CHILDREN
OF THE DARK

Songs performed by Off The Cuff
In support of the Husker Pit
Children’s Memorial Fund

1988


Side One
1.	Coal Hole Cavalry (Edwards)
2.	Children of the Dark (Duke/Crothers)
3.	Polly Parker (Trad.)
4.	What’s the Price of Coal? (Trad.)
5.	Down the Coal Mine (Trad.)

Side Two
1.	Jowl and Listen (Trad.)
2.	Close the Coalhouse Door (Glasgow)
3.	Patience Kershaw (Trad.)
4.	Fourpence a Day (Trad.)
5.	You Won’t Get Me Down Your Mine (Wilkie)

On the fourth day of July 1838 the village of Silkstone near Barnsley awoke to find a glorious summer’s day. By the end of the day Silkstone had been devastated by underground tragedy; the sort of catastrophe which has affected mining communities both before and since that day in Silkstone. Twenty six colliers were drowned when an unexpected storm of enormous proportions caused a flash flood to deluge the workings of Husker Pit. The loss of twenty six lives is of course terrible: this tragedy was heightened because the average age of these miners was just eleven years.

The tragedy at Husker Pit prompted Queen Victoria to set up an enquiry which in turn led to Acts of Parliament which made it illegal for women and children to work underground – though it was some time before these practices were finally ended. The people of Silkstone erected a monument to the dead children in their churchyard and with typically Victorian narrow-minded religious fervour saw nothing but the hand of the Almighty in the tragedy.

One hundred and fifty years later the people of Silkstone recognised the need to honour the memory of these children at the place where they died and have set up a fund to create a monument on the site of Husker Pit.

The songs on this tape form part of the play Children of the Dark, which looks at the tragedy and the consequences of the disaster at Silkstone. The play is the be performed at The oaks School, Barnsley (April 1988) and in Silkstone parish Church (July 1988) by the children and staff of The oaks School along with Off The Cuff. All profits from these performances along with those from the sale of this cassette are going to the Husker Pit Children’s Memorial Fund.

Finally, I would like to express, on behalf of Off the Cuff, not only our thanks to the people who have helped us to create this cassette but also our shared sentiment that it was a privilege to be involved in the efforts to commemorate the twenty six children who died in the workings of Husker Pit.

Extracts from the play Children of the Dark performed by Mel Dyke, John Lomas, Tim Seabury, Charlie Lowery, Sarah Nunn, Kenny Doughty and Michael Greaves – staff and students of The Oaks School, Kendray, Barnsley.
Our thanks to Mr. A.V.Kent, Headteacher of The Oaks School and to Jack Brown for their help.

All songs arranged and performed by Off The Cuff, who are:
Dick Walker – guitars and vocals;
Dave Duke – vocals, banjo and mandola;
Eric Pressley – vocals, fiddle and cittern;
Andrew Crothers – synthesizer and concertina.
	With Betty Martin – vocals and bodhran.

Side B

The first Horizon Radio live session featuring Barnsley based singer/songwriter, Georgina Gilmartin.
The interview was recorded and photographed by Lewis Ryan and conducted by alternativebarnsley.com's Jason White.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Georgina-Gilmartin/116178705163231
Track-listing:
Track 1. Interview
Track 2. ‘Johnny In The Clouds’
Track 3. Interview
Track 4. 'Jimmy’
Track 5. BONUS TRACK ‘Sunny Eyes’ (Not broadcast on radio)

All songs written and performed by Georgina Gilmartin (vocals/guitar).
Originally broadcast on Barnsley's Horizon Radio 87.7FM, Sunday April 28th 2013.


GEORGINA GILMARTIN - INTERVIEW PART 1

The first Horizon Radio session, recorded live at and featuring members and guests of the famous Barnsley Folk Club. 
The interview session was recorded by alternativebarnsley.com's Jason White.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Barnsley-Folk-and-Acoustic-Night/106566706084254
Track-listing:
Track 1. String Theory - Amelia Earhart
Track 2. Untitled Irish Jig – Barnsley Folk Club Members led by Serena (Trad.)
Track 3. Johnny Booker – Windy Old Weather (Trad. Variation of the Bob Roberts 1958 version)
Track 4. Raymond Padgett – The Dalesman’s Litany (poem by FW Moorman, music by Dave Keddie)
Track 5. String Theory – Wallace Hartley's Titanic Band
Track 6. John Platt – Now I’m Easy (Eric Bogle)
Track 7. Johnny Booker – Thousands Or More (Copper R)
Track 8. Harry Bird and The Rubber Wellies – Who’s Gonna Lead the March upon the Jail House
Track 9. Harry Bird and The Rubber Wellies – Link For My Chain
*all songs written my performers unless otherwise stated

Recorded live at the Barnsley Trades Club, Racecommon Road on Monday 29th April by Jason White.
Originally broadcast on Barnsley's Horizon Radio 87.7FM, Sunday May 11th 2013.

UNTITLED IRISH JIG - BARNSLEY FOLK CLUB MEMBERS LED BY SERENA

JOHNNY BOOKER - WINDY OLD WEATHER

The first Horizon Radio session, recorded live at and featuring members and guests of the famous Barnsley Folk Club. 
The interview session was recorded by alternativebarnsley.com's Jason White.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Barnsley-Folk-and-Acoustic-Night/106566706084254
Track-listing:
Track 1. String Theory - Amelia Earhart
Track 2. Untitled Irish Jig – Barnsley Folk Club Members led by Serena (Trad.)
Track 3. Johnny Booker – Windy Old Weather (Trad. Variation of the Bob Roberts 1958 version)
Track 4. Raymond Padgett – The Dalesman’s Litany (poem by FW Moorman, music by Dave Keddie)
Track 5. String Theory – Wallace Hartley's Titanic Band
Track 6. John Platt – Now I’m Easy (Eric Bogle)
Track 7. Johnny Booker – Thousands Or More (Copper R)
Track 8. Harry Bird and The Rubber Wellies – Who’s Gonna Lead the March upon the Jail House
Track 9. Harry Bird and The Rubber Wellies – Link For My Chain
*all songs written my performers unless otherwise stated

Recorded live at the Barnsley Trades Club, Racecommon Road on Monday 29th April by Jason White.
Originally broadcast on Barnsley's Horizon Radio 87.7FM, Sunday May 11th 2013.


STRING THEORY - WALLACE HARTLEY'S TITANIC BAND

JOHN PLATT - NOW I'M EASY

JOHNNY BOOKER - THOUSANDS OR MORE

HARRY BIRD AND THE RUBBER WELLIES - WHO'S GONNA LEAD THE MARCH UPON THE JAILHOUSE

HARRY BIRD AND THE RUBBER WELLIES - LINK FOR MY CHAIN

A Horizon Radio live session with folk band Parson’s Lot.

Track-listing:
Track 1. The Star of County Down (Cathal McGarvey)
Track 2. Dirty Old Town (Ewan McColl)
Track 3. All Along the Watchtower (Bob Dylan)
Track 4. Jesse James (traditional)

All songs performed by 
Jeff Jethro Platts (vocals, whistle, harmonica)
Del Scott Miller (guitar, vocals)
April Lodge (violin, vocals)
Richard Barrowclough (drums)
Sean Hales (banjo)
Jim Gillot (guitar)

Recorded live at the Barnsley CAMRA Beer Steam and Beer Festival at Elsecar Heritage Centre on Monday 6th May. Recorded by Lewis Ryan and Jason White. 
Originally broadcast on Barnsley's Horizon Radio 87.7FM, Sunday May 11th 2013.

1 PARSONS LOT - THE STAR OF THE COUNTY DOWN

2 PARSONS LOT - DIRTY OLD TOWN

3 PARSONS LOT - ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER

4 PARSONS LOT - JESSE JAMES

Alternative Barnsley was launched by Jason White in November 2011 as the town’s only ALL ARTS online forum. The facebook page acts as an up to date local live arts and music event guide, with photo albums containing profiles of all currently active artists, designers, musicians, bands, photographers, promoters, sound engineers and venues that support the arts.
The website features articles, reviews, interviews and much more.

Our facebook page currently has around eight hundred followers. Alongside out website we have a weekly reach of around ten thousand. It is used actively by artists and fans of the arts, young people, local arts organisations and groups, the local council and local museums and galleries and is invited to many local exhibition, gigs and festivals to write reviews.

Horizon Radio -
In October 2012, Alternative Barnsley was approached by radio producer Dave Markwell and asked if they would take part in setting up a new community radio station. The station will be on air for one month in March 2013 as part of its funding application. Jason will present and produce programs under the Alternative Barnsley banner and will also manage the stations social media.
Alternative Barnsley is currently recording its first podcasts on mixcloud.com featuring interviews and music by local artists.

Experience Barnsley: Sounds Archive -
In December 2012, Barnsley Council and Barnsley Museums approached Alternative Barnsley to curate content for the sound and video archive which will be used inside Experience Barnsley, a new museum dedicated to the people of Barnsley and their stories, which will open in June 2013.
The content we produced will showcase Barnsley born and/or based musicians and bands from the last fifty years.

Creative Recovery -
Alternative Barnsley has been a close partner of Creative Recovery since it launched its Alternative Nite Out events in March 2012. Creative Recovery is a group of various groups which use art, performance and music to aid recovery from addiction, mental illness and to help families and individuals that are carers. The Alternative Nite Out program initially started out as a series of unique events that provided a mix of art workshops, live music and food as an alternative to alcohol fuels nights out. Alternative Barnsley promotes their events and from 2013 will a partner and signatory for the organisation. 

Newham Barnsley Partnership and London 2012 -
In June 2012, Jason White and Alternative Barnsley received a digital media bursary which provided financial support and mentoring, enabling Alternative Barnsley to blog about Olympics and Paralympics related events for the Barnsley audience, with a specific focus on the Cultural Olympiad and Disability Arts.

We focus on the talents of a great number individuals and groups that are using their skills to bring something different to town.
We aim to be a place where people can network and show off their skills. We encompass all kinds of artists and designers; painters, sculptors, tattooists, musicians, singers and designers. We are also happy to showcase those local entrepreneurs and individuals starting up small arts related businesses business such as fashion boutique owners, festival organisers, craft fairs, PA Hire companies or recording studios or also the many promoters we have in town.

We are happy to promote those venues that are going out of their way to support the town’s thriving arts scene; pubs, bars, clubs, galleries, parks, cinemas, community halls and libraries.

Alterative Barnsley is a place where all of you can be seen, heard and shared.
We feature regular interviews and features over on our dotcom site and up to date events news on our facebook page. 

AlternativeBarnsley

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