Recorded by Bill Leader in Newcastle, 1968;
Notes by Tom Gilfellon and A.L. Lloyd;
Cover design by Ken Lees;
Front cover photograph by Barnaby Picture Library;
Back cover photograph by John Harrison

Musicians

Tom Gilfellon: vocals [7, 10, 14], guitar;
Forster Charlton: fiddle, Northumbrian pipes;
Colin Ross: fiddle, whistle, Northumbrian pipes, jew’s harp;
Johnny Handle: vocals [2, 4, 16], accordion, guitar, piano;
Alistair Anderson: English concertina

Tracks

Side 1

1. Shew’s the Way to Wallington / The Peacock Followed the Hen (2.22)
2. The Sandgate Girl’s Lament (Roud 3170) / Elsie Marley (Roud 3065) (2.46)
3. Bellingham Boat / Lambskinnet (2.12)
4. Adam Buckham (Roud 3481) (1.19)
5. Maggy’s Foot (1.47)
6. The Lads of North Tyne / Redesdale Hornpipe (3.34)
7. The Hexhamshire Lass (Roud 3182) (2.43)
8. The Breakdown / The Blanchland Races (2.15)

Side 2

9. The Lads of Alnwick / Lamshaw’s Fancy (2.40)
10. Byker Hill (Roud 3488) (1.20)
11. Whinham’s Reel / Nancy (2.20)
12. Because He Was a Bonny Lad / Salmon Tails up the Water / Sweet Hesleyside (2.36)
13. Dance to Your Daddy (Roud 2439; G/D 8:1562) (1.40)
14. Billy Boy (Roud 326) (2.28)
15. Nae Guid Luck About the House (2.37)
16. Mi’ Laddie Sits Ower Late Up (1.20)
17. The Keel Row / Kafoozalum / The Washing Day (3.04)

Recorded and produced by Bill Leader in Newcastle;
Front photograph by Bill Leader;
Back woodcut of Mr Kinloch’s Ball by Thomas Bewich

Musicians

Tom Gilfellon: vocals [5, 12], guitar;
Colin Ross: fiddle, flute [4], Northumbrian pipes [9];
Johnny Handle: vocals [3, 10], guitar [4], accordion;
Alistair Anderson: English concertina, concertina solo [2]

Tracks

Side 1

1. Drops of Brandy / The Foxhunter’s Jig / The Rocky Road to Dublin
2. The Spey in Spate
3. The College Valley
4. Sir John Fenwick’s the Flower Among Them A’
5. Baby Lie Easy
6. Dingle Regatta / Father Kelly’s Jig

Side 2

7. The Wedding of Blyth / Andrew Carr
8. The Golden Eagle / The Sunshine
9. Johnny Armstrong (Roud 76; Child 169) / Derwentwater’s Farewell (Roud 2616) / Ned of the Hill (Roud 8136)
10. Buy Broom Besoms (Roud 1623; G/D 3:489)
11. The Underhill / Da Scallowa’ Lassies / De’il Stick the Minister
12. Hares on the Mountain (Roud 329)
13. The Trumpet Hornpipe / Cadom Wood

All tracks trad. except
Track 3 Johnny Handle

Recorded at Balmbaras Music Hall and produced by Bill Leader;
Production master by Nic Kinsey,
Front photograph by Bill Leader;
Sleeve design Ed Berry

Musicians

Johnny Handle, Tom Gilfellon: vocals

accompanied by The High Level Ranters Orchestra:
Colin Ross, Forster Charlton: fiddles;
Alistair Anderson: English concertina;
Colin Beal: clarinet, saxophone;
Clem Avery: trumpet;
Ronald McLean: trombone;
Albert Gelson: percussion;
Tom Waugh: bass;
Johnny Handle: piano

Tracks

Side 1

1. Keep Your Feet Still (Roud 6862)
2. The Pawnshop Bleezin’
3. The Lambton Worm (Roud 2337)
4. Come Geordie Ha’d the Bairn
5. Geordie Black (Roud 3507)
6. Adam Buckham (Roud 3481)

Side 2

7. Cushie Butterfield (Roud 3504)
8. The Neighbours Doon Belaa
9. Nannie’s a Maizor
10. The Weshin’ Day
11. Last Neet (RoudFS S242027)
12. The Blaydon Races (Roud 3511)

Tracks 1, 4 Joe Wilson;
Track 2 J.P. Robson;
Track 3 C.M. Leumaine;
Track 5 Rowland Harrison;
Tracks 6, 11 trad.;
Tracks 7, 12 George Ridley;
Track 8 James Weams;
Track 9 Thomas Armstrong;
Track 10 Thomas Wilson

Recorded by Nic Kinsey, Livingston Studios;
Produced by Bill Leader;
Sleeve design by Janet Kerr

Musicians

Tom Gilfellon: vocals, guitar;
Johnny Handle: vocals, accordion, Northumbrian pipes, banjo;
Alistair Anderson: English concertina;
Colin Ross: fiddle, flute, Northumbrian pipes

Tracks

Side 1

1. Felton Lonnin (Roud 3166)
2. Till the Tide Comes In (Roud 8726) / Stay a Wee Bit Bonnie Lad (Roud 8756)
3. The Plains of Waterloo (Roud 960; Laws N32)
4. The Hens March / The Broken Legged Chicken / The Black Cock of Whickham
5. Trepanner Song
6. The Jolly Beggar (Roud 118; Child 279; G/D 2:274)

Side 2

7. Papa Stour
8. On a Monday Morning
9. Through the Fields / Tarbolton Lodge reels
10. I Drew My Ship (Roud 402; G/D 4:792)
11. Hartigan’s Fancy / Tobin’s Favourite
12. The High Level Bridge Hornpipe

All tracks trad. arr. High Level Ranters except
Track 5 Johnny Handle;
Track 8 Cyril Tawney;
Track 12 James Hill arr. High Level Ranters

Recorded and produced by Bill Leader;
Sleeve design by Colin Ross;
Photographs by Alistair and Liz Anderson;
Front cover: The top road to Elsdon;
Back cover: The gibbet at Elsdon

Musicians

Alistair Anderson: English concertina;
Tom Gilfellon: vocals, guitar;
Johnny Handle: vocals, accordion, piano, guitar;
Colin Ross: Northumbrian smallpipes, fiddle, tin whistle

Tracks

Side 1

1. Nae Gud Luck / Charlie Hunter jigs (2.15)
2. Cold and Raw (Roud 3007) (2.33)
3. The Beeswing hornpipe / Archie Menzies reel (5.00)
4. The Border Widow’s Lament (Roud 199; Child 106; G/D 1:163) (5.29)
5. A Mile to Ride / Jockey Lay up in the Hayloft slip jigs (3.08)
6. Shoemaker (2.54)

Side 2

7. The Shepherd’s Life (Roud 5124) (4.30)
8. A U Me Hinny Bird (Roud 235) (3.22)
9. Newcastle / Gateshead hornpipes (2.58)
10. Long Lankin (Roud 6; Child 93; G/D 2:187; Henry H735) (3.22)
11. Gillan the Drover / Niel Gow’s Wife slow airs (2.33)
12. The Dark Island slow air / The Laird of Drumblair strathspey / Angus Campbell reel (4.07)

Recorded by Tony Engle in Newcastle in April 1975;
Produced by Tony Engle;
Notes by Johnny Handle;
Sleeve design by Tony Engle;
Photographs by Tom Gilfellon

Musicians

Johnny Handle: vocals, guitar, accordion, piano;
Alistair Anderson: English concertina [1, 7, 14], chorus vocals [11];
Tommy Gilfellon: guitar [1, 7, 14];
Colin Ross: fiddle [1, 7, 14]

Tracks

Side 1

1. The Collier Lad
2. Dust
3. The Durham Big Meetin’ Day
4. The Old Man of the Village
5. The New Spotlight
6. Farewell to the Monty
7. Stottin’ Doon the Waal

Side 2

8. The Day We Went to the Coast
9. Schooldays
10. Is There Owt Secure?
11. The Old Pubs
12. Decorating
13. The Fearless Mariner
14. Danny’s

All tracks written by Johnny Handle in 1958-74

Recorded by Tony Engle in Newcastle in April 1975;
Produced by Tony Engle and the High Level Ranters

Musicians

The High Level Ranters:
Alistair Anderson: English concertina [1, 5-8, 13-17, 19, 24-25], chorus [1, 9, 11];
Johnny Handle: vocals [2, 6-8, 10, 16, 20, 23, 25], chorus [1, 9, 11, 13], melodeon [1, 4], guitar [10, 20, 23], accordion [13-14, 16, 19];
Tom Gilfellon: vocals [1, 3-4, 9, 11-12, 14-15, 17, 19, 21], chorus [13], guitar [14, 25];
Colin Ross: fiddle [1, 13-14, 17, 19], whistle [4, 7-8, 11, 16, 23], jew’s harp [6], mouth organ [10, 25], Northumbrian smallpipes [15, 17, 24]

with
Harry Boardman: vocals [13, 18], Anglo concertina [18];
Dick Gaughan: vocals [5, 22]

Tracks

Side 1

1. [TG] The Hewer (2.50)
2. [JH] Doon the Waggon Way (Roud 3480) (1.23)
3. [TG] A Miner’s Life (3.41)
4. [TG] I Wish Pay Friday Wad Come (3.22)
5. [DG] The Auchengeich Disaster (2.16)
6. [JH] The Collier’s Rant (Roud 1366) (2.24)
7. [JH] Farewell to the Monty (1.58)

Side 2

8. [JH] The Putter (2.53)
9. [TG] Little Chance (3.02)
10. [JH] My Gaffer’s Bait (2.22)
11. [TG] The Coal-Owner and the Pitman’s Wife (Roud 44465) (3.28)
12. [TG] The Blackleg Miners (Roud 3193) (1.19)
13. [HB] The Miners’ Lockout (3.03)
14. [TG] The South Medomsley Strike (Roud V40590) (3.34)

Side 3

15. [TG] The Durham Lockout (6.21)
16. [JH] Aa’m Glad the Strike’s Done (3.05)
17. [TG] The Collier’s Pay Week (poem with instrumental selection): Cut and Dry Dolly / Success to the Coal Trade / My Lad Is O’er Bonny for the Coal Trade (5.44)
18. [HB] I’ll Have a Collier (Roud 3505) (2.00)
19. Instrumental selection: I’ll Make Her Fain to Follow Me / The Joyful Days are Coming / Get Her Bro (4.00; not on CD)

Side 4

20. [JH] The Stoneman’s Song (1.25)
21. [TG] The Hartley Calamity (4.38)
22. [DG] Bonny Woodha’ (Roud 3778; G/D 5:947; Henry H476) (3.25)
23. [JH] The Banks of the Dee (Roud 3484) (4.55)
24. The Bonny Pit Laddie (Roud 3487) (4.13)
25. [JH] The Bonny Pit Laddie (Roud 3487) (1.52)

All tracks trad. arr. High Level Ranters except
Tracks 1, 8 Barras;
Track 3 Ed Pickford;
Track 6 Hamilton;
Tracks 7, 10, 20 Johnny Handle;
Track 11 Hornsby;
Track 14 Tommy Armstrong;
Track 17 Jack Robson

Recorded in Stanley and Newcastle, December 1975 and March-April 1976;
Recorded and produced by Tony Engle;
Notes by The High Level Ranters;
Sleeve design by Tony Engle;
Front sleeve: reproduction of W.B. Scott, “Wallington—Industry on the Tyne”,by courtesy of The National Trust

Musicians

Tom Gilfellon: vocals [3, 6, 9, 11], chorus [4, 8]; cittern [1, 7-8], guitar [2, 5, 8, 10, 12];
Colin Ross: fiddle [1, 3, 5-6, 8-9, 12], Hardanger fiddle [2], Northumbrian pipes [1, 6-7, 9-10], gew-gaw [2], whistle [11], chorus [4, 8];
Johnny Handle: vocals [2, 4, 8], chorus [3, 9, 11]; accordion [1-2, 5-6, 8-9, 10, 12], piano [3, 11], Northumbrian pipes [7];
Alistair Anderson: English concertina [1-2, 5-12], chorus [4]

Tracks

Side 1

1. Fairly Shot of Her / A Wife of My Own (3.14)
2. [JH] Dance to Yer Daddy (Roud 2439; G/D 8:1562) (4.00)
3. [TG] The Lass Doon on the Quay (2.16)
4. [JH] The Kielder Hunt (Roud 5126) (5.26)
5. Alston Flower Show / Jane of Biddlestone hornpipes (2.58)
6. [TG] Fortune Turns the Wheel (Roud 3798; G/D 3:667) (4.14)

Side 2

7. Fenwick o’ Bywell (2.42)
8. [JH] Elsie Marley (Roud 3065) / Hoop Her and Gird Her (2.54)
9. [TG] Captain Bover (Roud 3147) / Here’s the Tender Comin’ (Roud 3174) / Success to the Fleet (3.30)
10. Proudlock’s Hornpipe / The Hesleyside Reel (2.47)
11. [TG] Stanley Market (Roud 3490) (3.23)
12. The Marquis of Waterfoed / Bottle Bank / The Hawk hornpipes (3.31)

All tracks trad. arr. High Level Ranters except
Track 4 William Armstrong / trad.;
Track 5b Bily Pigg;
Track 11 Tommy Armstrong;
Track 12c Hill

Tracks 7 and 10 were included in 1996 on the compilation CD The Northumbrian Small Pipes;
Tracks 2-4, 8 and 11 were included in 1998 on the compilation CD Along the Coaly Tyne (which also reused the LP’s cover picture).

See also Roy Palmer, Jon Raven (editors), The Rigs of the Fair, Cambridge University Press, 1976

Produced by Jon Raven;
Recorded by Johnny Haynes at Zella Recording Studios, Birmingham;
Sleeve notes by Jon Raven with additional material from Roy Palmer;
Front sleeve illustration by Edward Orme, London, 1807;
Sleeve design by Robin Scott-Cooper

Musicians

The High Level Ranters [1-2, 5, 8-9, 11]:

Alistair Anderson: English concertina,
Tom Gilfellon: vocals [1, 9, 11], guitar,
Johnny Handle: vocals [2, 5, 8], accordion,
Colin Ross: Northumbrian small-pipes, fiddle, whistle, mouth organ, jew’s harp;

Martyn Wyndham-Read: vocals, guitar [3-4, 6-7, 10, 12]

with Nic Jones: fiddle, guitar, mouth organ, dulcimer

Tracks

Side 1

1. [HLR] Eccles Wakes (RoudBS B7224) (2.06)
2. [HLR] Bonny Beeswing (Roud V7761) (4.02)
3. [MW-R] The Ballad of Trubshaw and Green (2.32)
4. [MW-R] The Great Foot Race (Roud V15518) (4.16)
5. [HLR] Newcastle Wakes (RoudBS B248967) (2.57)
6. [MW-R] The Charcoal Black and the Bonny Grey (Roud 211; TYG 81) (3.06)

Side 2

7. [MW-R] Sayers’ and Heenan’s Great Fight (Roud 2148; Laws H20) (3.07)
8. [HLR] The Boat Race (2.06)
9. [HLR] The White Hare of Howden (Roud 1110; TYG 79) (2.32)
10. [MW-R] The Noble Fox Hunting (Dido Bendigo) (Roud 584; TYG 76) (3.15)
11. [HLR] Alnwick Football Song (Roud V20656) (4.55)
12. [MW-R] The Bullard’s Song (Roud 23378) (2.26)

Recorded by Mickey Sweeney at Impulse Studios in July 1978;
Production and design by Tony Engle;
Photography by Terry Harvey;
Notes by Colin Ross

Musicians

Colin Ross: fiddle [1-3, 6-7, 9, 11-12], pipes [1, 4, 9];
Alistair Anderson: concertina [1, 3, 6-9, 11-12], pipes [4];
Johnny Handle: accordion [1, 3, 6-7, 9-10], piano [2, 4, 8, 11], 4-string guitar [5, 12];
Tom Gilfellon: guitar [1, 3-7, 9-11], cittern [12]

Tracks

Side 1

1. Whinham’s Jig / Billy’s Jig jigs (3.18)
2. Chips and Shavings / Jack’s Alive / Dear Tobacco reels (2.03)
3. Town Green Polka / Jenny Bell Polka polkas (4.03)
4. The Biddlestone Hornpipe hornpipe / The Last of the Twins reel (2.58)
5. The Ruby / The Quarrelsome Piper hornpipes (2.33)
6. Rowly Burn / Coates’s Hornpipe hornpipes (3.51)

Side 2

7. La Russe / The Whinshield’s Hornpipe / Jane’s Fancy / Da Road to Houll rants (4.45)
8. Blinkin’ Tibbie hornpipe / The Pear Tree reel (2.50)
9. Swalwell Lasses / South Shields Lasses hornpipes (3.42)
10. Moonshine Polka polka (1.34)
11. The Quayside hornpipe / Miss Ward’s Reel reel (3.05)
12. The Butterclout / Such a Wife As Willie Had / Willy Is a Bonny Lad four-bar reels (3.07)

All tracks trad. except
Track 1a Robert Whinham;
Tracks 4a, 6b Billy Pigg;
Track 6a Forster Charlton;
Track 10 Johnny Handle

Recorded by Keith Nichol at Impulse Studios, Newcastle;
Produced by Tony Engle;
Design by Tony Engle

Musicians

Colin Ross: fiddle [1-4, 6-12];
Johnny Handle: vocals [2, 5], accordion [1-5, 8-12], piano [6-7];
Jim Hall: Northumbrian smallpipes [1-4, 6-12];
Peter Wood: vocals [4, 6, 8, 11], concertina [1, 7, 9, 12], guitar [3]

Tracks

Side 1

1. Fisherman’s Friend / Black and Grey (2.43)
2. Ca’ Hawkie (2.06)
3. The Old Drove Road / Kennedy North (2.40)
4. Jim Jones (Roud 5478) (4.15)
5. The Tynemouth Volunteer Life Brigade (4.01)
6. John Peel (Roud 1239) (4.58)

Side 1

7. Durham Regatta / Little Jenny (3.39)
8. The Snows They Melt the Soonest (Roud 3154) (3.32)
9. Yellow Haired Laddie / The Glen Coe March (4.42)
10. New Song of the Coal (2.26)
11. Skipper’s Wedding (Roud 2620) (5.00)
12. Duke of Fife / Maggie Lauder (3.10)

All tracks trad. arr. except
Tracks 3a, 7b Billy Pigg;
Track 3b Tom Clough;
Tracks 5, 10 Johnny Handle;
Track 9 D. MacDonald;
Track 12a James Scott Skinner

Recorded and produced by Tony Engle at Ideal Sound Recorders, London;
Photography by Ken Henderson;
Design by Tony Engle

Musicians

Colin Ross: fiddle, whistle;
Johnny Handle: vocals, accordion, piano;
Jim Hall: Northumbrian smallpipes

Tracks

Side 1

1. Billy’s Jig / Kielder Fells (2.13)
2. Gan te the Kye (3.22)
3. Border Spirit (3.35)
4. Felton Lonnin (Roud 3166) (4.15)
5. Wallington Hall / Billy’s Reel (4.20)
6. Foxhunters / Bilsmoor (2.53)

Side 2

7. King’s Hall / John of Carrick (3.03)
8. The Bellingham Show (4.58)
9. Collisfield House / Thom’s March (4.46)
10. The Canny Shepherd Laddies (Roud 3088) (5.02)
11. The Surprise (2.16)

All tracks by Northumbrian piper Billy Pigg except
Tracks 2, 4 trad. arr. High Level Ranters;
Tracks 8, 10 Johnny Handle;
Track 9a Nathaniel Gow

Tracks 1, 7, 9, 11 were included in 1996 on the compilation CD The Northumbrian Small Pipes

Recorded to coincide with the Gateshead Garden festival

Musicians

Johnny Handle: vocals [2, 4, 6-7, 10, 12], accordion [1-5, 7-9, 11-13], piano [1, 6, 10];
Colin Ross: Northumberland smallpipes [1], fiddle [1, 3-5, 7-9, 11-13], tin whistle [2];
Jim Hall: Northumberland smallpipes [1, 5, 8, 11, 13], piano [2-4, 7, 9, 12]

Tracks

Side 1

1. Forster Charlton and His Cat / The Steamboat (5.36)
2. Geordie Black (Roud 3507) (3.00)
3. We’ll All Away to Sunniside / The Black Cock of Whickham (2.53)
4. He’s Got Them on the Run (3.04)
5. The Great North Run / Gateshead Stadium (3.09)
6. The Gateshead Bobby or The Cure (3.02)
7. Blaydon Races (Roud 3511) (3.54)

Side 2

8. The Fair Maid of Whickham / The Squire of Bensham (2.56)
9. Canny Old Gateshead / The Southshore (2.49)
10. Bonny Gateshead Lass (3.01)
11. The Exhibition / Blaydon Flats (2.59)
12. Cushie Butterfield (Roud 3504) (3.00)
13. The High Level Hornpipe (4.51)

Tracks 1a, 4, 9a Johnny Handle;
Tracks 1b, 9b, 11ab, 13 James Hill;
Track 2a words Rowland Harrison, music Johnny Handle;
Tracks 3ab, 8 trad.;
Track 5a Robert Whitehead;
Track 5b Forster Charlton arr. Jim Hall, Colin Ross;
Track 6 words George Ridley, music Johnny Handle;
Track 7 George Ridley;
Track 10 Joe Wilson;
Track 12 words George Ridley, music trad.;
Tracks 13 James Hill, variations by Jim Hall, Robert Whinham, Billy Pigg etc.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Alistar Banfield for details and cover picture of Gateshead Revisited.