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Does anyone know anything about Lincolnshire Bagpipes? I don't mean Goodacre's Leicestershire Smallpipes - I'm searching for an Instrument like on Ashley Hutchin's 1976 "Rattlebone&Ploughjack", Mollydancing-(Field-?)recordings without dating. There You hear a one-droned bagpipe with obviously a single-chanterreed! In the internet, I only found that already Shakespeare referred to one-droned Lincolnshire-bagpipes and someone planned to reconstruct them. Anyone knows anything about these?

"HE WAS AS MELANCHOLY AS THE DRONE OF A LINCOLNSHIRE BAGPIPE"
a quote from Will Shake-That-Spear........... from what Play of his ?

There are several references to "Lincolnshire bagpipe" in 16th and 17th century sources. As bagpipes were still widely played throughout England at this time and were not usually given any specific regional identity, it does seem reasonable to assume there was some sort of special bagpipe associated with the Lincolnshire region. The best clue as to its nature comes from Thomas Fuller in 1622, who writes "Lincolnshire bagpipes: I behold these as most ancient, because a very simple sort of music, being little more than the oaten pipe improved with a bag" - this seems to suggest some sort of primitive smallpipe, perhaps similar to those found across the North Sea in the Baltic and Scandinavia. IIRC one of the references in Shakepeare describes the Lincolnshire bagpipe as buzzing like a bee, which seems to tie in - one of the two German smallpipes described by Praetorious in 1619 was called the Hummelchen or "bumblebee".

The last known Lincolnshire piper was John Hunsley of Manton, who died in 1851. Unfortunately, nothing is known about his actual instrument, though clearly some sort of smallpipe seems likely. Interestingly, just a few miles north and also on the east coast, one the last known Yorkshire pipers was playing around the Goathland/Whitby area circa 1914, and he did play "Northumbrian" smallpipes. In fact there does seem to be an association between the east coast of Britain and smallpipes, probably reflecting longstanding Scandinavian/Baltic links, but I doubt if you coud "reconstruct" the Lincolnshire bagpipe as such, given the lack of detailed description or pictures.

Swedish and Baltic smallpipes are well described and illustrated in Baines "Bagpipes" ifyou can find a copy.

[Thread revival - Mod.]

John Addison, maker of bagpipes and whistles (died 24 Nov 2002) conducted extensive research into the possibility of the existence of a regional variant of the bagpipe in Lincolnshire. In 1989 he built a set of pipes for Heritage Trust of Lincolnshire (which are currently on loan to me). I am now busy re-examining Addison's original research (papers belonging to the Trust kindly copied to me). I am interested to hear from anyone who knew John Addison or anyone who can tell me any more about his life, work or research. I am also keen to see examples of his work - both pipes and whistles - and hear reviews. If you can tell me anything, please do make contact (email is best).
Al.
( http://www.garrod.me )

Interesting thread.
The Shakespeare reference is:
Act I. Scene II. Henry the Fourth Part I

...bear. Prince. Or an old lion, or a lover s lute. Fal. Yea, or the drone of a Lincolnshire bagpipe. Prince. What sayest thou to a hare, or the melancholy of Moor-ditch?