P.Spratley (1977) pp.9-17


Source:

Philip Spratley (Auth.)
STAUNTON, LONG BENNINGTON, FOSTON PLAY
P.Spratley (1977), pp.9-17

A composite full text (146 lines) and tune of a Ploughboys play. The characters are; Tom Fool/Tommy, Sergeant, Farmer's Man, Lady, Beelzebub/Murphy, Bold Black/Mr. Black and Doctor.

The text is based on one from Foston, Lincs., provided by Mrs. Brieant. This would appear to be the same text held in the Morris Ring Collection (1956, C.M.Bryant). However, there are minor differences which presumably relate to material collected from people in the large list of informants and performers.

The accompanying description includes a tangled list of who said or did what where. Foston, Lincs., had its own Plough-boys play until the 1930s. Long Bennington, Lincs., may have only been visited by the Elston team, until the 1930s, rather than had its own team. Staunton Ploughboys last performed in 1927 or 1928, with a fund raising revival in 1936 or 1937. A list of people who performed in the Foston play provided by Mrs. Brieant is given after the text.

Main variant

Transcript

STAUNTON, LONG BENNINGTON, FOSTON PLAY
The village of Staunton, Notts., lies on the borders of three
counties, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. It
nestles at the foot of a brow by the river Smite and is
surrounded
See full transcript...

Index Terms:

Locations: Foston, Lincs. (SK8542); Staunton, Notts. (SK8043); Elston, Notts. (SK7548); Long Bennington, Lincs. (SK8344)
Years: Perf. until 1930s; Perf. 1927 or 1928; Rev. 1936 or 1937
Subjects: Full Text; Tune; Ploughboys; Play; Tom Fool; Tommy; Sergeant; Farmer's Man; Lady; Beelzebub; Murphy; Bold Black; Mr. Black; Doctor; Morris Ring Collection (1956, C.M.Bryant); Plough-boys; Revival; Cast List
People: Bob Drury (Inf.); Cyril Brown (Inf.); Jim Drury (Inf.); Tom Drury (Perf.); Miss Frances Staunton (Organiser); Fred Hurt (Perf.); Sam Bellamy (Perf.); George Bellamy (Perf.); Rev. Reg Hunt (Col.); Mrs. Smith (Inf.); Mrs. Brieant (Inf.); Bill Johnson (Perf.); Bill Sentence (Perf.); Mr. Bennett (Perf.); Dick Gilbert (Perf.); J. Walton (Perf.); J. Burgin (Perf.); T. Renshaw (Perf.)
Archives: TDRG Archive, Ref. TD00430

Last Updated Jan 1989 by Peter Millington.