Annotation:Mrs. Ramsay of Barnton (2)
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MRS. RAMSAY OF BARNTON [2]. AKA and see “Riding on a Load of Hay.” Scottish, Strathspey. E Dorian. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Stewart-Robertson): AAB (Kerr). Similar in many ways to "Belladrum's Strathspey." The melody appears as a polka in Frank Roche's Collection of Traditional Irish Music, vol. 2 (1912) as "Riding on a Load of Hay". See also the Cape Breton/P.E.I. tune "Charlie's Brother" AKA "Little Jack's Reel," which has 'borrowed' the first stain of "Mrs. Ramsay."
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The 'Mrs. Ramsay' of the title was born Betty Hamilton (1770-1809, who married William Ramsay of Barnton.
Source for notated version:
Printed sources:
Kerr (Merry Melodies, vol. 1), c. 1875; No. 5, p. 18 (appears as “Mrs. Ramsay”).
Scottish Country Dance Book, Book 20, 1959.
Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; p. 258.
Recorded sources:
See also listings at:
Alan Snyder’s Cape Breton Fiddle Recording Index [1]
Jane Keefer’s Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [2]
Alan Ng’s Irishtune.info [3]