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Title
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Gamekeeper
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Singer
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Dixon, Elizabeth Mrs.
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Notes
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Note 1
Williams, Alfred: Ms / WGS: ‘The first recollection I have of the following song is that of having seen a brief quotation of it in Akerman’s ‘Wiltshire Tales’, some years ago. I believe Akerman heard it at Highworth. By chance I stumbled upon the piece at Blunsdon, where it was still remembered by an old woman named Hancock, who told me she learnt it of her father, when a girl. I was quite six months in getting the song as my informant was very forgetful and could only tell me two or three lines at a time. In the end I obtained it complete with the exception of the first two lines of the ‘warning’. I had decided that I should not get them, but by and by I called to see another dear old woman also considerably over eighty, named Dickson, of Brinkworth and the first thing she told me was the warning verse of the ‘Gamekeeper’ – she had forgotten everything else. The Brinkworth version had in the fourth verse, ‘With her baby sprawling in her arms’.’
Williams, Alfred: FSUT: ‘The first recollection I have of the following song is that of having seen a brief quotation of it in Akerman’s ‘Wiltshire Tales’, some years ago. I believe Akerman heard it at Highworth. By chance I stumbled upon the piece at Blunsdon, where it was still remembered by an old woman named Hancock, who told me she learnt it of her father, when a girl. A Brinkworth version had in the fourth verse, ‘With her baby sprawling in her arms’.’
Note 2
In Verse 1 Line I the word Bottom replaces a word which has been obscured.
In Verse 2 Line 4 the words, ‘I’ve lost my liberty’ replace words which have been obscured.
Note 3
The usual citation for this song is: WSHC: 2598/36 Packet 4 - Wiltshire: Williams, A: MS collection No Wt 317. The above text is taken from the original which is the citation given above.
Note 4
Williams’ allusion to Akerman is to a brief reference in the chapter, Giles Chawbacon, p 36, 37,
‘Our business is with Giles Chawbacon, who arrived at Highworth without any adventure worth recording.’
On page 37, without any title, is the tune referred to as the Gamekeeper.
Transcribed and edited by Chris Wildridge, 2014.
