Openshaw Letter

[Cap'n Jack]

'That's the point of them - a bit of whimsy, nothing more.'

Thank you, Sam.

[Sam Flynn]

Sam,

There's a good reason for that. The Letters from Hell version is from the exact same Popular Romances of the West of England book written by Hunt (the book cited by Mike above) with the exact same "Duffy and the Devil" story... just an earlier printing of that book.

Good catch, Dan. I only noticed Mike's reference to "Duffy and the Devil", not the "Popular Romances...", hence my error.

[Sam Flynn]

'That's the point of them - a bit of whimsy, nothing more.'

Thank you, Sam.

Indeed, AP.

For those baffled by that exchange, my original post (since edited) was explaining to AP that the quote underneath my message-board signature was a bit of whimsy, albeit one that means something to me.

[Cap'n Jack]

Nice to catch you on the hop, Sam.

[Sam Flynn]

Nice to catch you on the hop, Sam.

Not at all, AP.

(Read that how you will )

[Mike Covell]

Hi All,

Regarding Stephenson's "Dead or Alive" story, I have collected several stories dating back to the late 1700's early 1800's that contain similar stories.

The bride is due to marry, makes a proimise, dies, but turns up later in spirit form. Most of the stories are the same, with the exception of a couple that have the male dying.

I have also been digging out some of my victorian ghost books, and yorkshire folklore books to establish if there are any similar storis, preceeding his story from this locale.

[Sam Flynn]

Perhaps I'm just bulling, but...

A while back I found a version of the "Openshaw Song" (link here) under the guise of the "Upper Denton Hornpipe", which has been attributed to Scotland and - I've since found out - to Northumbria. Morpeth, to be precise.

As I indicated over on Howard's site earlier today, I was browsing through Thomas Bulling's ancestry the other day, when I found this:

1881 Census Return for 22 Penshurst Road, Hackney
Elizabeth Bulling (Head), Widow, 63, b. St George East. Annuitant
Thomas J Bulling (Son), Single, 34, b. St Luke, Chelsea. Manager, Telegraphic News Agency
Alfred Bulling (Son), Single, 24, b. St Luke, Chelsea. Commercial clerk (Out of employment)
Elizabeth Bulling (Daur), Single, 21, b. St Luke, Chelsea. No Occupation

So far, so unremarkable. Now look at TJ's neighbours:

1881 Census Return for 24 Penshurst Road, Hackney
John E Buchanan (Head), Married, 39, b. Scotland, Glasgow. Merchant
Mary (Wife), Married, 43, b. Scotland, Leith
Mary W S (Daur), 11, b. Northumberland, Newcastle. Scholar
Margaret R (Daur), 10, b. Northumberland, Newcastle. Scholar
Patrick (Son), 8, b. Scotland, Arbroath. Scholar
Henrietta W (Daur), 5, b. Scotland, Arbroath. Scholar


So, TJ Bulling had, in 1881, Scottish neighbours who had once lived in Northumberland (Newcastle is 16 miles from Morpeth). I wonder if they brought any tunes from the old country when they moved to London and shared them with the folks next door?

Fanciful, maybe - but you never know...

[Robert]

Ta-ta, old c*ck o' the north.