Smith, Jesse

Singer

Collection date: Aug 1909

Area: Gloucestershire

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Jesse Smith was 74 when he sang a version of the 'Dilly Song' (FT2322) to Sharp on 26 August 1909 at Broadwell village in Gloucestershire. Sharp wrote 'Jessie' but it should be 'Jesse'. Sharp had taken a house in Stow-on-the-Wold for a period of 7 weeks in the summer of 1909 and had been busy collecting dances at Chipping Campden, Bampton and Ilmington. Broadwell is a village just 1.6 miles N of Stow.

Jesse Smith was baptised at Broadwell Glos on 27/12/1835, 2nd child of 6 to William Smith, labourer and his wife Mary Ann. He lived his whole life in Broadwell as an agricultural labourer and a shepherd. He never married. The 1911 census ref is RG14/15492 schedule 58a. His date of death is yet to be determined. 

Note: There is a Broadwell village in Warwickshire (50 miles NE of Stow) and there is a Broadwell village in Oxfordshire (13 miles S of Stow) but they can both be eliminated.