With this as a background I found it interesting to see Bradfordian J B Priestley was being used in the Bata-ville shoe context by the folk at No Way To Make A Living. In ‘Bata in Essex and the Decline of the Third England’ they record

‘When J. B. Priestley wrote Eng­lish Jour­ney he was exer­cised by some trouble­some 1930s women: lip­sticked, dressed up to the nines to ape Hol­ly­wood glam­our on light industry wages. These were the women of the third England.

“the Eng­land of arter­ial and by-pass roads, of filling sta­tions and factor­ies that look like exhib­i­tion build­ings, of giant cinemas and dance-halls and cafes, bun­ga­lows with tiny gar­ages, cock­tail bars, Wool­worths, motor-coaches, wire­less, hik­ing, fact­ory girls look­ing like act­resses, grey­hound racing and dirt tracks, swim­ming pools, and everything given away for cigar­ette coupons.”

Priestley, J. B. (1984[1934]) Eng­lish Jour­ney, Pen­guin Books.’

These fact­ory girls were an object of con­cern and scru­tiny, troub­ling the estab­lished cat­egor­ies of class with their out­spoken, per­formed fem­in­in­ity. A new, light, indus­trial labour force destabil­ised the estab­lished under­stand­ings of gender and class. The Bata fact­ory in East Tilbury was staffed, in part, by this kind of woman: mak­ing shoes in order to pay for new shoes and hand­bags and lip­sticks. And to keep their fam­il­ies: women’s work is not all about pin money and frivolity, J. B.’
Read the full ‘Bata in Essex and the Decline of the Third England’ on No Way To Make A Living

J B Priestley and English Journey from Amazon

What Would J B Priestley Make of This

Yorkshire can produce hard rock and heavy metal when it needs too and this applies to music as well as industry.
The 70′s and 80′s were productive years for our talented performers.

Def Leppard

• The band were formed in Sheffield in 1977.
• Lady Gaga claims that her forthcoming new album is inspired by Def Leppard
• The group still perform spectacular live shows and have sold over 60 million records.
• Have a look at the great detail available on the Def Leppard unofficial website. The official web site seems to be for pushing merchandise (not a Yorkshire thing to do).

Saxon

• Saxon started in Barnsley as SOB during 1976 and joined forces with another local band Coast featuring Biff Byford on vocals and Paul Quinn on guitar. The line-up then comprised of ‘Oly’ Oliver, ‘Dobby’ Dawson, ‘Blute’ Quinn, ‘Frank’ Gill, and Peter ‘Biff’ Byford. The band was Son Of A Bitch soon changes to Saxon.
• Saxon are still touring, often in Germany where they are especially popular. You can see them in the UK at Hammersmith Apollo, with Judas Priest on 26th May 2012
• After the album Saxon in 1979 the 80′s started with Wheels of Steel and ended 8 albums later with Rock ‘N’ Roll Gypsies.
• There have been greatest hits, live albums and several studio releases since.

David Coverdale

• Born and raised in Saltburn North Yorkshire
• David was successful as the lead singer with Deep Purple until it folded. He then recorded a couple of solo albums.
• David formed Whitesnake in 1978 and they had success in the UK and Europe but it wasn’t until they reformed in 1984 that they had success in the USA
• David declined to join Black Sabbath after the departure of Ronnie James Dio – a good move me thinks.

Black Lace

• The most famous group to come out of Ossett, the town more famous for the saying “Don’t thee thou me thee thou thissen and see how tha likes thee thouing”
• Perhaps that accounts for the unusual number one record that made Black Lace famous Agadoo
• Black Lace came to the fore in the 1979 Eurovision Song Contest. They finished seventh with the song “Mary Ann” one of the UK’s best performances?.
• They also had party hits with Do the Conga, ‘I am the Music Man’ and a personal favourite of mine ‘Superman’

Robert Palmer January 1949 – September 2003

• Born in Batley Robert moved to Scarborough at the age of 10 then on to Malta
• For Island records he made 8 studio albums and a further 6 after moving to EMI
• Best known for Addicted to Love and a Bad Case of Loving You
• With Duran Duran and others, Robert Palmer joined would be supergroup The Power Station
• In his obituary the Guardian said ‘One of the most gifted white soul singers of his crowded era, Robert Palmer, who has died of a heart attack aged 54, worked hard at being misunderstood.’ read more

Credit
Dog Looking at and Listening to a Phonograph, "His Master’s Voice", The Original RCA Music Puppy Dog Logo Symbol for Advertising by Beverly & Pack = Creative Commons

I run a Gardeners Tips web site which uses as ‘root of my tips’ plants and gardens in Yorkshire.
The Gloxinia photo is a double blind trial I am conducting on my web sites.
Obviously I recommend you visit the site, click on the green header for more posts and sign up for the RSS feed if you are so inclined.

Spring Flowers

From the ‘root of my tips I branch out’ to Harlow Carr gardens and if you visit the RHS garden this month you will see and smell many of the Witch Hazels that are in copious flower.

Under the shelter of the walls at York you will find several clumps of Helebores or relatives of the Christmas Rose and Lenten Rose. The example was in the area behind the Quilt Museum.

With these two blogs I can indulge 3 of my passions, Gardening, Yorkshire and Internet publishing.

Smokie

The Bradford band recorded for Decca, RCA and successfully for Rak
“Oh Julie, Living next Door to Alice, I Love You Carolina, Oh Carol and an early single “Let the Good Times Roll” were some of Smokies top records.
Still claiming to be ‘Europe’s top live band, thirty years after its inception is truly fantastic’
After numerous name changes, after leaving St Bedes school Bradford, the band settled on Smokey only to be threatened by Smokey Robinson who made them make the final name change albeit only only inserting an ie instead of a Y

Jeff Christie

This Leeds lad had some success with the Outer Limits but they failed to make the big time and the band folded in 1969
Then sometime as a professional songwriter when he wrote for the Tremeloes
Yellow River was a hit for his Yorkshire band ‘Christie’.

Tony Christie

No relation to Jeff Christie, Tony was another Sheffield lad.
Maria and Is this the Way to Amarillo were iconic records.
Peter Kaye did a send up of ‘Is this the Way to Amarillo’ that got the song a second successful outing.

Paul Carrick

Sheffield must have been a musical breeding ground.
Paul was the singer with Squezee and Mike and The Mechanics.
He also had a big hit with ‘How Long’ by the Aces.

Be Bop Deluxe

Be Bop Deluxe was founded by Bill Nelson guitarist and singer-songwriter from Wakefield
Glam, Progressive Rock, or Heavy Metal they were hard to pigeon hole or label.
‘Ships in the Night’ was there major single success but they produced many good albums.

Paul Rodgers

Lead singer with Free, born in Middlesborough
‘All Right Now’ was a success for Free
With the band Bad Company Paul enjoyed years of success in the USA before being involved with several superbands.

The Who

- Unfortunately not from Gods Own County but their classic album ‘Live at Leeds’ deserves a mention. It also provides the framework for this post.

See also
Yorkshire Pop Music 1950′s
Yorkshire Pop Music 1960′s

Amazon music links
Smokie
Tony Christie
Squeeze
Be Bop Deluxe
Mike and the Mechanics

Floral Dance Brighouse and Raistrick Brass Band

Markets were first established in Barnsley by Royal Charter in 1249. ( That is the year not nearly ten too one in the afternoon)  The current markets in the local areas provide ‘quality products at bargain prices’. Small and casual traders can take space for a reasonable cost.

Goldthorpe Market every Monday (second hand), Tuesday and Saturday
Hoyland Market every Tuesday and Saturday, Thursday (second hand),
Wombwell Market every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday
Penistone Market every Thursday
Barnsley Market Hall and Meat and Fish Markets every day except Thursday and Sunday,
Open Market Held every Tuesday (second hand and collectors), Wednesday, Friday and Saturday,
Car Boot Every Sunday 7:00am to 1:00pm

Tourism in Barnsley is still an unknown quantity with the Tourist Office closing on Saturday and Sunday but go figure. Still the greatest asset is the local people so go into Pub for a good listen if not chat. Alternatively see the links below for information on  local attractions.

Cannon_Hall_Museum_Park_and_Gardens

Elsecar_Heritage_Centre

Cooper_Gallery

Worsbrough_Mill_and_Country_Park

Brilliant Book on Barnsley Born and Bred Boys and Blokes  by Brian buyable by Barclaycard

Well I’ll go to t’foot of our stairs – we had a little dog we called Grieg after t’composer.
‘Did it like classical music or summat?’
‘No it used to pee agin t’suite’.

‘Eh!’ she said

‘I am collecting on behalf of the Bailiff Bridge & Berry Brow Brass Band would you like to contribute?’

‘Eh speak up I’m a bit deaf’

I AM COLLECTING ON BEHALF OF THE BAILIFF BRIDGE & BERRY BROW BRASS BAND’

‘Eh I still can’t hear’

I AM COLLECTING ON BEHALF OF THE BAILIFF BRIDGE & BERRY BROW BRASS BAND’ he thunders.

‘Ah still can’t hear’

So he turns to go and she says ‘An’ close the gate behind thee’

‘You know what you can do with your flippin gate’ he chunters to himself

‘Aye and tha know what tha can do with the blinkin’ Bailiff Bridge & Berry Brow Brass Band’ she alliterates.

Up to Date

And in case you thought Gods Own County and Amazon were not up to date we have worked together to offer you a chance to buy ‘Yorkshire Wit, Character, Folklore and Customs or Wit Character Folklore and Customs of the North Riding of Yorkshire’ by R. Blakeborough first edition published by Henry Frowde (1898)
Sorry it is not yet available on Kindle! We will be kindling later.

Outlook for Bailiff Bridge 2012

Flower Fund Home Charities

• Spenborough Flower Fund Homes
• Bingley, Littlelands
• Aireborough Flower Fund
• Harrogate
• Scarborough
• Bradford

If you are aware of any other flower fund areas please let us know via the comments section.

For a fuller story on Yorkshire Flower Fund Homes read Housingmarket.co.uk

Fund Raising

• With so many demands on funding and the high cost of housing these charities find it hard to keep building new homes.
• Any house building is to be welcomed at the moment and the government could do worse than encourage a whole new flush of Flower fund charities. It fits in well with The Big Society. It also fits with the agenda that wants to see retired folk downsize to make more space available for young families.
• Each Flower Fund is an independent charity.

Dave Berry

• Sheffield sixties pop star Dave Berry is best remembered for his hit The Crying Game
• Dave celebrated 50-years in the business during 2011.
• Gene Vincent was one of Dave’s heros and he imitated Gene with his black clothes before learning to teasing the audience with his own act.
• Born on 6 February 1941 as David Grundy he played with his band was The Cruisers
• Little Things, Mama, Memphis Tennessee, and the dutch hit This Strange Effect were his best know songs

Joe Cocker

• Born in Sheffield 20 May 1944, as Vance Arnold and the Avengers they played R&B around the Sheffield clubs before achieving international fame with Joe’s distinctive gravelly voice.
• As well as 25 albums over a 40 year career Joe recorded and had success with “With a Little Help from My Friends”
  • “Woman to Woman”
  • “The Jealous Kind”
  • “Black-Eyed Blues”
  • “Cry Me a River
  • “You Are So Beautiful”
  • “Feelin’ Alright
  • “Delta Lady”
• Joe’s main musical influences were Ray Charles for the blues and Lonnie Donegan for the rock and skiffle.

Arthur Brown I am the god of hell fire and I bring you ….

• Arthur Wilton from Whitby was the original singer with The Foundations before they built their own foundations on ‘Build me up buttercup’ and ‘Baby now that I’ve found you’
• The Crazy World of Arthur Brown established Arthur Brown as the UK’s first Goth.
• He still appears with The Crazy World fully electric lineup and the Hamburg Blues Band.
• Born 24 June 1942 in Gothic Whitby and he was educated in Leeds

Kiki Dee

• Bradford lass Kiki Dee was born Pauline Matthews, 6 March 1947 and she went and broke my heart. Don’t go doing it again.
• The Fontana Years 1963-1968 was a compilation album prior to Kiki signing for Motown
• Kiki was the first Brithish white singer to sign for the Motown record label ‘Love Makes The World Go Round: The Motown Years’
• Kiki began as a backing vocalist for Dusty Springfield and shared Dusty’s manager, Vic Billings.

The Early Clubbers

• Jimmy Corrigan impressario and founder of the Batley Variety Club
• Peter Stringfellow who ran Sheffield clubs, Black Cat, Mojo, King Mojo and the Esquire club
• Jimmy Saville managed the Mecca Locarno in Leeds. At Radio Luxembourg he was a disk jockey and an early TV DJ. Born Leeds 31 October 1926 died 29 October 2011

Read about 1950′s Yorkshire Pop Musicians

Amazon Supply music, books, posters etc from these links

Dave Berry

Joe Cocker

Arthur Brown

Kiki Dee

And Then Came Agadoo

And Then Came Agadoo from a large council estate in Wakefield

Stereotypes ‘appen

Tight with brass
Pithy with phraseology
‘Straight talking, no nonsense, friendly, hard working, dry humour’
Whippets, flat caps, integrity plus the moors, dales countryside and the east coast.

Stereotype Doggerel

Tha can alus tell a Yorkshire man but that can’t tell im much.

Ear all, see all, say nowt;
Eyt all, sup all, pay nowt;
And if ivver tha does owt fer nowt -
Do it fer thissen.

Stereotype Jokes

There was a community hall full of Yorkshire women all being given a keep fit lesson.
“O.K., ladies. Hands on thighs!”
As one, every woman moved her hands and a voice at the back said “What good’s that, then? I can’t see ‘yer now!”

A man goes to the vet because his cat is poorly. The vet says “Is it a tom?” and the man says “Nay lad, ‘ah’ve got it ‘ere in t’basket!”

All Yorkshire milk comes from ‘uddersfield.

Who Won the War of the Roses?

Lancashire. After several years of fighting, the final victory went to a relatively remote Lancastrian claimant, Henry Tudor. He defeated the Yorkist king Richard III. Though after the war, Henry Tudor married Elizabeth of York to unite the two houses.

Football Teams

Football is pretty one sided in favour of Lancashire. Football teams from Lancashire fill the Premier League including the three top clubs of the moment. Manchester United (19 League titles), Manchester City, Liverpool (18 League Titles). Other recent Premier League teams from Lancashire include Bolton Wanderers,  Blackburn Rovers, Burnley, Wigan Athletic, Blackpool. By contrast, Yorkshire singularly fails to have any team in the Premiership during 2011. Leeds United had their glory days, before an ignominious decline into the third tier of English football. The two Sheffield teams are perennial underachievers. Bradford City, had a short spell in top tier before their free-fall to the bottom.

Cricket

Yorkshire are the undisputed greats of cricket. Yorkshire have 31 County Championship victories, dwarfing Lancashire’s total of 9 county Championships. Well into the modern age, Yorkshire was an anomaly amongst counties in insisting that Yorkshire players were born in Yorkshire.

Dialect

The Yorkshire dialect is almost its own language, Lancashire has a range of accents, but it has to lose a few points for the Scouser accent.

An old Tyke and a well spoken educated businessman were sat in a pub talking about a local lad who had grown up and made a good life for himself.

Tyke says,Ah knew yon lad fri bein a nipper an  gerrin rahnd baht britches an nah booits to ’is feet.

Posh bloke says, That may be, but I can  remember him playing out wearing neither trousers nor shoes.

Landscape

Both counties score pretty well on this count. Though Yorkshire can boost two national parks – the Yorkshire Dales, and the  North York Moors and in Sheffield also touches part of the Peak District.

Bolton Abbey in Wharfedale, West Yorkshire.

People

Yorkshire can claim great people such as William Wilberforce (campaign to abolish slavery), Captain Cook, John Harrison (naval navigation), John Wycliffe (Methodism),Sir Titus Salt and Geoffrey Boycott

• Great Yorkshire People

Art and Culture

• Yorkshire can boast – Henry Moore – scupltor – David Hockney – art. Emily Bronte (writer), Alan Bennett (writer)
• Lancashire gave us George Formby (Wigan) and Coronation Street
•  - need we say more?

Have Your Say, what are strengths of Yorkshire and Lancashire