Weaver’s Daughter

2015
03.10

A Boden tune here as Jon says, “After setting this lyric from Folk Songs Of The Upper Thames I then heard Will Noble sing a Yorkshire version with a not entirely dissimilar tune. Fay has now taken this on and improved my melody somewhat.”

Intriguingly this is another that appears in Sussex from George “Pop” Maynard, as well as the Thames Valley and interestingly to back up Jon’s comment Sheffield. If the notes at Mainly Norfolk are anything to go by, then this was a widespread and therefore you would think, popular broadside. It seems odd therefore that many collectors apparently ignored it and even Mudact is lacking. I must say I like Jon’s tune for this, although feel rather sorry for the poor lass. Mind you, perhaps she just didn’t fancy him.

 

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55 Responses to “Weaver’s Daughter”

  1. Dick Ansell says:

    A close version can be found on the Yorkshire Garland Group’s website as “The Poor Old Weaver’s Daughter”. The site is new to me, I found it following today’s very good contribution by Jon

  2. Jane Ramsden says:

    Here’s the Yorkshire Garland link with Roger Hinchcliffe singing a more obviously traditional type of tune that one might expect for such a song:

    http://www.yorkshirefolksong.net/song_database/search.aspx?Query=poor+old+weaver%27s+daughter&FieldSelector=Title&search.x=38&search.y=9

    I much prefer Jon’s version, which seems to capture the spirit of the message more. In my view, that’s less about turning the lad down for love rather than money, but more about educated Yorkshire grit of obligation to your family, doing what’s right and putting another’s need before your own. What a star! No Yorkshire woman can be bought! Of course, she might just not have fancied the lad… hahahahaha!

  3. Reynard says:

    I have a record of *Frank* Hinchliffe (In Sheffield Park: Traditional Songs from South Yorkshire) with this song on it. There is a snippet on a University of Aberdeeb festival page that shows their relation:

    “Roger Hinchliffe, son of the legendary Frank Hinchliffe, was brought up on a small beef farm on the outskirts of Sheffield. He sings his father’s songs and those he learnt from his mother’s brother, the late Stanley Marsden. It was not until his father died in 1995 that Roger sang in public, but since then he has performed at several festivals.”

  4. Diana says:

    An interesting song and proves that not everyone can be bought with money. The lass obviously loves her father, and as Simon said she may not have fancied the would-be suitor.

    I would love to go to Aberdeeb – wonder where it is.

  5. Reynard says:

    Just another typo; I meant Aberdeen of course.

    Some other blogs allow editing one’s recent posts; it’s a pity that this isn’t possible here…

  6. Muzza(NW Surrey.UK) says:

    Excellent.as was Fay’s rendition on Mainly Norfolk…and a special acknowledgement to the excellent violin playing on that video….musicians often get overlooked.

  7. Diana says:

    Only teasing you. I knew where you meant. I have often wished that one could edit, invariably after one has hit the submit button. Especially when I realise what rubbish I have written sometimes as I don’t seem to be able to type what I am thinking in a coherent fashion.

  8. Reynard says:

    Muzza, that beautiful violin player is Sam Sweeney who not only is with the Fay Hield Trio and with Bellowhead, but also plays in a duo with Hannah James (known from Kerfuffle and Lady Maisery — sometimes the Sheffield scene looks like musical polygamy ;-)). Look out for their second CD State and Ancientry that is due early next month.

  9. Diana says:

    Sam also plays violin with Jon and the Remnant Kings. Along with Paul Sartin who is also an adept violinist.

  10. Jane Ramsden says:

    Very lovely and rather sad, but not so sad as the tale about the Calton Weavers I posted 2 days ago. However, it gives a clue as to why the weaver needs his daughter in old age after hard work and low wages, no pension, fear of the workhouse etc!

    Mention of Hannah James and Sam Sweeney is very appropriate, as I was going to give Otley Courthouse a little plug today. Looking through their Apr-July brochure, I note Sam & Hannah are playing there on Sun 13 May. There are other treats for those in the locality:

    Vin Garbutt – Sun 1 Apr
    Roger Davies, The Yorkshire Songwriter – Fri 20 Apr
    Eve Loiseau doing Piaf, The Songs – Thurs 26 Apr
    Christine Collister – Sun 6 May
    Jez Lowe & The Bad Pennies – Thurs 7 June

    – to mention but some! Great little gig for those who live nearby, but don’t know it:

    http://www.otleycourthouse.org.uk/

  11. Jan says:

    Hello folks, it’s me and I’m back, although maybe briefly as I’ve been proper poorly and am not yet fully sorted.

    Have just booked a place in a singing workshop with Lady Maisery here in sunny Lincolnshire, followed by a concert, and am well looking forward to it!

    Muzza, you’ve asked me to post singing efforts on YouTube in the past. Not up to that yet, but have just treated self to an iPad and am experimenting with video. If you would like to contact me at janlimback@hotmail.com I will attempt to send you something!

  12. Diana says:

    I have always wondered how you put those little yellow smiley faces onto a site. Can someone tell me please.

  13. Jane Ramsden says:

    Hi Jan! Glad you are back. Sorry to hear you’ve been proper poorly, and hope music will help you mend!

    Yes, Reynard, please share smiley face info!

  14. Reynard says:

    Why, I didn’t know that this forum used smileys so I just used the text representation semicolon hyphen parenthesis. The forum software automagically changed this into the winking smiley. Try it for yourself and enter the sequence colon hyphen parenthesis 🙂

    Jan, I’m so envious that you are singing with Lady Maisery! I’m sure just the thought of that will make you recover soon.

  15. Diana says:

    Thank you Reynard for this informaion – unfortunately nothing happened when I attempted it. ;-():-() Obviously I am not reading your instructions correctly.

  16. Reynard says:

    Try just the right or closing parenthesis, not both parentheses, i.e. ‘:’ ‘-‘ ‘)’. And the smiley won’t be shown in the input field when you type these characters, only after you submitted the text.

    Now I’m trying if this works too 🙂

  17. Reynard says:

    Yup. I just typed a colon, the word ‘smile’ and another colon.

  18. Diana says:

    Here I go again – wish me luck 🙂

  19. Diana says:

    Marvellous – thanks very much Reynard 🙂

  20. Diana says:

    @ Jane I managed it so now it’s your turn, I shall be putting these up from time to time now that Reynard explained it to me. ;smile:

  21. Diana says:

    @ Jane it went wrong that time so try again 🙂

  22. Muzza(NW Surrey.UK) says:

    @Blimey………..all these colons etc……
    thought I’d stumbled across a medical dictionary for a moment !

  23. Muzza(NW Surrey.UK) says:

    gotta have a go… ‘:’ ‘-‘ ‘)’ fingers crossed

  24. Muzza(NW Surrey.UK) says:

    smile damn you smile’-‘

  25. Diana says:

    Muzza, my lad, put a colon 🙂 then it should work. If my memory serves me well it should, lets face it I haven’t tried it for 12 hours or so. 🙂

  26. Diana says:

    Trouble is Muzza it works but the explanation doesn’t t help you cos I have now put up 2 of them. Try again. The colon next to the L then the word smile then the colon again altogther no gaps between.

  27. Muzza(NW Surrey.UK) says:

    🙂

  28. Muzza(NW Surrey.UK) says:

    Ta daaaaa:smile:

  29. Diana says:

    Greaaaaaat – they will be popping up all over the place now won’t they. Lots of lovely smiles. All thanks to Reynard. 🙂

  30. Reynard says:

    Oooh I’ve unleashed a beast 😳

  31. Diana says:

    Yes I believe you have. Is that one above a “cross” one or a “blushing” one? Or just “fed up” with us?

  32. Reynard says:

    Blushing, of course. Fed up would be 🙄 or 😡

  33. Diana says:

    Shall have to attempt both of those some time, if I am able to work out how to do them. I am not often “fed up” so shan’t use that one, but the “blushing” one may come in handy if I write the wrong thing. I do love the first with the eyes. :blushing:

  34. Diana says:

    Didn’t work oh dear me!

  35. Muzza(NW Surrey.UK) says:

    😈 thanks for the link Reynard…..you have indeed unleashed a beast. I will retire gracefully from the fray if my latest attempt backfires!

  36. Diana says:

    Muzza that’s very fitting seeing what a little devil you are. Definitely an evil face.
    Here’s hoping this one works. 😀

  37. Diana says:

    You have the patience of Job Reynard, Your must have been bored rigid with all these little yellow faces. Decided you are 😎

  38. Jane Ramsden says:

    OMG… and I do not think the evil/twisted smileys should look like cats! T’is all wrong!

  39. Reynard says:

    Jon wrote: “Fay has now taken this on.” Not only that but it will be on Fay’s CD Orfeo which will be released at the end of May (I just found a tracklist on Sam Sweeney’s site). Only seven weeks to wait…

  40. Muzza (N.W.Surrey-UK) says:

    Couldn’t resist seeing if I have still got it….and I won’t know until I press submit….suspense is killing me..here goes…
    😉

  41. Muzza (N.W.Surrey-UK) says:

    Couldn’t resist seeing if I have still got it….and I won’t know until I press submit….suspense is killing me..here goes… 😉

  42. Muzza (N.W.Surrey-UK) says:

    Is there an echo in here? 😉

  43. Diana says:

    Hi Muzza you have got a good memeory I have learnt a few more faces since . 😎 😀

  44. Old Muzza(N.W surrey.UK) says:

    ‘smile’……………….back to the drawing board!!!

  45. Diana says:

    You have forgotten Muzza, see if I remember any. I do know one 😀

  46. Old Muzza(N.W surrey.UK) says:

    🙁

  47. Old Muzza(N.W.Surrey.UK) says:

    😳

  48. Old Muzza(N.W.Surrey.UK) says:

    Ha………..still works…..hope that ‘ roll’ will appear when I close this comment
    🙄 I must get back to listening to the song and that fiddle playing

  49. old Muzza(N.W.Surrey.UK) says:

    blimey little things please little minds……I can’t even be bothered to have a go at smile this year….but I am a happy little fellow…
    (even though today is the anniversary of when my ex wife left me back in 1991,)

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