Dufftown Fair

Contributors

Mathieson, Willie, 1879-1958 (464)

Fieldworkers

Henderson, Hamish, 1919-2002 (10)

Date April 1952

Track ID 14957

Part 1

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1952.02.A4 (A13)

Original Tape ID

SA1952.002

Summary

The singer is telling his friends how he met his wife, Spicey Ann, at Dufftown Fair and took her for a walk, then to see the shows, where he bought her lumps of candy which he kissed off her cheeks. A year later they are blessed with twin boys and the proud father is going to open a baby show on the day of Dufftown Fair.

Willie Mathieson learned the song from Willie Ferris.

Item Notes

Text and music transcribed in School of Scottish Studies. 4 verses with chorus. This song is usually localised and it is difficult to identify the original place concerned. Greig-Duncan (vol. 4, no. 885) 'Moss of Balloch Fair' has same first line and virtually the same text. The song exists in many variants, including 'Marnin' Fair', 'Marnan Fair' and 'Peter Fair'.

Willie Ferris was junior cattleman at Milton of Noth, Rhynie about 1909.

See:
Greig-Duncan vol. 4, pp. 435-436
'Tocher' 43 (1991) pp. 11-13
Willie Mathieson's MSS II:55

Item Location

County - Banffshire

Parish - Mortlach

Village/Place - Dufftown

Language

Scots

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good