Peter & Barbara Snape
FoPH chair, Dawn Beaumont welcomed Peter & Barbara, who opened the afternoon with a rendition of ‘My New Hat’, a song telling the story of a cotton operative’s purchase.
Peter explained that, in the mid nineteenth century, Preston was the centre for the printing of ‘broadside ballads’ that reflected the lives of Victorian mill workers. Many of the songs were published by a local printer, John Harkness who employed agents to display and sell the ballads at ‘Three Yards A Penny’ in the streets and taverns of the town. The printed strips contained only the words and were taken into workplaces and homes to be sung to traditional airs, hymn tunes or tunes improvised on the spot.
Later, the songs contained elements of protest during a protracted mill operatives’ strike, following a 10% wage cut imposed by the owners. The subject matter further widened to include songs about Napoleon Boneparte, songs to promote temperance and cautionary tales.
The Snapes punctuated their fascinating account of John Harkness’s life with a medley of songs, including ‘The Old Weaver’s Daughter’, ‘A Spinner’s Lamentation’ and ‘Steam Town Lass’, all delivered with great gusto and obvious enjoyment by Barbara. Peter accompanied her on one of his collection of vintage melodions, beautifully crafted instruments, similar to accordions.
At the end of their presentation, Peter and Barbara were happy to answer questions about the ballads and their subjects. They explained that the importance of the songs published by John Harkness was recognised in the 1930s, when an archive and exhibition was established at the Harris Museum in Preston.
Friends’ Trustee, Peter Booth closed proceedings by thanking the Snapes for a most fascinating and entertaining afternoon.