Annotation:Lady Charlotte Primrose
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LADY CHARLOTTE PRIMROSE. Scottish, Strathspey. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB (Gow): AABB' (Athole). Composed by John Gow (1764-1826), youngest son of Niel Gow (1727-1807) and brother of Nathaniel Gow (1753-1831). John and his brother Andrew established the London branch of the family publishing firm in 1788.
Lady Charlotte Primrose (1776-1864) was the fourth child of Neil Primrose, 3rd Earl of Rosebery and Mary Vincent. She married General Sir Kenneth Alexander Howard, 1st Earl of Effingham in May, in May, 1800. He was one of Wellington's division commanders during several engagements in the Peninsular Campaign. As a result of her marriage she was styled as Baroness Howard of Effingham in 1816, and Countess of Effingham in 1837. However, she outlived Howard and married again in 1858, to Thomas Holmes. Lady Francis Jerningham wrote of Lady Charlotte (to Lady Bedingfeld, May 29, 1800) in a letter:
Lady Charlotte Primrose's match was not sanctioned by her parents. He is a near relation of Lady Rosebery's, and may become Earl of Effingham, but has at present only his pay, as Colonel in the Guards. Her Bands were mutter'd over in the Parish Church, and she walked out at the Half-Door, and met Col. Howard at the end of the street, from whence they proceeded to the altar of Hymen. Lady Mary [Her sister] will perhaps do the same, but she is a sensible girl, and has very good taste. I had a visit a few mornings since from Lady Rosebery and her three daughters; we were all seated when a pretty young man entered. Lady Mary Coloured as red as fire and I have since felt a partiality for her.
See also the strathspey composed for her sister Mary ("Lady Mary Primrose").
Source for notated version:
Printed sources: Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 90. Gow (Fourth Collection of Niel Gow's Reels), 2nd ed., originally 1800; p. 18. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; p. 121.
Recorded sources: Rounder 7039, Theresa Morrison - "Traditional Fiddle Music of Cape Breton
Volume 3: Bras d'Or House" (2008).
See also listing at:
Paul Cranford has posted this clip of Theresa Morrison playing the tune [1]