Regular visitors to this blog will probably be aware of my fondness for the carolling tradition that continues to this day in the villages around Sheffield. A few weekends ago I made my first ever visit to a Sheffield carolling session – the Sunday lunchtime sing at the Royal Hotel in Dungworth. The pub was (literally) full to overflowing, the singing was lusty and joyful, and it felt so good to be able to join in old favourites like ‘Hark Hark What News’, ‘Jacob’s Well’ and ‘Diadem’ in their proper surroundings. So, my first visit, but definitely not my last.
I’d previously heard this piece on the double CD The Theme, The Song, The Joy, which I reviewed for last year’s Folk Music Journal. The album contains recordings made over the years at the biennial Festival of Village Carols organised by Ian Russell, including a 2014 recording of ‘Stannington’ sung by carollers from the Royal Hotel, with Manny Grimsley taking the solo. To be honest the song hadn’t made much impression on me, but the day after going to Dungworth I found it was lodged in my head. So I dug out the words, worked out the chords, took it down a tone and worked out the chords again, and decided I’d try to get a decent recording made in time for Christmas. Give it another year and I might be more on top of it, but this is a blog, not a CD – spontaneity rather than perfection is the name of the game.
Stannington being sung at the Royal Hotel, Dungworth.
I’m indebted to Dave Eyre for providing some background information on this song, via a comment left on Jon Boden’s A Folk Song a Day entry for December 21st 2010
Ian Russell writes in the book which accompanied the Dungworth CD [i.e. Hark, Hark! What News]:
Central to the tradition since the 1950’s usually as a solo. Written by the late Mina Dyson (born Gee – 1890 – also wrote “Bradfield” in 1971). Tune (c. 1945) originally set to anniversary hymn “God Send You Many Days as Sweet as This” by Edward Lockton. Word “Sing All Ye People” written for Christmas 1952.
I’d like to add that this was always sung by a man called Wilf Daff and Brian Shuel has two photographs of his doing just that, one in front of the dartboard and one next to the organ with David Smith playing He was a remarkable tenor singer and when people joined in at the last verse – often at a cry of “altogether” – his voice soared over the crowd. Truly memorable.
When Wilf stopped coming the song was taken over by Billy Mills who was one of the singers who came from the Lodge Moor area when David Smith began playing.
Happy Christmas one and all! Here’s to hope, and joy, and peace.
Stannington
Andy Turner – vocal, C/G anglo-concertina
A Folk Song a Week 