ended following Norman's early death from leukaemia in 1954. Robert had a successful career as a commercial artist with the Metal Box Company. He died in 1988; a recent exhibition of his art was held in Carlisle in 2004, and some more of his pictures are on display at Tullie House Museum in Carlisle. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: COPSHAWHOLM FAIR (David Anderson) From: GUEST,Sue Allan Date: 26 Oct 16 - 04:17 PM Just found this thread - had I done so earlier I could have answered some of the questions being posed, e.g. It is April not Avril, but pronounced in the Borders as Appril and the kale plants are indeed from Hawick. The song was written by David Anderson (NB NOT Cumberland dialect poet Robert Anderson), who was what English literature academics like to call a 'labouring class poet' from Newcastleton - or Copshawholm/Copshawholme, the old name of the lands were called on which the Duke of Buccleuch built the planned village of Newcastleton or Castleton in 1793. David Anderson published 'Copshawholm Fair' in his poetry collection Musings by the Burns and Braes of Liddesdale (C. Thurnam & Sons, Carlisle, 1868), in which he adds the note that says he composed the song some 38 years before, i.e. 1830, and notes that the hiring fair was an annual event. In fact, according to an 1880s Gazetteer hiring fairs were held here three times a year: second Friday of April, and Fridays before 17 May and 8 November. Another source says the last hiring fair was held in 1912. Newcastleton is also, of course, home to a fine Traditional Music Festival each year - 2017 will be the 48th festival and runs 30 June - 2 July. Anderson's words are copied below: COPSHAWHOLM FAIR by David Anderson [1] On a Friday it fell, in the month of April, Ower the hills cam' the morn, wi' her blithesomest smile, The folk were a' thranging the roads everywhere, Making haste to be in at the Copshawholm Fair.
[2] They are seen coming in frae mountain and glen,
[3] 'Tis a day when old courtships are aften renewed,
[4] There are lads for the lasses and toys for the bairns,
[5] There's pethers and potters, and gingerbread stan's,
[6] Now next 'bout the hiring, if you want to hear tell,
[7] Only ane I saw hired, a strappan young queen,
[8] At first the young lassie a wee while stood dumb,
[9] Says he, but my lass, that's a very big wage,
[10] He held out the shilling to arle the bit wench,
[11] Now the hiring is done, and off they a' spang,
[12] There is one in the corner sits drinking his gill,
[13] Now this is the fashion; they thus pass the day,
|
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Copshawholme Fair From: GUEST,Auldtimer Date: 26 Oct 16 - 05:09 PM Copshaholm is of course Newcastelton in the brders. Where this song was often to beheard. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Copshawholme Fair From: GUEST,Sue Allan Date: 27 Oct 16 - 11:26 AM One of my posts above explains that! Plus the fact that it was a model village built end of 18th century, and it has a Traditional Music Festival each year: next year's is 30 June-2 July. |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Copshawholme Fair (Steeleye Span) From: GUEST,diplocase Date: 03 Apr 23 - 06:29 PM ABOUT the pub game of “Puff the Dart” or “Puffing Darts” = Puff the dart was played by blowing small darts through a reed tube at a small target, scored similarly to modern darts. It was already considered old-fashioned by the time David Anderson wrote his poem in 1830. Has anyone traced the fiddle tune mentioned in Copshawholme Faire, namely, "I Never Will Lie With My Mammy No Mair" ? |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Copshawholme Fair (Steeleye Span) From: Dave the Gnome Date: 08 Apr 23 - 03:59 AM I've just found out via other means where Copshawholme is. I should have looked here first! :-) |
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Copshawholme Fair (Steeleye Span) From: GUEST Date: 08 Apr 23 - 11:32 PM "I Never Will Lie With My Mammy No Mair" ? Scottish origin? |
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