Jack Elliot, morris and other matters

Jack Elliot of Birtley

We seem to be notching up an extra person each week at the moment, which is a good thing but it was from a very low base three weeks ago, so let's hope there is a jump in numbers soon. If you can't make it any other time in the near future, perhaps you will come along on 2 December, when we are not at our usual venue of The New Inn; we will be at our previous home of The Bridge, Shortwood (BS16 9NG).

Colin was MC and I was a little late, having been caught up in the closure of the ring road, so I am indebted to him for filling me in on the first two songs.

Derek started off the evening with The Oakley Strike Evictions (Tommy Armstrong). I think this may have been the start of Derek's self-imposed theme for the evening: songs connected with Jack Elliot of Birtley.

July on the Somme

Battle of the Somme 1916 - Prelude (Photo by Norman Date)

Last week's session saw novice MC, Simon attempting and not always succeeding to maintain control of the evening but we got there in the end and a total of 31 songs and tunes isn't too bad a tally. Normal service should be resumed this week.

Simon asked Derek to start which he did by saying that he has few July songs but offering Three Flowers, his version starting "As I was walking down the street one evening in July".

Another theme which emerged was the centenary of the start of the Battle of the Somme on 1 July 2016. Mike was first to contribute on this theme with Hanging On The Old Barbed Wire (Roud 9618).