From Tom Newman of Clanfield in Oxfordshire. Born in 1882, Tom seems to have been quite a character. He played drums in a local dance band, and in later life often took his one-man band to Bampton on Whit Monday. John Baldwin, in the 1969 Folk Music Journal, wrote that he “tends to become very excited when singing: sitting in a chair and pumping the floor with his feet alternately, and similarly his knees with clenched fists”.

The “All for me grog” chorus turns up with various sets of words all over England, and as far afield as Australia. It was sometimes used as part of a Mummers’ play, as for example at Sapperton in Gloucestershire. Mike Yates’s recording of Tom Newman singing the song can be heard on Volume 13 of the Voice of the People set.

We have been unable to find a definition of “gone for a sutter”. The meaning is obvious but what is a sutter? John Baldwin suggests it is a corruption of “asunder”; if you know better, do please let us know!

Our arrangement incorporates three dance tunes:

- The Indian Polka (actually it’s a schottische) from Sussex anglo-concertina player Scan Tester

- God killed the devil-o from Gloucestershire melodeon player Lemmie Brazil (it should be a step-dance, but we play it as a schottische)

- La Dansomanic from the fiddle tune-books of nineteenth century Nothamptonshire poet John Clare. This tune is written out in Clare’s manuscript as a schottische, but one slight nudge to the rhythm changes it into a jig.

Six For Gold