Bagpipes in the Movies

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

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PIPES IN THE PRESS

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

“Le premier numero de Chanter, le journal du “Bagpipe Society” d’Angleterre est, pour Octobre (60 pages concues aux cornemuses, c’est un omest> pour les sauveteurs anglais. Au sommaire du No. 1 interview du floboiata, commentaire reparer les cornemuses, Westernshire small pipes, partitions et copies de stripes, 104 cornemuses italiennes et une étude de repertoire possible pour la cornemuse du sud de l’Angleterre, instrument disparu depuis plusieurs siècles, mais qui jouit d’un regain d’interet 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’ve seen 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 (so thinks):

“A judge yesterday summoned the leader of a band of Scottish pipers to appear before him when the swelling 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 so turn up. ‘sbetter than being told to move out of the c, I suppose, which some of us came 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’re 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 people is only recently extinct, if that, as a traditional instrument in Yorkshire and Lancashire. A recently in 1960, Julius Pilling visited and duly laid Barrowford who said he father had played the bagpipe when wickd if he was Scottish, he replied “No, celically not, he played the Union Pipe,” What sort of tunes did he play? “Hinyes,” 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 I look at “Yates Dictionary in the following voluy 4: “Indelible”. A sin who plays the Union Pipes is called a tweedler.” To receive as only in this book shows 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 bound up at Skip, nearby, on the estate of Lord Dundas. He was apprenticed as a wheelsmith to John Alcull of Richmond, but by the age of 26 he had left that trade and became an incident hardened artisan and knife grinder based on Whalcliffe Mill about a mile West of Richmond. His travels took him all over the North and West Riding and it appears he was very poorly paid given his work, but also for the stories he told, the songs he sang, and the conjuring tricks he performed. Country persons appear to have been his principal fans, rather oddly perhaps since he was a musical Catholic, ever eager to put forward his own views.

Billy’s obituary I does not say when he heard to play the pipes but dates other evidence to put forward it is probable that he was taught while living in the Richmond area, since by one 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 Gerald Gace” 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 resort, when “in-coles” was “ay getting Malhamdale and the fine dale Gordale and another one the clear slipping source of the Aire and there by night the famous glenander ja The Cove, with pips and chanter playing which fell pick, and this in the grand and romantic styles of Craven was spent many of the happiest days of the old Dales Minstrel."

“When press of hours began to tell upon the old grinder, the machine slackened its revolutions, the fingers became less active on the pipes and the song would rarely be continued because when it was about this time that the old minstrel had the misfortune to with the little handle of Hilton East, where, after having done certain work for the collages and farmers and the chief magistrate of that place, he unfortunately felt his pipes with the magicians’ charms who promised he old minstrel that the voice of care alone should be taken off them until his return on the following day. Gebri, however, was the old man’s grief, when, on his return, the pipes, which he valued at three pounds, were smashed, burst, and entirely spoilt. However, after a household or family council, in which the old minstrel had the first time in his life made threats of law, the 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 through repairs, but failing to do so, ultimately had the pipe fond fair fillings.”

I would put the above event as happening in about 1870, since Billy eventually settled down in retirement in the village of Barnsill, in Whalcliffe, after nearly sixty years of travelling. In some ways he was lucky, since he was due for the workhouse as a destitute when a London merchant whose father, the Rev. W. J. Parkinson, late Rector of Barrowford, near Leyburn, had befriended him, granted 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 Barnsill 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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REFERENCES

Brierley B. “Abc of ‘Yates Dictionary” Craven Pioneer, 12th September 1884
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.

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 they date from the nineteenth century and appear to be of a later manufacture than those in York Records to 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 the players were Irish, or that they were donated by local collectors of instruments, is an 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 *” repaired, tourist and surely polished." Also when the York pipes were made Billy was over 50 years of age, an old man for these 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 ringing in Yorlksire during the last hundred years.

FOR SALE

Mibsa (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 belongings 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, mostly a set of Irish pipes and a set of smallpipes if anyone is interested.

Calfskin Bodhran and beater. As new. £20. Duncan Ross.

Still for Sale: Dulcibro (Dollcimer/Dulcifo) by Homer Ledford of Kentucky. As there are no takers yet for this superb example of rug Dulcimer maker’s art, I am forced to drop the price to a final £1000. 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 Woollott and all enquiries regarding membership, new membership applications and changes to Membership List details should be addressed to her at

As will be help a new start 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 bits, Don Ward, if you prefer, for loan to put straight onto his tame 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 no tasd earlier, he is in the throes of moving house

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