CUNINGHAME MANUSCRIPTS?

[IAN SALTER]

I've received the following email from a friend; can anyone help?

Hi Ian,

I wonder if I can enlist your help again? One of the now sadly neglected players from the early 20th century is John (Jack) Cuninghame. Though interested in him and having completed a fairly thorough bio some time ago it occurred to me when listening to one of his recordings that we are approaching a shadow line where his manuscripts if they survive, could just vanish for good. I have compiled a list from various sources:

Stunt One*
Stunt Two
Fly Around*
Myfanwie
Patrol March Past
Wainalong Rag
Duckbuy March
Marmie Rag
Somerset March
Keynotes Club March
Minuet


None of Cuninghame’s above compositions are catalogued at the British Library. I doubt most or any were published commercially. Recordings exist for those marked with an asterisk, and Richard has shared the manuscript of Somerset March on the Ning website and Joel has shared Keynotes Club March from what looks to be an old  issue of BMG.

If the manuscripts survive they will be in the paper collection of Richard or other elder banjoists. Delicate subject, but these folks will not be around forever. It would be a tragedy if Cuninghame’s compositions were lost in the sunami of clearing and admin that usually follows a death.

I don’t have contact details. Would you be willing to contact and delicately encourage that anyone with copies share these on the Ning website asap?

As you can see this is not a selfish request, it comes from genuine concern to avoid a loss of creativity.

Best wishes

[Joel Hooks]

Thanks Richard, Pat got back to me and said that he put out 99.  Don't risk the ladder just yet.

Richard William Ineson said:

I think that there may have been a few more, perhaps 90 or so. My copies are up in the loft and my wife won't let me climb the ladder. I'll wait until she's gone shopping and see if I can get to them.

Joel Hooks said:

Does anyone know how many issues Pat put out?  I have 80 that I have found so far, is that all of them?

[Russ Chandler]

That is just glorious!

IAN SALTER said:

My friend has asked me to pass on his thanks to you all for your replies and to post the following information, which was prompted by Shawn mentioning 'Wainalong Rag',

 "The title Wainalong Rag leapt out at me, as Wain-A-Long Road is the name of the road in Salisbury that my wife's mother lived on for over 30 years. I know of no other reference. Realising that Joe Morley lived for a time in Salisbury and that he was regularly visited from Bath by Tarrant Bailey Sr and Cuninghame, I thought I'd look into a possible connection. The 1921 Census has Joe Morley, 'Banjoist', boarding at 31 London Road, Salisbury. These days a modern dual carriageway has been built and London Road is the NE exit from a roundabout directly outside the rear of my mother-in-law 's property. There are pre-1930's houses along that road but not close enough to be conclusive proof of a link. I then made a closer contextual study of the census entries and found that number 31 was two doors away from a resident listed as a 'licenced victualler' whose workplace was 'at home'- a pub. I know from my own visits that there has only ever been one pub in the immediate vicinity, the Wyndham Arms, a large, late Victorian red brick property in a terrace of Victorian townhouses. Cross-referencing the victualler's name with contemporary local documentary sources, revealed that indeed he was the landlord of what was in 1921 still referred to by it's original title, The Wyndham Hotel. What was formally 31 London Road on the extended old road, is now called Estcourt Road, parallel to the modern dual carriageway. Joe Morley was lodging two doors away from the Wyndham Hotel and slap bang opposite the rear bedroom window of my mother-in-law's  property that I've stayed in all these years. Wain-A-Long Road is within banjo hearing distance, directly opposite Morley's Salisbury home.

No doubt whatsoever that Cuninghame's tune title derives from his visits to Morley's lodgings between 1916 and c.1924.

[Jody Stecher]

Also mysterious is the anonymous friend. Not that this is a problem at all. The anonymity makes for a better story.

Richard William Ineson said:

A fascinating discovery relating to the, in many ways. 'mysterious' Joe Morley, 

[IAN SALTER]

[IAN SALTER]

The Wyndham Hotel c1900.

The now demolished Assembly Rooms on High Street, Salisbury, where Joe Morley played many concerts with the Camp Jesters, entertaining wounded servicemen 1916-1918.

The Camp Jesters were initially billed as a variety act of 'London Artistes'. On moving to Salisbury, the troupe quickly acquired an enthusiastic local following, with Morley's banjo solos as a notable highlight. The Camp Jesters were contracted to two performances per week, on Wednesday and Saturday nights. They also appeared at many other local venues, some events filled with war wounded, accompanied by nurses, directly off the hospital train from Southampton. There are numerous accounts of The Camp Jesters providing this entertainment, free of charge.

[Shawn McSweeny]

WAINALONG RAG by J P Cunninghame

Great research and interesting story.

Here is JPC playing "Wainalong Rag".

Wainalong_Rag_JP_Cunninghame.mp3

[Shawn McSweeny]

Perhaps Ian (the Really Nice Ian) will create a little player window for the recording.

[Shawn McSweeny]

SOMERSET MARCH by J P Cunninghame

MARMIE RAG by J P Cunninghame

Somerset_March%20_J_P_Cunninghame.mp3

Marmie_Rag_J_P_Cunninghame.mp3

All three should be at or near score pitch and tempo.  

[thereallyniceman]

Hey Shawn... Your wish is my command :-)

Shawn McSweeny said:

Perhaps Ian (the Really Nice Ian) will create a little player window for the recording.

[Shawn McSweeny]

Thanks Ian  .  .  .  If only the player window could also improve the recording quality.

[thereallyniceman]

Sorry Shawn, you can only have one wish  ;-)

Shawn McSweeny said:

Thanks Ian  .  .  .  If only the player window could also improve the recording quality.