“TOMMY THOMPSON’S LANCASHIRE as read by Bernard Wrigley”

Download Only – BUY HERE

In 2001, when I was working as occasional writer and presenter on BBC Radio Lancashire, I was asked if I would be interested in reading some of Tommy Thompson’s stories every week to form a series. The key to all this was Bob Dobson, owner of Landy Publishing in Blackpool, who had all Tommy’s books among his stock, and graciously presented me with them to read on air. I picked 7 or 8 stories to form each episode and linked each one with short tunes, thus punctuating the end and setting up the beginning of each story. This soon became a labour of love. Episode 8 was special because I went to Leicester to interview Tommy’s granddaughter, Nicky Thompson. She was about to start cataloguing all her grandad’s memorabilia, and what transpired for me was her obvious love for Tommy and his rather special writings.

I feel an empathy with Tommy as well, for he was a contemporary of my Dad, who was born three years after him (he was 64 when I was born). Not only that, he was called Tom as well!

To present these as downloads I went back to the original files (pre-broadcast) and made 24-bit masters from them.

BERNARD WRIGLEY LIVE IN CONCERT AT FLORENCE BOOT HALL, NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND, 1975   Download Only

01. spoken intro-About lorry drivers & Salford  3:13

02. QUEENS OF THE HIGHWAY / TWENTY ONE YEARS  5:24

03. spoken intro-Old Bill & his epitaph  1:47

04. OLD BILL 1:56

05. spoken intro-Paddy Ryan & his song  1:10

06. THE MAN WHO WATERS THE WORKERS’ BEER  3:00

07. spoken intro-Buying kit that always malfunctions  1.16

08. K-N-A-C-K-E-R-E-D  2:48

09. spoken intro-Mentioning Bacup 2:35

10. FIFTH HOUSE ON T’RIGHT / BLOODY BACUP  2:42

11. TIPTOE THROUGH THE TULIPS / BLUES FOR ALBERT  2:32

12. THE SCHOOLMASTER / PSALM TWENTY ODD / WORKERS PRAYER  7:02

13. spoken intro-Having piano lessons  1:23

14. LANCASHIRE LASSES  3:58

15. spoken intro-Unboxing the bass concertina  1:06

16. CAMPANERO  2:22

17. spoken intro-On writing the monologue  0:45

18. THE POLICE CONSTABLE AND THE RARE BUTTERFLY  3:59

19. spoken intro-Council workmen digging  1:14

20. HOLES IN THE ROAD  2:38

21. THE OLD FIDDLER  3:27

22. KNOCKING NELLY AND THE SIXTY-NINER  4:07

23. WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS   2:43

First in a new series of archival live recordings!

Florence Boot Hall provides accommodation for just under 200 students for Nottingham University. The hall is named after Florence Boot, the wife of Jesse Boot, of Boots the Chemist. He was the first Lord Trent, and a major benefactor to the University. Containing many fine examples of period furniture, it was opened in 1928, and was originally all female.

Such was the venue for this concert back in 1975, although you can tell from the audience that it wasn’t all female!

“FOLK SONGS… AT THE OCTAGON” (1969) 

Download only – BUY HERE

Recorded one evening in 1969 at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton, Lancashire. Featuring Dave Brooks, Bernard Wrigley, John Shiels, Gary & Vera Aspey, & Dave Weatherall. A double album, over 2-hours, 63-tracks, completely remastered from the original master tapes. Originally released on long playing 7” vinyl. Available now only as a download with a new, detailed 12-page pdf booklet.

*DB DAVE BROOKS
*BW BERNARD WRIGLEY
*JS JOHN SHIELS
*GV GARY & VERA ASPEY
*DW DAVE WEATHERALL

FIRST HALF – “WORK”:

01: spoken intro *DB 2:29
02: THE MAN WHO WATERS THE WORKERS BEER (Ryan) *DB BW 2:45
03: spoken intro *BW 0:34
04: TWENTY ONE YEARS (McColl) *BW 01:45
05: spoken intro *DB 0:15
06: THE LITTLE PIECER (North / Brooks) *DB 1:29
07: spoken intro *DB 0:29
08: SOLDIERS JOY (trad) *DB BW 0:57
09: spoken intro *BW 0:40
10: HANGING JOHNNY & YELLER GALS (trad) *DB BW 2:29
11: spoken intro for John Shiels *BW 0:50
12: GALLANT COLLIERS (McColl) *JS 3:29
13: spoken intro *JS 0:22
14: ON A MONDAY MORNING (Tawney) *JS 2:05
15: spoken intro *JS 0:29
16: KEEP THAT WHEEL A-TURNING (Hagg / trad) *JS 2:38
17: spoken intro *JS 0:13
18: DAVY LOWSTON (trad) *JS 3:56
19: A MAIDEN CAME FROM LONDON TOWN (trad) *GV 1:29
20: spoken intro *V 0:23
21: THE JOLLY PLOUGHBOY (trad) *GV 1:57
22: spoken intro *G 0:20
23: TWANKY DILLO (trad) *GV 2:54
24: spoken intro *G 0:27
25: COAL PICKIN’ (Aspey) *GV 1:46
26: CLOG DANCE *V (tune “The Eclipse” *DB *BW) 1:59
27: spoken intro for Dave Weatherall *BW 0:26
28: spoken intro *DW 0:10
29: TURPIN HERO (trad) *DW 2:55
30: spoken intro *DW 0:21
31: FOUR LOOM WEAVER (trad) *DW 2:36
32: spoken intro *DW 0:28
33: BLACKLEG MINER (trad) *DW 1:40
34: WHALEMAN’S LAMENT (trad) *DW 2:24
35: outro including belch *DB BW 0:47

SECOND HALF – “LOVE & SEDUCTION”:

36: spoken intro *DB 0:29
37: THE NIGHTINGALE (trad) *DB DW BW 3:24
38: spoken intro *DB 0:25
39: BLACK WATERSIDE (trad) *JS 3:43
40: spoken intro *JS 0:41
41: CRAFTY MAID’S POLICY (trad) *JS 1:50
42: spoken intro *JS 0:20
43: SWEET WILLIAM (trad) *JS 3:21
44: Tinkers’ advert & spoken intro *BW 0:46
45: spoken intro *V 0:21
46: NORTH COUNTRY MAID (trad) *GV 2:16
47: spoken intro *V 0:24
48: LOWLANDS AWAY (trad) *GV 1:47
49: spoken intro *G 0:33
50: I AM A ROVER (trad) *GV 4:17
51: CANNILLY (trad) *DW 2:22
52: tuning & guitar swap *DW 1:54
53: COACHMAN & HIS WHIP (trad) *DW 3:47
54: spoken intro *DB 0:38
55: THE MOLECATCHER (trad) *DB BW 3:12
56: spoken intro *DB 0:39
57: KEYS OF CANTERBURY (trad) *DB BW 2:51
58: spoken intro *DB 0:56
59: POLLY VON (trad) *DB 2:11
60: spoken intro *BW 0:29
61: TWO MAGICIANS (trad / Lloyd) *DB BW 2:38
62: YARMOUTH TOWN (trad) *BW & everyone on chorus 2:42
63: Spoken outro with Johnny Wackett *BW 1:00

“NEITHER USE NOR ORNAMENT” (1997)  Download only

Originally issued on cassette, this album was recorded before an audience in December 1997 at B.I.T. (Bolton Institute of Higher Education – now Bolton University) just yards from the streets where Bill grew up. Now expanded to 84 minutes and available as a download only – with a new pdf booklet!


1. STREET SCENE 8:17
2. THE BROWITTS 14:57
3. ADOLESCENCE AND ANTIPATHY 15:56
4. BUYING THE BIKE 17:13
5. BIKING TO BLACKPOOL 18:02
6. A SORRY COMING HOME 9:28

DAVE & BERNARD: EARLY RECORDINGS 1966-1969    Download only


A. 1966/7: WITH GUITARS
01. Bogey’s Bonny Belle  2.15
02. Santiana  2.54
03. Geordie  2.50
04. Twenty One Years  1.47
05. Sammy’s Bar  3.00


B. 1967/8: WITH CONCERTINAS
06. Lord Franklin  2.40
07. Two Magicians  4.10
08. Coast Of Peru  3.01
09. Collier Brig  1.05
10. Collier Lad  1.23
11. Foster’s Mill/Little Piecer  1.49
12. Hollow Crown  1.07
13. Owd Jim Slack  3.48
14. Soldiers Joy 2 concertinas  0.47
15. Soldiers Joy 4 concertinas  1.14


C. 1968: “CROMPTON’S MULE” AT THE OCTAGON THEATRE
16. Three Apprentice Weavers  1.29
17. John O’Greenfield’s Ramble  1.04
18. Prosperous Weavers Of Bolton  0.24
19. Turton Fair  1.02
20. Tyrants of England  0.37
21. Weaver Of Wellbrook  1.17


D. 1968: TUNES & SEA SHANTIES
22. Weaver’s March  0.41
23. Cuckoo’s Nest/Through The Glen (pt)  1.06
24. Pay Me The Money Down  1.35
25. Green Ship  1.06
26. Talchuano Girls  2.40
27. Roisin Dubh  2.32
28. The Diamond  2.18
29. White Cockaide/Ballance A Straw  1.26
30. Weary Whaling Grounds  2.01


E. 1969: LIVE AT “JONES’ ALE”, CHESTER
31. Cuckoo’s Nest/Weavers March  1.22
32. Wassail Bough  2.26
33. Through The Glen/Urban Spaceman/Ballance A Straw  2.25
34. Green Ship (live)  1.12


F. 1969: LIVE AT THE BULL & STIRRUP, CHESTER
35. The Foggy Dew (live at B&S)  4.34
36. Roll Alabama Roll (live at B&S)  2.10
37. Weaver Of Wellbrook (live at B&S)  1.30


G. 1969: USING TWIN TRACKS!
38. Anti Gallican Privateer  1.47
39. Gower Wassail  1.43
40. Cuckoo’s Nest/Jack On The Moor  1.24
41. Ten Per Cent  1.59
42. Portland Town  3.19


H. 1969: CHRISTMAS JINGLES FOR YORKSHIRE TV
43. Here’s To You Tom Brown  1.34
44. The Wassail Song  1.16
45. Merry Till Christmas Is Over  1.22
46. Christmas Comes But Once A Year  1.01
47. Here Come The Carol Singers  1.03
48. The Holly Bears A Berry  2.06
49. Lay The Table  1.23
50. It’s Only A Few Days To Christmas  1.32
51. Wassail Bough  1.42


The recordings here are 45 years old at least. Some are sonically reasonably good, namely the Yorkshire TV jingles and the later home recordings using the B&O stereo tape recorder. The earlier ones suffer from using cheap equipment, but are included here only because of their musical content. They all show how two very keen teenagers developed musically over the four or five year period they performed together. The music we made in this short time is indelibly ingrained in our brains…

“SONGS OF THE SEVEN SEAS” (2011)

Featuring 22 tracks of classic and new songs, with a lovely 12-page booklet. Includes Talchuano Girls, Donkey Riding, Whaleman’s Lament, Outward Bound … all played on a cornucopia of concertinas, mandolins, guitar, cittern, and bozouki.

  1: TALCHUANO GIRLS 2: OUTWARD AND HOMEWARD BOUND 3: BIDEFORD HARBOUR (by B. Wrigley) 4: THE GLENDY BURK (by Stephen Foster) 5: SAILORTOWN (by B. Wrigley) 6: LET THE BULGINE RUN 7: ROW BULLIES ROW 8: ROUNDING THE HORN 9: BLOW THE MAN DOWN 10: THE BONNY SHIP THE DIAMOND 11: GO DOWN YOU ROSES 12: WEARY WHALING GROUNDS 13: A-ROVIN’ 14: GREENLAND BOUND 15: DONKEY RIDING 16: COAST OF PERU 17: NEW YORK GIRLS 18; THE WHALECATCHERS 19: ROLL ALABAMA ROLL 20: THE DREADNOUGHT 21: WHALEMAN’S LAMENT 22: LEAVING OF LIVERPOOL

This CD shows CD text (if your player supports it)

“MARK & LARD’S ANCIENT CUSTOMS” (2010)
 Download only

Released by popular request, these 2 CDs feature all 29 of the very silly readings I did every day on the Mark & Lard show on BBC R1 in 2004. Spot the hidden performers’ names, and thrill to such titles as “Podging The Elton”, “Humping The Hucknall” and “Boning The Beyonce” in the colourful world of Patrick Gallagher’s Ancient Customs.

DISC ONE:

01 - Shackling The Blurman

02 - Spearing The Britney

03 - Podging The Elton

04 - Jumping The Ziggy

05 - Browning The Stone Roseman

06 - Rodding The Jaylo

07 - Straddling The Beenie Man

08 - Banging The Wallerman

09 - Yanking The Scally Gally

10 - Beating The Pulpman

11 - Wrapping The Drayman

12 - Tossing The Hives

13 - Good Charlotte’s Day

14 - Rolling The Craig Clot

DISC TWO:

01 - Jerking The Jay Kay

02 - Tugging The Travisman

03 - Blowing The Blue Guy

04 - St. Busted’s Day

05 - Popping The Idol

06 - Prince Poking

07 - Beyonce Boning

08 - Humping The Hucknall

09 - Riding The Ronan

10 - Lavigne Laying

11 - Pricking The Durstman

12 - All Cheeky Girls Day

13 - Stevens Tubbing

14 - Mounting The Manson

15 - Halliwell Dipping

CD text is supported as well - see all the titles as they play (providing your CD player supports it).

“EVERY SONG TELLS A STORY” (2009)

Released in May 2009, this features 17 tracks and runs for 53 minutes. It’s a mixture of serious and silly songs, but they all have one thing in common - they all tell a story. There’s Michael Smith’s haunting tale of the elderly Dutch couple (The Dutchman), the third song in my Knocking Nelly trilogy (Knocking Nelly & The Mothman), the much-requested co-written “Some Bugger From Yorkshire”, and Dominic Behan’s lovely “Liverpool Lou”. The fourteen other gems include two of Cyril Tawney’s (“Sammy’s Bar” and “On A Monday Morning”).
Listen/buy this album at my Bandcamp page by clicking here.

01 - The Dutchman
02 - Down In The Fields Where The Buttercups All Grow
03 - Liverpool Lou
04 - Does My Bum Look Big In This
05 - Hobo’s Blues
06 - I’ll Go Back
07 - Some Bugger From Yorkshire
08 - Sammy’s Bar
09 - Darcy Farrow
10 - On A Monday Morning
11 - Knocking Nelly & The Mothman
12 - Have A Drink On Me
13 - Knicker Night At The Legion
14 - House Of The Rising Sun
15 - No More Cane
16 - Kinky Keith
17 - St James Infirmary

CD text is supported as well - see all the titles as they play (providing your CD player supports it).

“THE LONGS & THE SHORTS OF IT” (2008) 

Released in May 2008, and encouraged by the reaction to the SHORTS FOR ALL OCCASIONS epic, here’s another 96 page book of one verse poems. The difference is that this time some are 8, 12 and even 16 line verses. The similarity is that they’re just as daft, and contain lots more beautifully crafted cartoons by the maestro - Gary Hogg.

Click on any page to see a larger version of it

“SHORTS FOR ALL OCCASIONS” (2006) 

Released in April 2006, this book has 96 pages containing over 180 one verse poems, 45 of them having specially drawn cartoons by Gary Hogg. Whether you’re reading in bed, in the smallest room in the house, or on the train, you’ll find something daft that’s relevant to someone you know. Buy a few and solve your Christmas presents in one fell swoop!

“GOD’S OWN COUNTY” (2005)

Released in October 2005, with nineteen songs from or about the county of Lancashire. Includes a definitive version of “Rawtenstall Annual Fair” with the crowd, the fairground, and a band; a tribute to “The Tripe Ships Of Wigan”; a tongue in cheek celebration of the joys of living “Up North”, plus sixteen others using a wide variety of instruments - running time almost an hour.

In the 8 page booklet there’s a brief history of the county and an explanation of the current border confusion. CD text is supported as well - see all the titles as they play (providing your CD player supports it). 

1: RAWTENSTALL ANNUAL FAIR: 4:45
2: A BEGGIN’ I WILL GO: 2:45
3: THE TRIPE SHIPS OF WIGAN: 3:10
4: FINE FEATHERS 2:55
5: UP NORTH 2:54
6: COCKERHAM DEVIL 2:46
7: WEAVER OF WELLBROOK 2:00
8: SAMMY SHUTTLEWORTH 4:07
9: THE BINMAN SONG 1:55
10: A WEAVER’S SONG 3:23
11: THE HALF TIMER 2:26
12: BLACKBURN FAIR 3:07
13: BEAUTIFUL TRIPE 3:17
14: JOHN O'GREENFIELD’S RAMBLE 2:16
15: WATCHING THE BOATS 2:25
16: SUNDAY PICNIC 3:12
17: JOHNNY SANDS & BETTY HAIG 1:36
18: WARRINGTON ALE 3:12
19: PIE SATURDAY 2:47