Love in Doveridge

Doveridge Manor House

Back to Doveridge Senior citizens who I last saw at the beginning of February! But we soon got going again. Knowing I had only about 45 minutes of practical time with them I had taken the start of a song based on the ideas collected last time. In no time we had written two more verses. There seemed to be quite a buzz in the room and enjoymment in singing the result. Here it is:

Chorus:
We love to live in Doveridge,
Nestling here upon the edge
Of Derbyshire and Staffordshire,
We love to live in Doveridge.

1. When we were young
We’d bill and we’d coo,
Down Pickley’s Lane
We’d walk and we’d woo,
As under our yew tree
Came Robin Hood
To meet with his Marion
And ask if she would (Chorus)

2. Hopscotch on the pavement,
Whip and top as well,
Skipping in the playground,
Sledging down Red Hill,
Conkers from the Manor House,
Football on the field,
Carolling at Christmas time,
Chestnuts to be peeled .(Chorus)

3. Now post office on the High Street,
Sells all the goods we need,
Take your dog along the footpaths,
But don't forget the lead!
Playschool at the village hall,
Dancing Friday nights,
And Doveridge Parish Council
Fighting for our rights! (Chorus)

A rousing ending indeed! I also shared the songs from Sudbury and Hulland Ward senior residents and everyone joined in.

Severla members promised me some poems about Doveridge and John Taylor had written a special one since my last visit:

The Ridge Above the Dove
O Doveridge, O Doveridge,
When I've been far away
I've always had you in my mind
And thought of you each day.
I've thought about the village hall
When many miles away
Where I was once vice-chairman
But no vice came my way.

As always in that edifice
We've many rare events
Including every other week
The Senior residents.
Well at our meetinghere today
A speaker name of Sally
From East side of the Pennines
So she's not from our alley.

We spoke of many village things
Post Office, village shops,
Of hopscotch, skipping and the rest
And local dance hall hops,
Of skating on the Parklands Lake,
Toboggans on Bond's Croft,
But most important thing of all,
The snogging, loved and lost.

On Pickley's Lane and round the well
When darkness failed the spies
But when we got the bright street lights
Well there before your eyes
All was revealed for folks to see
And so it spoiled their game
For making love in floods of light
Well, isn't quite the same.

So nowadays, no rendezvous
They've new techniques instead,
They simply say "Ey up my duck"
and hop it into bed.
Now turning to the River Dove,
Descending from the Peaks
That marks the line with Staffordshire
Where I've not been for weeks.

There in churchyard, a yew tree grows
Beneath which were betrothed
Robin and Maid Marion
But this has not been proved
For there are many other trees
That claim this right to fame
So take it with a pinch of salt
A pity and a shame.

But quite the star attraction
Must be the sewage farm
Where you can stand and sniff all day
And keep your nostrils warm.

Well, that's my tale of Doveridge,
There's much more you may bet,
I only came in '61
But I'm not finished yet!

Thankyou John, you brightened up a wet Thursday! Come on you poets - lets have more! You can post them direct to this blog if you like by clicking on comments.

laughing in Longford

Second and last visit to the Youth Club in Longford. Last time, a group of girls got very excited remembering all the games they'd played at the primary school where we were meeting, although they are now at secondary school. Just proves that memories can be stimulating whatever your age.

This week we had only about an hour to get something recorded straight onto computer. Some of the girls who contributed last time weren't there but a pair of keen girls got going. Even if it is only a laptop, a mic, some speakers and a little box it is amazing how nerve wracking it is - realising you are committing yourself permanently to sound. So they got the giggles - and giggled, and giggled, and giggled - and I giggled, but eventually we got something just mucking around with layering old clapping games - "Milkman, milkman, do your duty, here comes Mrs American Beauty..... " and "I went to the Chinese restaurant..... " (I love the way these rhymes get passed on down the ages - a wierd amalgum of tradition, contemporary references, and rudeness). And of course we kept some giggling in there - because the sound of giggling is just lovely....

Lunching, munching and singing in Hulland

Two visits to Hulland - last week to finish off composition of the songs at the Primary School and the Lunch Club; this week to share lunch together at the Village Hall as well as the new songs.

Creative ideas all round - the children had far more ideas than they could finally use. Especially ineresting - as usual - was the way in which children respond to their play environment in the school grounds and how this made its way into the song. The ash tree in the grounds was particularly talked about by all the children - as a meeting place, a place for games. Dorothy at the lunch club proved particularly creative with words and music but everyone contributed to a lovely lyrical piece with a lilting 6/8 tune.

The lunch time sharing this week was a great success - children interspersed themselves between the older people and tucked in. As at Sudbury, despite nervousness, they soon discovered shared relations, connections, interests.

The songs:

Round Here by Hulland Age Concern Lunch Club

Chorus:
Biggin by Hulland and Millington Green,
Turnditch and Clifton and Brailsford we’ve been,
Carsington Water, a walk down Dog Lane,
Taking our time, don’t get caught in the rain

1. The smell of the bluebells in our Biggin Wood,
We’d all like to pick them if only we could.
Sloe gin in the winter or sweet cowslip wine,
Let’s all get together and have a good time.

2. Boats on the water and shops to go round
Canada geese and ducks on the ground
Sheep in the fields as the lambs skip and play,
Owls in the evening, asleep in the day.

3. The rainbow in April upon Alport Heights
The gorse on The Mountain, the change in the light,
Walking the hills makes us feel free,
And brings out the artist in you and in me.

and

Hulland School Rules! by Hulland Primary School

Chorus:
Hulland School rules
Cos it’s really cool,
We ain’t no fools
Cos this school rules!


1. Meet my friends at quarter to nine
Rush to class, hope I'm on time
Get my book out from my tray
Ready for another fun filled day

2. It’s 12 o clock hip hip hooray
Lots of grassy space to play
Catch the blossom when it falls like snow
Run to the ash tree, go, go, go!

3. Afternoon its time for art
One, two three, let’s make a start,
Then bye bye school and hello Mum
Call at the sweet shop, yum yum yum!

sharing songs in Sudbury

Last Thursday, a welcome return to Sudbury Primary School who hosted a lovely afternoon for elders from the Senior Citizens Club to share each group's songs as well as tea and biscuits. A particular highlight was the extra verse added to the Senior Citizens' Song by Rose who wanted the song brought bang up to date - and quite right too:

Traditional we may be with fete and church bell,
But now we have car parks, electronic gates as well,
Use mobiles, computers and buy on E-bay,
That's Sudbury, our village, alive still today!

After tea, the children showed the older people around the school, including another look at the crinkle-crankle wall now immortalised in song (and yes, this is the proper name for it - not just a poetic invention). Many had memories of their own schooldays there - particularly the mischieveous ones (thanks Fred!) The Ashbourne Gazette came and took a photo of me with 4 pupils - old and new. The oldest had started school there 84 years ago.....