Merriman, Philip

Singer

Collection date: Jan 1909

Area: Gloucestershire

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Philip Merriman at Chipping Campden, Glos (1840-1921): age 69, 1 song 13 Jan 1909: ‘Crow in the Gutter’ (FT2070) is an unusual song (Roud 969) and is a moral tale of the downfall of a young man, who has spent his money on drink and women. Early 19th century broadsides carried the story (e.g. J.Pitts printer of London) – search http://ballads.bodleian.ox.ac.uk ‘Rake’s Complaint’.

Philip Merriman was baptised at Chipping Campden church on 23/8/1840, the eldest of the 6 children of Thomas Merriman by his second wife Caroline. Philip was already a ‘plow boy’ at age 11 and then was a ‘sawyer’ at the time of his marriage to Diana Wain on 27/8/1860 at Chipping Campden church. Diana was recorded as ‘Dinah’ in all subsequent censuses and there is even confusion on her wedding register but she was clearly baptised as ‘Diana’ (31/1/1836). Just a preference on her part perhaps.

Philip and ‘Dinah’ had 7 children and he worked as an agricultural labourer – the 1911 census recorded him also as a ‘timber seller’ at age 72. They lived in Sheep Street for decades and would have been near neighbours to singer Mary Ann Clayton. Philip died July qr 1921 aged 83 (Shipston 6d 709).