Farnsworth, William

Dancer

Collection date: Jun 1914

Area: Derbyshire

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William Farnsworth, butcher, whistled his country dance tune 'Bell chimes' to Sharp on 20 June 1914 at Riddings, Alfreton, Derbyshire. Sharp was on his way (as usual by train and bicycle) from Yorkshire, where he had collected 7 country dance tunes from fiddler Nesswell Pennock (see his entry), to Oxfordshire where in early July he would collect tunes for the Eynsham morris dances (see entries for Joe Evans and Samuel Moulder). 

So, Sharp was in the mood for dance tunes, although he did not get around to publishing Farnsworth's tune. Sharp was a vegetarian, so his visit to a butcher's was a 'one-off' in the line of duty! It's unclear whether William was a dance musician or caller or what.

William Farnsworth was baptised on 8 Sept 1861 at Riddings, son of Joseph and Eliza Farnsworth. Joseph was a butcher. William married Catherine Purcell on 15 Nov 1887. They had 5 children, only 3 surviving into adulthood. William died in September qr 1914.

 

 

I am grateful to Richard Buxton, of Ripley Morris, for his guidance on Farnsworth's contribution.