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Jamaica Inn Party Night

A party was a big event in the Cornwall of the 18th century. Sometimes singers were employed as well as musicians but at most parties it was just the local fiddler who provided the tunes for dancing. Slate was important and  revelers had been known to `borrow` a gravestone to dance on when a suitable slate floor was not available! Here at the inn the floor being of natural slate  a few handfuls of sand will soon have it suitable for dancing.

People loved rhymes and many were told at parties. One of my favourites comes from Stratton near Bude, North Cornwall where it is said they sang it accompanied by the church bells

I`ll bore a hole in Crummels noase

And put therin a string

And laid en up and down the town

For murderin Charles the King

But now its time for a good reel accompanied on the squeeze box by that well known smuggler Cap'n Albert

With thanks to Lesley Nelson-Burns for the information and she is also the creator of the midi file.