My Boyhood at the turn of the century

urn:iso:std:iso:639:ed-3:eng

190-192

text excerpt

[Frank Goss’s father Charlie was a piano maker]

So it was that on going on to Oldham, mother and father joined the Independent Labour Party—the I.L.P. 

[…]

[…] One of its activities in winter was to hold a ‘Social’ every Saturday evening in an assembly room just off Mumps, the main street of Oldham. 

[…] It must be remembered that, in the early years of this century, apart from the theatre, legitimate or variety, and special functions of musical or other cultural societies, “The Social” was one of the most exciting forms of entertainment to be found; and to a boy of twelve years of age it was [an?] intoxicating enjoyment. 

The talented among our members would come forward to render “The Last Rose of Summer”, “Down Among the Dead Men”, “In Zanzibar”, “Kathleen Mavourneen”, “Simon the Cellerer” [sic], or any other of the popular songs of the day which gave the best range for the type of voice, vocal ambition, or virtuosity of the renderer. The pianist vamped out chords on a piano which, no doubt, my father had tuned at a cut rate. A piano solo always preceded the other platform items and was listened to by everyone in respectful silence, applauding with great appreciation, although many may have wondered why it was necessary to have it at all. A recitation or two was always interspersed between the vocal numbers. My father on these occasions was always asked to give the Lancashire audience his Cockney rendering of a popular ballad of his youth called “Running Up and Down our Stairs”, and for an encore a second and similar item “When I was a [?]” both of which I never failed to enjoy despite the repetition. 

When dancing time came, the M.C.  would step forward into the centre of the room, the pianist would settle herself more firmly in her seat, and the call would go forth to “Take your partners for the Lancers”, “The Valeta”, “The Polka” or any other of what are described nowadays as “Old Time Dances”. Away would go the dancers on the candle-waxed floor. 

excerpt from 'My Boyhood at the turn of the century' pp. 190-192 (351 words)

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1535649714200