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Description: | On this recording we hear singer Bert Draycott performing a song about a putter. A putter, also known as barrowman, was a man or boy responsible for moving the coal from the coalface to the main tunnels leading to the pit shaft. The song describes the work of the putter, using various pitmatic expressions, most of which are explained by Bert on the recording. The song is taken from Alexander Barrass' play 'The Pitman's Social Neet', 1897. The tune is Bert's own melody, differing from Barrass' choice, 'Wait for the Waggon', and also from Johnny Handle's recording for Topic records.Bert was a miner for most of his life, working both at the coal face and later progressing to the position of deputy. Bert is perhaps best known for performing songs relating to pit life, collecting material from fellow workers and often writing his own songs. He is also a renowned player of the spoons and has held the title of World Champion Spoons Player for a number of years.The tapes from which these sound files are drawn are just two from a large number of sound recordings held by the North of England Open Air Museum, Beamish, Co. Durham. This important resource is made up of oral history recordings drawn from many different sources. Some recordings have been made by the museum for their own use, whilst others have been copied from other sources or donated by other collectors and individuals. This large collection of mostly spoken word recordings also includes many recordings of singers, musicians and dancers from Durham, Northumberland and Cumbria. The collection includes recordings of Haltwhistle fiddle player George Hepple, Nenthead singer Martha Armstrong, the Elliotts of Birtley, piping competitions, Newcastleton traditional music festival, concertina bands and playground games. ; song | Rights holder: | reproduction rights : Draycott, Bert | Subjects: | industry and occupation miners & putters & mining | Temporal: | start=1970;end=1980; | Source: | Folk Archive Resource North East | Identifier: | farne:B1712020 | Go to resource |
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