This, in brief, is the story of English fairs, through songs, readings, and interviews with fairground people. The musicians are Jeff Giddings, Mike Studd and Colin Cater. The voices you'll hear are those of Dennis Rookard, Annie Harding, Peter Billinge, Colin Cater, Roger Johnson, and the people of Charlie Ives’ Travelling Fair.
"Many larger towns host travelling fairs at specific times of the year. Frequently the fairground is on an area of common land and has a history extending back to the Middle Ages. For example, St Giles' Fair has been held in St Giles', Oxford since the consecration of St Giles' Church in 1200. In Cambridge, the Midsummer Fair is held on Midsummer Common, an ancient area of common land to the northeast of the city centre.
"Funfairs in England, Scotland and Wales are not the property of one owner, but a collaborative effort between families of fairground travelers. Showmen, as they are known, are proud of their heritage, the received wisdom being that one cannot just become a showman, but must be born into it. This by definition makes running fairgrounds a family business, and family names are synonymous with fairgrounds in certain areas. e.g. Breeze, Hirst, Fleming, Vanner, Hatwell, Atha, Danter, Marshalls, etc., in the North, and Thurston's, Stocks, Harris and Hedges in the South.
"Since the late 19th century, fairgrounds in the UK have been run by the Showmen's Guild of Great Britain. Unusual for an industrial body, membership is awarded exclusively on a hereditary basis." -- adapted from Wikipedia
The songs are "Johnny’s So Long at the Fair" (trad), "Bartholomew Fair" (trad), "Copshawholme Fair" (trad), "Ramble Away" (trad), "Weyhill Fair" (trad), "Newton Fair" (Martin Graebe), "Rawtenstall Annual Fair" (R P Weston & Bert Lee) and "The Pulling Down Song" (John Tams).
"Johnny's So Long at the Fair" was recorded in 1982 and broadcast on the Essex Radio folk programme.
(The link will take you to the Hosiprog store. To listen or download, left-click on the programme title.) http://1drv.ms/1ohFbiS
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