Billy Bolton, Piper of the Dales

This edition is from our archives, so it is presented as scanned pages rather than text.

PIPES IN THE PRESS

The following item in the French Folk magazine “Tradition Vivante” was sent in by J. Goddard (Coventry, I’ve forgotten which one)!

“Le premier numero de Chanter, le journal de “Bagpipe Society” d’Angleterre est, je crois, de 40 pages convenues, aux cornemuses, c’est un amests? pour Les surveurs angl?” Bonnaire du Pas. I interview du flonzobazla, Domeorr, répertier les cornemuses, Elefeterschrift Small-pipes, partitions, copies de stiques, 102 cornemuses italiennes et une étude de répertoire possible pour la cornemuse du sud de l’Angleterre. Instrument disparu depuis plusieurs siècles, mais qui jouit d’un regain d’intérêt depuis quelques années." No. 11 Jan-Mars 1987

Fame at last! The particularly astute among you will notice that the above extract is not in English. This is not because I’m too lazy to translate it (well… partly) but because I see why we shouldn’t have the old article in another language. You will have noticed in my Musings (what? You never read them?) that I have invited Articles in languages other than English. The above is to prove my business! We are supposed to be an international organisation after all. The “translations bits are theirs not mine by the way (wouldn’t dream of it).

The following item was noticed by Judy in the Western Daily Press (she thinks):

“A judge yesterday summoned the leader of a band of Scottish pipers to appear before him when the whistling of bagpipes drowned out proceedings. The band, who had been tuning up outside Cambridge Crown Court in preparation for their concert in the city, were told to move out of earshot.”

Oh well, at least it’s something when the press actually admit that pipers do turn up. (Whether than being told to move out of earshot is supposed to count, mighty close to a few weeks back).

For further ramblings from the press, see the Lorient Festival item complete with picture (caption also in French, note). Keep your eyes on the papers and magazines folks for suitable items for us to print, bagpipist or otherwise.

The following article does not strictly speaking fall into the above category if for no other reason than it’s 12 years late! However, we thought it worth reprinting in its entirety, including barely recognisable photos. If you want to get at the original it comes from the Journal of the English Folk Song and Dance Society, Autumn 1975. I don’t know who the author is (R. A. Schofield). If you are still around and reading this R. A., how about getting in touch with a possible update?

BILLY BOLTON, PIPER OF THE DALES
by R. A. Schofield

Not many realise that the pipe is only recently extinct, if that, as a traditional instrument in Yorkshire and Lancashire. A novelty in 1960, Julia Pilling visited an old lady in Barssford who said her father had played the bagpipe when asked if he was Scottish, she replied “No, celtsally not, he played the Union Pipe.” What sort of tunes did he play I “Hymes,” she replied. The union pipes have often been thought of as solely Irish, but this, and other evidence shows that not to be the case. For instance in “A to Yeales Distillery” is the following only; A “Tossette: A sim who plays the Union Pipes is called a tweedle. “To reccle as only in this book throws how popular the pipes have been. Of all pipes, however, none have been as cherished as Billy Bolton, often called the Dales Minstrel. Born in the village of Gilling (about three miles north of Richmond in Yorkshire), he was brought up at Askrigg, on the estate of Lord Dundas. He was apprenticed as a wheelsmith to John Alcock of Richmond, but by the age of 26 he had left that trade and became an insect and rodwear sweeper and knife grinder based on Whitcliffe Mill about a mile West of Richmond. Into travels took him all over the North and West Riding and it appears he was very nearly well known by most, but also for the stories he told, the songs he sang, and the conjuring tricks he performed. Country parsons appear to have been his genial fans, rather oddly perhaps since he was a musical Catholic, ever eager to put forward his own views.

Billy’s obituary I does not always when he heard to play the pipes but claims other evidence is put forward is is probable that he was taught while living in the Richmond area, since by the of his own family, or by a friend during his youth. The fact mention of his piping comes in 1886 when Dr. J. H. Dixon wrote of a ballad called “The Garden Gleam” that he collected from Billy.

“We first heard it sung in Malhamdale, Yorkshire, by Billy Bolton, an old Dales minstrel, who accompanied himself on the Union Pipes.”

An appreciation of Billy was written the year before he died. Two very interesting passages are given here in full. “His favourite sport, when it is only skating Malhamdale and the hilly and rocky surroundings, was one day to be by the famous Gordale and another by the clear slipping source of the Aire and there his pipe the famous piperer of The Cove, with pipes and chanter playing their full pitch, and thus in the grand and romantic valleys of Craven was spent many of the happiest days of the old Dales Minstrel.”

“When press of horns began to tell upon the old grinder, the machine slackened its revolutions, the fingers became less active on the pipes and the one would rest to the mechanical pressure required it was about this time that the old minstrel had the misfortune to visit the little hamlet of Ellerton East where, after having done certain work he the consigner and farmers and the chief magistrate of that place, he unfortunately left his pipes with the magistrates’ servants who promised he old minstrel that the pipes of case should be taken of them until his return on the following day. Great, however, was the old man’s grief, when, on his return, the pipes, which he valued at three pounds, were smashed, burst, and entirely spoiled. However, after a household a family council, in which the old minstrel for the first time in his life made threats of law, one pound was paid to the old man - a third of the damage done. The poor minstrel tried many ways to “raise the wind” and get them repaired, but failing to do so, ultimately sold the pipes for five shillings.”

I would put the above event as happening in about 1870, since Billy eventually enlisted down in retirement in the village of Barnsall, in Whalesdale, after nearly sixty years of travelling. In some ways he was lucky, since he was Jue for the workhouse as a destitute when a London merchant whose father, the Rev. W. J. Parkinson, late Rector of Hornby, was layland, had befriended him, gifted Billy a weekly allowance of six shillings.

Billy died on September 1st, 1884, and after his death a subscription was made to raise a headstone over his grave, which can be seen in Burnsall Churchyard.

What happened to Billy’s pipes? There are two sets of Union pipes in Yorkshire museums. One set, mentioned by R. D. Cannon in the 1971 edition

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of The Folk Music Journal, is in The Castle Museum, York,’ and the other is displayed at Cliffe Castle, Keighley. The York pipes were made by M. Egan of Liverpool in about 1850, but nothing whatsoever is known of the Keighley set, except that it they date from the nineteenth century and appear to be of a later manufacture than those in York. Records as where either set were acquired are also missing, but since both museums have generally collected local material, I would guess that both have been played in Yorkshire. The possibility that late players were Irish, or that they were donated by local collectors of instruments, is on great, however, that their origin can be no more than conjecture.

Whoever else owned them, I do not think that they belonged to Billy Bolton. ‘While minor repairs have been done there is nothing to suggest that either set has been “mended, burnt and utterly spoilt.” Also when the York pipes were made Billy was over 50 years of age, an old man for those days. Where the are Billy’s pipes today? Probably in some Wharfedale attic or hanging on a Dales’ pub wall. Much more research (especially in Dales’ pubs) is necessary before an answer can be given to this and other intriguing questions about piping in Yorkshire during the last hundred years.

PICTURES SHOW BILLY BOLTON’S GRAVE IN BURNSALL.

The plough handle is the measure of William Bolton The Dales Hundred The field September 28, 1881 aged 32 years. “The tribute of respect was secured by some of the min- strels many friends in the dales of North, East and West Yorkshire.” The picture at the head of this article shows the Union Pipes in Cliffe Castle Museum, Keighley. No records as to the maker or when purchased by museum. Museum dates pipes as nineteenth century. The Union Pipes shown at the top of this page were made by M. Egan of Liverpool about 1850, and are in the Castle Museum, York.

REFERENCES

Brierley B. “A b o t ‘Y a l e s D i c t i o n a r y’ Craven Pioneer, 17th September 1881.
Dixon, J. H. “Ancient Poems, Ballads, and Songs of the Peasantry of England.” London. 1846.
Also quoted is Forshaw C. F. (Ed.)” Holroyd’s Collection of Yorkshire Ballads,” London, 1892.
Craven Pioneer, 18th December, 1880.
Cannon, R. D. “The Bagpipe in Northern England,” Folk Music Journal, London, 1971.

FOR SALE

MiGSA (North Italian bagpipes) by Julian Goodacre. Almost new, perfect condition. Single drone, high D pitch. Only £100. Ian Smith,

Flemish pipes in D by Jon Swayne (formerly belonging to Paul James). Overhauled by Jon only last year. £370. Jack Humphreys,

Set of Dill Headworth Northumbrian Smallpipes about 15 years old (one of his best sets). £195. Julie Bell,

Chris Daley says he has now sold most of his stock of ready-made pipes (though is still taking orders of course), but has a few secondhand sets in the process of restoration: namely a set of Irish pipes and a set of smallpipes if anyone is interested.

Calfskin Bodhran and beater. As new, £20. Dungum Moss.

Still for Sale: Dulcibro (Pulsiner/Dulcro) by Homer Ledford of Kentucky. As there are no takers yet for this superb example of Hog Dulciber maker’s art, I am forced to drop the price to a final £100. Includes lined case, books, tutors, plectrums, notes, steel etc., all cost over £300. Julian Watson,

MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY

By the time you read this we should have a new Membership Secretary as I am hanging up that particular hat to concentrate on doing the Newsletter. Your new Membership Sec. will be Val Woolnoth and all enquiries regarding membership, new membership applications and changes to Membership List details should be addressed to her at

As will be helpful and useful on typesetting, I am extremely grateful to Val for her help and well with the job (you may still notify changes directly to the keeper of the Society’s Biblio, Don Ward, if you prefer, for him to put straight onto his home computer).

BAGPIPE SOCIETY CASSETTE

Chi has had quite a good response for his plea for material/performers for a Society cassette. He has asked me to tell everyone who has replied and to ask you all to be patient with him for a little while yet. As we said earlier, he is in the throes of moving house

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