When was Widecombe Fair written?
When was Widecombe Fair written?
1889
The lyrics which refer to Widecombe Fair became well-known after being published in 1889, and then played across England at a concert lecture tour.
Was Uncle Tom Cobley a real person?
There is much fierce dispute as to whether or not Tom Cobley was a real person with several Devon villages claiming that he was at one time a local resident, Spreyton being the hottest contender. His connection with Dartmoor clearly derives from the folk song and his annual appearance at Widdecombe Fair.
Where is Widecombe Fair?
Widecombe in the Moor
Widecombe Fair/Location
How old is Widecombe Fair?
Widecombe Fair is famous not just in Devon, but across the world. It all started more than 150 years ago, with a cattle show, a sheep sale and an old folk song – telling the story of Uncle Tom Cobbley and all.
Where does the saying Uncle Tom Cobley and all come from?
The phrase Uncle Tom Cobley and all is used in British English as a humorous or whimsical way of saying et al., often to express exasperation at the large number of people in a list. The phrase comes from a Devon folk song “Widecombe Fair”, collected by Sabine Baring-Gould.
Where does the expression Uncle Tom come from?
The term “Uncle Tom” comes from the title character of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin, where an enslaved African American, Tom, is beaten to death for refusing to betray the whereabouts of two other enslaved people.
Where does the phrase Uncle Tom Cobley and all come from?
Is Widecombe Fair on this year 2020?
IT IS WITH GREAT REGRET THAT, ONCE AGAIN, AFTER TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE CURRENT STANCE BY THE GOVERNMENT THAT SOCIAL DISTANCING WILL CONTINUE FOR SOME TIME YET, THE WIDECOMBE FAIR ORGANISATIONAL TEAM HAS MADE THE DECISION TO CANCEL THE FAIR THIS YEAR.
Is Widecombe Fair on this year?
It’s held on the second Tuesday in September each year. In 2021 it should be on Tuesday September 14th but has been cancelled. There are road closures around the village on the day with a park and ride service from marshalled car-parks on the edge of the village (see website link for details).
What does it mean to be Uncle Tom?
(Entry 1 of 2) 1 disparaging : a Black person who is overeager to win the approval of whites (as by obsequious behavior or uncritical acceptance of white values and goals)
What does cobley mean?
The ancestry of the name Cobley dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family lived in Coberley, Gloucestershire which dates back to at least the Domesday Book where it was listed as Culberlege and literally meant “wood or clearing of a man called Cuthbeorht.” Sale.
Who are the people in the song Widecombe Fair?
Its chorus ends with a long list of the people travelling to the fair: ” Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney, Peter Davy, Dan’l Whiddon, Harry Hawke, Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all .” Some research suggests that the names originally referred to real people.
When did the first Widecombe Fair take place?
The earliest written record was in 1850, when it was described in the Plymouth Gazette as a cattle fair. It soon became an opportunity to show and sell other livestock, particularly locally bred sheep and Dartmoor ponies, and by the 1920s it had also become a sports day for local schoolchildren.
What did old Uncle Tom Cobleigh do at Widdicombe Fair?
Old Uncle Tom Cobleigh and all. He see’d his old mare down a-making her will. Old Uncle Tom Cobleigh and all. And Tom, he sat down on a stone and he cried. Old Uncle Tom Cobleigh and all. Nor though they be dead of the horrid career.
Why was Widecombe Fair suspended during World War 2?
Widecombe Fair was suspended during the Second World War, but reinstated in 1945 with new attractions, including a gymkhana and tug of war. All profits were donated to the ‘Local Welcome Home Fund’ for returning soldiers, sailors and airmen.
