Collars & Cuffs..1907..Clarence Hoard St. John.

[Steve Harrison]

Despite the uninspiring title, this is a well written and tuneful composition by one of the lesser known ragtime era composers. He published 20 compositions, his most successful being 'Cole Smoak' (rag) which I intend to arrange in due course. The score and midi are in the library...Steve.

[Richard William Ineson]

'Collars and Cuffs' was the nickname of the Duke of Clarence,1864 - 1892, the eldest son of Edward V11 and Princess Alexandra, and the heir to the British throne; he was so called because, in modern parlance, he as a 'fashion victim. Prince Eddie as he was known, was also a bit of a problem for the Royal family as he was not considered as being quite up to the challenge of ruling the largest Empire the world had ever seen. He was a bit of a shady character and was thought to be involved in what was known at the time, as the 'Cleveland Street scandal;' he was also a suspect in the notorious  'Jack the Ripper' murders. There is a banjo connection with 'Collar and Cuffs', this forgotten Prince and lost King of England, Alfred Cammeyer played at Prince Eddie's last birthday party at Sandringham in January 1892, Eddie was ill with the 'flu at the time and died in February, 1892. Dear old Cam mentions this Royal gig in his memoirs, "My Adventuresome Banjo", Cam didn't get invited to stay at Sandringham but was 'put up' at 'The Feathers' in Dersingham, a nearby village, the pub/hotel is still there.

[Steve Harrison]

Hi Richard, thanks for that, I had a look at his bio on Wikipedia and he was certainly a colourful character and an embarrassment to the Royal family. I wonder if St. John was aware of him or if the tune title was a coincidence...Steve. 
Richard William Ineson said:

'Collars and Cuffs' was the nickname of the Duke of Clarence,1864 - 1892, the eldest son of Edward V11 and Princess Alexandra, and the heir to the British throne; he was so called because, in modern parlance, he as a 'fashion victim. Prince Eddie as he was known, was also a bit of a problem for the Royal family as he was not considered as being quite up to the challenge of ruling the largest Empire the world had ever seen. He was a bit of a shady character and was thought to be involved in what was known at the time, as the 'Cleveland Street scandal;' he was also a suspect in the notorious  'Jack the Ripper' murders. There is a banjo connection with 'Collar and Cuffs', this forgotten Prince and lost King of England, Alfred Cammeyer played at Prince Eddie's last birthday party at Sandringham in January 1892, Eddie was ill with the 'flu at the time and died in February, 1892. Dear old Cam mentions this Royal gig in his memoirs, "My Adventuresome Banjo", Cam didn't get invited to stay at Sandringham but was 'put up' at 'The Feathers' in Dersingham, a nearby village, the pub/hotel is still there.

[Richard William Ineson]

'Collar and Cuffs' was a commonly used term of derision  in those days for people we would now call 'fur coat and no knickers' or 'all wind and piss'. Eddie was a an odd ball and I think that the Royals were quite relieved when he met his untimely end. The Duke's last birthday party at Sandringham featured a ventriloquist as well as Cam. As a result of the various scandals which dogged the Duke of Clarence, the public adopted his title for use as yet another term of derision, "He's a bit of a Clarence' which indicated that the person in question was of questionable morality. I don't think that the title has been revived by the Royal family yet, but as people forget Prince Eddie it may make a comeback.

Steve Harrison said:

Hi Richard, thanks for that, I had a look at his bio on Wikipedia and he was certainly a colourful character and an embarrassment to the Royal family. I wonder if St. John was aware of him or if the tune title was a coincidence...Steve. 
Richard William Ineson said:

'Collars and Cuffs' was the nickname of the Duke of Clarence,1864 - 1892, the eldest son of Edward V11 and Princess Alexandra, and the heir to the British throne; he was so called because, in modern parlance, he as a 'fashion victim. Prince Eddie as he was known, was also a bit of a problem for the Royal family as he was not considered as being quite up to the challenge of ruling the largest Empire the world had ever seen. He was a bit of a shady character and was thought to be involved in what was known at the time, as the 'Cleveland Street scandal;' he was also a suspect in the notorious  'Jack the Ripper' murders. There is a banjo connection with 'Collar and Cuffs', this forgotten Prince and lost King of England, Alfred Cammeyer played at Prince Eddie's last birthday party at Sandringham in January 1892, Eddie was ill with the 'flu at the time and died in February, 1892. Dear old Cam mentions this Royal gig in his memoirs, "My Adventuresome Banjo", Cam didn't get invited to stay at Sandringham but was 'put up' at 'The Feathers' in Dersingham, a nearby village, the pub/hotel is still there.