John Atkinson was from Murton near Appleby and was the servant of Thomas Howson, a miller. He courted Howson's sister andm at the same time, courted and wed another, encouraged by a "friend" Thomas Skelton, who actually married them to save the fees. He broke the heart of Howson's sister and she bled to death.
"A True and tragical song concerning Captain John Bolton" (song/poem)
John Bolton was an Irishman from Bulmer, near Castle Howard,[clarification needed] and Lieutenant in the 1st regiment of the West Riding militia. He took Elizabeth Rainbow, a single woman from the Foundling hospital at Ackworth, as an apprentice. She became pregnant with his child and he strangled her with his hands, a cord and soldier's fife. Captain Bolton hanged himself in York Castle before the death sentence could be carried out.
The song appears on page 24 of Joseph Ritson's Yorkshire Garland and sung to the tune of "Fair lady, lay your costly robes aside".
T. Waller Watson brought a successful action at Newcastle Assizes, August 1823, against Thomas Carr, Captain of the Watch, for assault and false imprisonment. Carr was fined, but after failing to pay was himself imprisoned. The local poets loved it and wrote several songs about it. A short bio appears of the aftermath on page 310 of Allan's book - page 153 Thomas Allan's Illustrated Edition of Tyneside Songs and Readings.
The subject of a song/songs, Charles Green and others flights in a balloon at Newcastle, were at the time, still quite a feat, as witnessed by the massive crowds that gathered.
The subject of a song/poem and a farmer. From Low Weetslade, near Dudley, Wideopen, Newcastle, Gillespy was on his way to school in Crow Hall in 1818 and noticed two workmen cutting down hedges He picked a twig with the idea of using it as a make-believe riding whip. He took it home with him and stuck it in the ground. At the time of his death in 1878 it had grown into a huge willow tree.
Peter and his bride Jenny Gowen
"Pelton Garland" (song/poem)
The brickmaker Peter borrows a horse and absconds (or elopes) with his girlfriend Jenny Gowen. The couple return after four days with the (worse for wear) horse, discover the girl is with child and eventually persuade grandmother to agree to a marriage.
"The Barber's News - or Shields in an Uproar" by John Shield (song)
Kemble was, for a time, the very successful and much liked manager of the Theatre Royal, Newcastle. He was an extremely large individual of enormous bulk, of whom it was rather unkindly said, was the only person able to play the part of Falstaff without the use of any padding.
The song was written in memory of 33-year-old James Lennon, who was killed in an accident at Dudley Pit on 31 December 1879. It shows the esteem in which the local people of his village held him.
Thomas Percy was one of the leaders of the Rising of the North of 1569. Charles Neville, 6th Earl of Westmorland was another of the leaders. Northumberland was captured and publicly beheaded in York for treason in 1572. Westmorland fled to Flanders and on the Spain, where he died in poverty in 1601. He was attainted (condemned for treason, entailing losing his property and hereditary titles and rights) by Parliament in 1571.
The subject of a song/poem, Captain Sim of Dundee, of the ship Antaeus, took the bar at Tynemouth during a violent storm.
For this intrepid achievement he was awarded a silver cup on 1 September 1833 and the song was sung at this event. The song is sung to the tune of "Newcastle Races" and appears on page 415 of France's Songs of the Bards of the Tyne together with the brief note of the event.
"A new song called Hark to Winchester on The Yorkshire Volunteer's farewell to the good folks of Stockton" (song/poem)
Herbert Stockhore was a private in the Yorkshire Volunteer regiment.
Stockhore was the "pretend" author of the song. It is sung to the tune of "Push about the Jorum" and appears on page 35 of Joseph Ritson's Bishopric Garland.
George Stoole
"A Lamentable Ditty on the death of worth George Stoole" (song)
Stoole was noted as being a "worthy gentleman" living between Gate-side Moor and Newcastle, yet he was accused of, arrested for, and condemned to death in Newcastle for the theft of cattle. At that period, the theft of animals was considered to be very serious. The theft of horses had always been considered to be extremely serious, and been punishable by death. More recent laws of the 1740s put the theft of sheep and cattle into a similar category.
T. Waller Watson brought a successful action at Newcastle Assizes, August 1823, against Thomas Carr, Captain of the Watch, for assault and false imprisonment.
Roger Wrightson (Junior), son of the landlord of the Kings Head Hotel, Bowes, courted Martha Railton, daughter of the widowed landlady of the George Hotel, also in Bowes. In February or March 1714 or 1715 Roger was taken ill and "dyed" of fever a couple of weeks later. Martha was heartbroken and took to her bed only to die shortly after. They were buried in one "Grave on 15 March 1714, both aged 20 years". Just before Martha died, her friend Tom Petty tried to comfort her.
This is sung to the tune of "Queen Dido" and appears on page 18 of Joseph Ritson's Yorkshire Garland with a lengthy bio preceding it on page 15.
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