Annotation:Bonny Lass (2)

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BONNY LASS [2]. AKA and see "Bonny Lass of Our Town," "Ellingham Hall," "Merry Dancers (The)." English, Jig. England, Northumberland. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABBCC. The melody appears in the 1770 music manuscript collection of Northumbrian musician William Vickers (about whom, unfortunately, nothing is known). Vickers gives the alternate titles "Ellingham Hall" and "Merry Dancers (The)" with the tune. London musician Thomas Hammersley called the tune "Bonny Lass of our town" and gave "Merry Dancers" as an alternate title in his c. 1790 copybook. Ellingham Hall is a Gothic-Revival manor near Alnwick, Northumberland, originally built upon a 17th century house. It was enlarged by Edward and Mary Haggerton in 1703 (their initials still appear carved into a lintel over the then front door. There are secret tunnels on the ground which aided in the harboring of Catholic priests during the turmoil of the Reformation.

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Seattle (Great Northern/William Vickers), 1987, Part 2; No. 302.

Recorded sources:

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