SING US A SONG....
Broadsheets of the North East
The first approach to putting songs on our web site has been to take a major selection from local broadsheets. Although the collections in bound form contained many songs of the day, they were purchased mainly by wealthy people. The broadsheets were used to reach the main population, and the collection of John Bell has yielded over 200 songs and poems dealing with the North East in the first part of the 19th century.
It is possible to get an insight into the social and political history of the region here, with items as diverse as lottery adverts, protests against town planning, union meetings on the Town Moor, beer quality, local fairs and hirings, or just simple love songs. The Robinson Library has been of assistance with their own broadsheet collection, parts of which have been added to the site. Beamish Museum has yielded a selection of song books and manuscripts which have have been moved to the FARNE base for scanning.
By Johnny Handle
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