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Description: | Comic song about a country man at Newcastle Races.One of a number of songs poking fun at 'country folk', this song was written by an unidentified author. After a successful gambling spree at Newcastle Races, a country man dreams of becoming a 'wealthy farmer'. His plans are soon altered, however, when he meets a local girl. Vowing to wed the couple return to a house in Sandhill where they spend the night together. The following morning both the girl and the winnings have vanished leaving Willy 'not one single groat'.Racing was one of the few leisure pursuits enjoyed by all classes. Men gambled on anything, but a constant favourite was horse racing. Gambling became such a passion with the lower classes that an Act in 1740 attempted to make the sport more exclusive. Its popularity, however, only increased. Racing was one of the first sports to be recorded in Newcastle. Although races were held on other Newcastle moors in the seventeenth century, racing became a regular feature on the Town Moor in the eighteenth century. From 1751 a 'race week' was held, and in 1800 local gentry organised a permanent grandstand on the Town Moor. Racing remained on the Town Moor until 1880, when it was suggested that a private site may be more suitable.This song is part of the John Bell Collection. ; A collection of broadsheets on various subjects, with accompanying press cuttings and manuscript notes in the hand of John Bell. | Publisher: | unknown | Rights holder: | rights holder : Newcastle University | Subjects: | entertainment and sport Leisure horse racing & gambling & disasters & crimes | Temporal: | start=1801;end=1840; | Source: | Folk Archive Resource North East | Identifier: | farne:N0128101 | Go to resource |
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