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Holme Valley Tradition

Recorded by David Bland between November 1972 and September 1973.

Singers

Frank Beaumont [6, 9], Barry Bridgewater [1, 3, 6], Jim Brookes [3], Cyril Ford [4, 6], Leslie Garside [10], Frank Hinchliffe [6, 8], Arthur Howard [6, 11], Stuart Kay [5]

Tracks

Side 1

  1. On a Fine Hunting Morn
  2. Castle Hill Anthem
  3. Old Snowball
  4. The Scent Was Good
  5. The Brown Hare of Whitebrook

Side 2

  1. Gossip John
  2. The Hounds Are Out
  3. Joe the Carrier’s Lad
  4. Some Gentlemen Take Great Delight
  5. Doctor Mack
  6. Holmfirth Anthem

Track 1 sung by Barry Bridgewater at The Stanhope Arms, Dunford Bridge, Yorkshire, 17 November 1972;
Tracks 2, 7 recorded at The Stanhope Arms, Dunford Bridge, Yorkshire, 17 November 1972;
Track 3 sung by Barry Bridgewater and Jim Brookes at the Village Hall, Upperthong, Yorkshire, 24 March 1973;
Track 4 sung by Cyril Ford at the Village Hall, Upperthong, Yorkshire, 24 March 1973;
Track 5 sung by Stuart Kay at the Village Hall, Upperthong, Yorkshire, 24 March 1973;
Track 6 sung by Frank Beaumont, Barry Bridgewater, Cyril Ford, Frank Hinchliffe and Arthur Howard at The Stanhope Arms, Dunford Bridge, Yorkshire, 17 November 1972;
Track 8 sung by Frank Hinchliffe at The Stanhope Arms, Dunford Bridge, Yorkshire, 17 November 1972;
Track 9 sung by Frank Beaumont at the Village Hall, Upperthong, Yorkshire, 24 March 1973;
Track 10 sung by Leslie Garside at the Village Hall, Upperthong, Yorkshire, 24 March 1973;
Track 11 sung by Arthur Howard at the Village Hall, Upperthong, Yorkshire, 24 March 1973

Sleeve Notes by David Bland

The rich tradition which surrounds hunting in the British Isles includes a body of sound which is capable of appealing even to those whose inclination is strongly against blood sports. This record includes the singing of one of the more unusual English hunts, unusual that is if your mental image of a hunt includes imperious fox-chasing horsemen, riding rough-shod and redcoated over gently undulating, lush countryside. The Holme Valley hunting ground is high in the Pennines. Horses are not used and foxes are not hunted, but after a good day’s hunting they do enjoy an evenings good singing and it is from some of these evenings that this record is made.