Players of the English Concertina in Scotland & Ireland?

[Ptarmigan]

I carried out a wee survey on a couple of forums recently, to try & get an idea of just how many players of the English Concertina there are in Scotland & Ireland, today.

The results, so far are Scotland: 41 & Ireland: 8

Here they are, in no particular order!

SCOTLAND:

Hamish Bayne, Jack Bethel, Bob Blair, Stewart Brown, Pamela Carr, Norman Chalmers, Selby Cochrane, Simon Cooper, David Corner, Oscar St Cyr, John Eaglesham, Stuart Eydeman, Archie Fisher, John Gahagan, Jean Graham, George Haig, Simon Harbord, Gordon Hotchkiss, Nigel Jelks, Joseph Kent, John Leavy, Iain MacDonald, Tom Martin, John McCourtney, Tom McDermott, Marta McGlynn, Geordie McIntyre, Brian McNeill, Mike Penny, Dave Richardson, Derek Richardson, Helen Ross, Wendy Stewart, Steve Sutcliffe, Bob Thomas, Simon Thoumire, Erland Voy, Ann Ward, Tom Ward, Frances Wilkins & Alan Wright.

& not to be forgotten {4}:

Peter Hall, Iain MacKintosh, Mike Petrie & Roy Williamson.

IRELAND:

Joanne { Jefferies }, Dick Miles, Rick Epping, Madeline O Dowd, Liam Clancy, Stephen Chambers, Mick Kinsella & Dick Glasgow.

Do you know of any others?

Cheers
Dick

[MTGuru]

Hi Ptarmi, I saw the thread over on The Session. Interesting. I can't say for Scotland or Ireland. In my limited experience here in the States, I personally know only 3 players of primarily Irish dance music on the English system. Myself; another fellow here who started recently; and a long time player named John Trubisz in the New York City area.

I started in the mid 1970s on a Crabb restored Lachenal well before I took up Irish music, and it seemed natural to transfer it over, though with the stylistic challenges that entails. A few years ago in Ennis I bought a 1857 Wheatstone from John O'Connor at Custy's. The instrument was sourced from Chris Algar, and John said he usually kept one English tina in stock for the occasional oddball customer like me. Now I play a 1939 Wheatstone Aeola that does very nicely. I believe Trubisz plays a mid-80s Dipper, purchased from Colin at the time.

Might you consider adding the US to your survey area?

[Ptarmigan]

Hello there,

In my limited experience here in the States, I personally know only 3 players of primarily Irish dance music on the English system. Myself; another fellow here who started recently; and a long time player named John Trubisz in the New York City area.

You mention playing Irish Music on the English Concertina, but to be honest, although I know this is an Irish Music forum, I am simply interested in the actual number of people playing the English system.

In Scotland I was told by experts that there were only a handful of players & I was surprised & delighted to see just how many players there actually are. In Ireland, given that the Anglo is the recognized Concertina there, I didn't honestly expect to find so many & it looks like I was right to think that way.

Might you consider adding the US to your survey area?

Good idea, why not, it might be fun to get an idea of numbers over there too.

I'll start a new thread for this next door.

Cheers
Dick

[MTGuru]

You mention playing Irish Music on the English Concertina, but to be honest, although I know this is an Irish Music forum, I am simply interested in the actual number of people playing the English system.

Yes, I'm guilty of second guessing your methodology, assuming a focus on Scotland and Ireland and their respective national musics, perhaps because English trad on the English system in England might seem less out of the ordinary (though I do think of it with Scottish players, which your survey seems to back up).

Here I guess the music would be a matter of choice, since there's no strong natural association with an American music. It certainly makes a nice box for contradance, which I also play. As in Ireland, I doubt you'll find many oddballs here playing Irish trad. Beyond that, I could think of 3 or 4 others I've met playing English trad and song accompaniment, and whom I might add to your survey thread.

[Ptarmigan]

Thanks to the great Glasgow Dulcimer & Concertina player Jack Bethel, we can now add a few more names to the list.

46 on it now ... who'd have thunk it?

There's always room for more, so if you know of another, please let me know.

Cheers
Dick
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English Concertina players in Scotland {46}:

Hamish Bayne, Jack Bethel, Bob Blair, Stewart Brown, Pamela Carr, Norman Chalmers, Joan Clifford, Selby Cochrane, Simon Cooper, David Corner, Oscar St Cyr, John Eaglesham, Stuart Eydeman, Archie Fisher, John Gahagan, Jean Graham, George Haig, Simon Harbord, Gordon Hotchkiss, Astryd Jamieson, Nigel Jelks, Brian Johnstone, Joseph Kent, John Leavy, Iain MacDonald, Maggie Macrae, Tom Martin, John McCourtney, Tom McDermott, Marta McGlynn, Geordie McIntyre, Brian McNeill, Drew Moyes, Mike Penny, Dave Richardson, Derek Richardson, Helen Ross, Wendy Stewart, Steve Sutcliffe, Bob Thomas, Simon Thoumire, Erland Voy, Ann Ward, Tom Ward, Frances Wilkins & Alan Wright.

Not to be forgotten {6}:

Mike Berry, Archie Frame, Peter Hall, Iain MacKintosh, Mike Petrie & Roy Williamson.
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[Ptarmigan]

The Scottish total has now reached 50!

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English Concertina players in Scotland {50}:

Hamish Bayne, Karen Beattie, Jack Bethel, Bob Blair, Stewart Brown, Pamela Carr, Norman Chalmers, Robert Chalmers, Joan Clifford, Selby Cochrane, Simon Cooper, David Corner, Oscar St Cyr, John Eaglesham, Stuart Eydeman, Archie Fisher, John Gahagan, Jean Graham, George Haig, Simon Harbord, Gordon Hotchkiss, Astryd Jamieson, Nigel Jelks, Brian Johnstone, Joseph Kent, John Leavy, Iain MacDonald, Maggie Macrae, Tom Martin, Susan McClure, John McCourtney, Tom McDermott, Marta McGlynn, Geordie McIntyre, Brian McNeill, Drew Moyes, Mike Penny, Dave Richardson, Derek Richardson, Helen Ross, Alison Shepard, Wendy Stewart, Steve Sutcliffe, Bob Thomas, Simon Thoumire, Erland Voy, Ann Ward, Tom Ward, Frances Wilkins, Alan Wright.

Not to be forgotten {6}:

Mike Berry, Archie Frame, Peter Hall, Iain MacKintosh, Mike Petrie, Roy Williamson.

[hans]

I know two more fine English Concertina players in Scotland (in Morayshire) to add to the list:

Sass Campbell, Dave Thomas

[Ptarmigan]

Much obliged Hans.

So we're up to 53 now ... excellent!

I suppose you session with Ian Hardie & Steve Byrne too, up there.

Cheers
Dick

English Concertina players in Scotland {53}:

Hamish Bayne ~ Orkney, Karen Beattie ~ West Lothian, Jack Bethel ~ Glasgow, Bob Blair ~ ?, Stewart Brown ~ Dundee, Sass Campbell ~ Morayshire, Pamela Carr ~ Edinburgh, Norman Chalmers ~ Edinburgh, Robert Chalmers ~ Edinburgh, Joan Clifford ~ Borders, Selby Cochrane ~ ?, Simon Cooper ~ ?, David Corner ~ ?, Oscar St Cyr ~ ?, Tom Donnelly ~ Glasgow, John Eaglesham ~ Glasgow, Stuart Eydeman ~ Edinburgh, Archie Fisher ~ Borders, John Gahagan ~ Glasgow, George Haig ~ Fife, Simon Harbord ~ ?, Gordon Hotchkiss ~ ?, Astryd Jamieson ~ Shetland, Nigel Jelks ~ Angus, Brian Johnstone ~ Glasgow, John Leavy ~ Kincardineshire, Iain MacDonald ~ ?, Maggie Macrae ~ Glasgow, Tom Martin ~ Duncan McLennan, Susan McClure ~ ?, John McCourtney ~ Glasgow, Tom McDermott ~ Ayrshire, Marta McGlynn ~ ?, Geordie McIntyre ~ ?, Duncan McLennan ~ Inverness, Brian McNeill ~ ?, Drew Moyes ~ Glasgow, Mike Penny ~ ?, Jim Reid ~ Angus, Dave Richardson ~ ?, Derek Richardson ~ Perthshire, Helen Ross ~ Stirling, Alison Shepard ~ Edinburgh, Wendy Stewart ~ ?, Steve Sutcliffe ~ ?, Bob Thomas ~ ?, Dave Thomas ~ Morayshire, Simon Thoumire ~ Edinburgh, Erland Voy ~ ?, Ann Ward ~ Edinburgh, Tom Ward ~ Edinburgh, Frances Wilkins ~ Aberdeen, Alan Wright ~ Kilmarnock

Scottish players not resident {2}:

Dick Glasgow ~ Co Antrim, Jean Graham ~ France

Not to be forgotten {7}:

Mike Berry, Archie Frame, Peter Hall, Joseph Kent, Iain MacKintosh, Mike Petrie, Roy Williamson.

*********************

[Ptarmigan]

English Concertina players in Scotland {55}:

Hamish Bayne ~ Orkney, Karen Beattie ~ West Lothian, Jack Bethel ~ Glasgow, Bob Blair ~ ?, Stewart Brown ~ Dundee, Sass Campbell ~ Morayshire, Pamela Carr ~ Edinburgh, Norman Chalmers ~ Edinburgh, Robert Chalmers ~ Edinburgh, Joan Clifford ~ Borders, Selby Cochrane ~ ?, Simon Cooper ~ ?, David Corner ~ ?, Oscar St Cyr ~ ?, Tom Donnelly ~ Glasgow, John Eaglesham ~ Glasgow, Stuart Eydeman ~ Edinburgh, Archie Fisher ~ Borders, John Gahagan ~ Glasgow, George Haig ~ Fife, Simon Harbord ~ ?, Pete Heywood ~ Ayrshire, Gordon Hotchkiss ~ ?, Astryd Jamieson ~ Shetland, Nigel Jelks ~ Angus, Brian Johnstone ~ Glasgow, Alan Jones ~ East Kilbride, John Leavy ~ Kincardineshire, Iain MacDonald ~ ?, Maggie Macrae ~ Glasgow, Tom Martin ~ Duncan McLennan, Susan McClure ~ ?, John McCourtney ~ Glasgow, Tom McDermott ~ Ayrshire, Marta McGlynn ~ ?, Geordie McIntyre ~ ?, Duncan McLennan ~ Inverness, Brian McNeill ~ ?, Drew Moyes ~ Glasgow, Mike Penny ~ ?, Jim Reid ~ Angus, Dave Richardson ~ ?, Derek Richardson ~ Perthshire, Helen Ross ~ Stirling, Alison Shepard ~ Edinburgh, Wendy Stewart ~ ?, Steve Sutcliffe ~ ?, Bob Thomas ~ ?, Dave Thomas ~ Morayshire, Simon Thoumire ~ Edinburgh, Erland Voy ~ ?, Ann Ward ~ Edinburgh, Tom Ward ~ Edinburgh, Frances Wilkins ~ Aberdeen, Alan Wright ~ Kilmarnock

Scottish players not resident {2}:

Dick Glasgow ~ Co Antrim, Jean Graham ~ France

Not to be forgotten {7}:

Mike Berry, Archie Frame, Peter Hall, Joseph Kent, Iain MacKintosh, Mike Petrie, Roy Williamson.

[daveplayer]

Hi Ptarmigan and/or Dick,

2 more Scottish English Concertina- ists (actually both long-term English migrants), playing for ages:-

Neil Bayfield & Dick Trickie, both Aberdeenshire or thereby.

[Neil has the almost unique and perhaps unenviable distinction of playing fluently in such keys
as C# major, F#major etc - having learned to play by trial and error, but unfortunately thinking that "home" was on the outside rows!! Very useful though for joining in with guitar players who insist on putting a capo on first fret "to improve the sound quality"....]

Cheers,
Dave Thomas, Moray (added recently by Hans B)

[Ptarmigan]

Excellent Dave, I'll add those names to the list on our new Scottish Concertina Forum

No harm to Neil, but I think I'll just stick with the easy keys for a wee while longer!

Cheers
Dick

[Ptarmigan]

UPDATE!
**********
English Concertina players in Scotland {58}:

Neil Bayfield ~ Aberdeenshire, Hamish Bayne ~ Orkney, Karen Beattie ~ West Lothian, Jack Bethel ~ Glasgow, Bob Blair ~ ?, Stewart Brown ~ Dundee, Sass Campbell ~ Morayshire, Pamela Carr ~ Edinburgh, Norman Chalmers ~ Edinburgh, Robert Chalmers ~ Edinburgh, Joan Clifford ~ Borders, Selby Cochrane ~ ?, Simon Cooper ~ ?, David Corner ~ ?, Oscar St Cyr ~ ?, Tom Donnelly ~ Glasgow, John Eaglesham ~ Glasgow, Stuart Eydeman ~ Edinburgh, Archie Fisher ~ Borders, Susannah Franks ~ Fife, John Gahagan ~ Glasgow, George Haig ~ Fife, Simon Harbord ~ ?, Pete Heywood ~ Ayrshire, Gordon Hotchkiss ~ ?, Astryd Jamieson ~ Shetland, Nigel Jelks ~ Angus, Brian Johnstone ~ Glasgow, Alan Jones ~ East Kilbride, John Leavy ~ Kincardineshire, Iain MacDonald ~ ?, Maggie Macrae ~ Glasgow, Tom Martin ~ Duncan McLennan, Susan McClure ~ ?, John McCourtney ~ Glasgow, Tom McDermott ~ Ayrshire, Marta McGlynn ~ ?, Geordie McIntyre ~ ?, Duncan McLennan ~ Inverness, Brian McNeill ~ ?, Drew Moyes ~ Glasgow, Mike Penny ~ ?, Jim Reid ~ Angus, Dave Richardson ~ ?, Derek Richardson ~ Perthshire, Helen Ross ~ Stirling, Alison Shepard ~ Edinburgh, Wendy Stewart ~ ?, Steve Sutcliffe ~ ?, Bob Thomas ~ ?, Dave Thomas ~ Morayshire, Simon Thoumire ~ Edinburgh, Dick Trickie ~ Aberdeenshire, Erland Voy ~ ?, Ann Ward ~ Edinburgh, Tom Ward ~ Edinburgh, Frances Wilkins ~ Aberdeen, Alan Wright ~ Kilmarnock

Scottish players not resident {2}:

Dick Glasgow ~ Co Antrim, Jean Graham ~ France

Not to be forgotten {8}:

Mike Berry, Archie Frame, Peter Hall, David Haxton, Joseph Kent, Iain MacKintosh, Mike Petrie, Roy Williamson.
*****************************************************************************************************

[Ptarmigan]

I'd just like to welcome singer songwriter Sally Thomas to the list!
**********************************************************************
English Concertina players in Scotland {59}:

Neil Bayfield ~ Aberdeenshire, Hamish Bayne ~ Orkney, Karen Beattie ~ West Lothian, Jack Bethel ~ Glasgow, Bob Blair ~ ?, Stewart Brown ~ Dundee, Sass Campbell ~ Morayshire, Pamela Carr ~ Edinburgh, Norman Chalmers ~ Edinburgh, Robert Chalmers ~ Edinburgh, Joan Clifford ~ Borders, Selby Cochrane ~ ?, Simon Cooper ~ ?, David Corner ~ ?, Oscar St Cyr ~ ?, Tom Donnelly ~ Glasgow, John Eaglesham ~ Glasgow, Stuart Eydeman ~ Edinburgh, Archie Fisher ~ Borders, Susannah Franks ~ Fife, John Gahagan ~ Glasgow, George Haig ~ Fife, Simon Harbord ~ ?, Pete Heywood ~ Ayrshire, Gordon Hotchkiss ~ ?, Astryd Jamieson ~ Shetland, Nigel Jelks ~ Angus, Brian Johnstone ~ Glasgow, Alan Jones ~ East Kilbride, John Leavy ~ Kincardineshire, Iain MacDonald ~ ?, Maggie Macrae ~ Glasgow, Tom Martin ~ Duncan McLennan, Susan McClure ~ ?, John McCourtney ~ Glasgow, Tom McDermott ~ Ayrshire, Marta McGlynn ~ ?, Geordie McIntyre ~ ?, Duncan McLennan ~ Inverness, Brian McNeill ~ ?, Drew Moyes ~ Glasgow, Mike Penny ~ ?, Jim Reid ~ Angus, Dave Richardson ~ ?, Derek Richardson ~ Perthshire, Helen Ross ~ Stirling, Alison Shepard ~ Edinburgh, Wendy Stewart ~ ?, Steve Sutcliffe ~ ?, Bob Thomas ~ ?, Dave Thomas ~ Morayshire, Sally Thomas ~ East Lothian, Simon Thoumire ~ Edinburgh, Dick Trickie ~ Aberdeenshire, Erland Voy ~ ?, Ann Ward ~ Edinburgh, Tom Ward ~ Edinburgh, Frances Wilkins ~ Aberdeen, Alan Wright ~ Kilmarnock

Scottish players not resident {2}:

Dick Glasgow ~ Co Antrim, Jean Graham ~ France

Not to be forgotten {8}:

Mike Berry, Archie Frame, Peter Hall, David Haxton, Joseph Kent, Iain MacKintosh, Mike Petrie, Roy Williamson.

*********************

[Ptarmigan]

Elspeth Brown makes it 60!
**********************************************************************
English Concertina players in Scotland {60}:

Neil Bayfield ~ Aberdeenshire, Hamish Bayne ~ Orkney, Karen Beattie ~ West Lothian, Jack Bethel ~ Glasgow, Bob Blair ~ ?, Elspeth Brown ~ ?, Stewart Brown ~ Dundee, Sass Campbell ~ Morayshire, Pamela Carr ~ Edinburgh, Norman Chalmers ~ Edinburgh, Robert Chalmers ~ Edinburgh, Joan Clifford ~ Borders, Selby Cochrane ~ ?, Simon Cooper ~ ?, David Corner ~ ?, Oscar St Cyr ~ ?, Tom Donnelly ~ Glasgow, John Eaglesham ~ Glasgow, Stuart Eydeman ~ Edinburgh, Archie Fisher ~ Borders, Susannah Franks ~ Fife, John Gahagan ~ Glasgow, George Haig ~ Fife, Simon Harbord ~ ?, Pete Heywood ~ Ayrshire, Gordon Hotchkiss ~ ?, Astryd Jamieson ~ Shetland, Nigel Jelks ~ Angus, Brian Johnstone ~ Glasgow, Alan Jones ~ East Kilbride, John Leavy ~ Kincardineshire, Iain MacDonald ~ ?, Maggie Macrae ~ Glasgow, Tom Martin ~ Duncan McLennan, Susan McClure ~ ?, John McCourtney ~ Glasgow, Tom McDermott ~ Ayrshire, Marta McGlynn ~ ?, Geordie McIntyre ~ ?, Duncan McLennan ~ Inverness, Brian McNeill ~ ?, Drew Moyes ~ Glasgow, Mike Penny ~ ?, Jim Reid ~ Angus, Dave Richardson ~ ?, Derek Richardson ~ Perthshire, Helen Ross ~ Stirling, Alison Shepard ~ Edinburgh, Wendy Stewart ~ ?, Steve Sutcliffe ~ ?, Bob Thomas ~ ?, Dave Thomas ~ Morayshire, Sally Thomas ~ East Lothian, Simon Thoumire ~ Edinburgh, Dick Trickie ~ Aberdeenshire, Erland Voy ~ ?, Ann Ward ~ Edinburgh, Tom Ward ~ Edinburgh, Frances Wilkins ~ Aberdeen, Alan Wright ~ Kilmarnock

Scottish players not resident {2}:

Dick Glasgow ~ Co Antrim, Jean Graham ~ France

Not to be forgotten {8}:

Mike Berry, Archie Frame, Peter Hall, David Haxton, Joseph Kent, Iain MacKintosh, Mike Petrie, Roy Williamson.

*********************

[Ptarmigan]

*********************************************************************
English Concertina players in Scotland {60}:

Neil Bayfield ~ Aberdeenshire, Hamish Bayne ~ Orkney, Karen Beattie ~ West Lothian, Jack Bethel ~ Glasgow, Bob Blair ~ ?, Elspeth Brown ~ Glasgow, Stewart Brown ~ Dundee, Sass Campbell ~ Morayshire, Pamela Carr ~ Edinburgh, Norman Chalmers ~ Edinburgh, Robert Chalmers ~ Edinburgh, Joan Clifford ~ Borders, Selby Cochrane ~ ?, Simon Cooper ~ ?, David Corner ~ ?, Oscar St Cyr ~ ?, Tom Donnelly ~ Glasgow, John Eaglesham ~ Glasgow, Stuart Eydeman ~ Edinburgh, Archie Fisher ~ Borders, Susannah Franks ~ Fife, John Gahagan ~ Glasgow, George Haig ~ Fife, Simon Harbord ~ ?, Pete Heywood ~ Ayrshire, Gordon Hotchkiss ~ ?, Astryd Jamieson ~ Shetland, Nigel Jelks ~ Angus, Brian Johnstone ~ Glasgow, Alan Jones ~ East Kilbride, John Leavy ~ Kincardineshire, Iain MacDonald ~ ?, Maggie Macrae ~ Glasgow, Tom Martin ~ Duncan McLennan, Susan McClure ~ ?, John McCourtney ~ Glasgow, Tom McDermott ~ Ayrshire, Marta McGlynn ~ ?, Geordie McIntyre ~ ?, Duncan McLennan ~ Inverness, Brian McNeill ~ ?, Drew Moyes ~ Glasgow, Mike Penny ~ ?, Jim Reid ~ Angus, Dave Richardson ~ ?, Derek Richardson ~ Perthshire, Helen Ross ~ Stirling, Alison Shepard ~ Edinburgh, Wendy Stewart ~ ?, Steve Sutcliffe ~ ?, Bob Thomas ~ ?, Dave Thomas ~ Morayshire, Sally Thomas ~ East Lothian, Simon Thoumire ~ Edinburgh, Dick Trickie ~ Aberdeenshire, Erland Voy ~ ?, Ann Ward ~ Edinburgh, Tom Ward ~ Edinburgh, Frances Wilkins ~ Aberdeen, Alan Wright ~ Kilmarnock

Scottish players not resident {2}:

Dick Glasgow ~ Co Antrim, Jean Graham ~ France

Not to be forgotten {9}:

Mike Berry, Archie Frame, Peter Hall, David Haxton, Rev. Gordon Jones, Joseph Kent, Iain MacKintosh, Mike Petrie, Roy Williamson.

*********************