Nowt so queer as folk

Benny Havens

Though it was good to see Geoff back in the fold last week, the flock was somewhat depleted from recent weeks. We hope we can build up a few more attendees, even if they aren't able to be there every week.

There was no official theme and Colin started us off with Benny Havens Oh! (Roud 15581). Benny Havens served as a first lieutenant in the British-American War of 1812. By 1832 he was living in a cottage at West Point, the United States Military Academy. Initially he sold ale, cider, and buckwheat cakes, later diversifying into stronger drinks which saw him expelled from the military reservation in 1832.

Shortly after his expulsion, Benny Havens opened a tavern about a mile and a half from cadet barracks. Cadets would illicitly visit the establishment. Havens died in 1877 and his tavern still exists but has been moved.

During the American Civil War the song was widely sung in the army, and many army verses were improvised. During the summer of 1865 when boatloads of returning soldiers passed Benny's daily, the bands would strike up 'Benny Havens, Oh!' while hundreds of voices joined in the song.

Singing Together

BBC Singing Together

In the unlikely event that the Substitute Scribe has any readers from among the Younger Generation he apologises to them for the obscurity of this week's title. Singing Together was an educational programme back in the days when the only multimedia presentations for school students were delivered by moving a 'portable' (i.e. capable of being lifted by two people) Bakelite radio from room to room.

For many of us, it was our first introduction to folk music, and it was remembered this week when Colin sang Grey Hawk (Roud 293), a song Derek recalled voting for (the only one in his class who did) at the end of term Eurovision Song Contest type vote for best song. John P then recalled from the same source, and sang, Lincolnshire Poacher (Roud 299).