Norfolk’s Oldest-Known Song (Podcast)

Click link to play the song, "Ucklun": www.rickstours.nlk.nf/ucklun.mp3
English translation below.

The coincidence of the occurrence still brings a smile to my face.  Within a week of the late Maude Buffett recalling to me a song she sang in the Norfolk language as a young school girl, Philip Hayward commented that he couldn’t find such a song written before the 1960s.  Phil is a musicologist, now at Southern Cross University, who was on island researching the music of Norfolk and Pitcairn Islands for what became his book, Bounty Chords (2006).  His research was long and thorough.  I know, because I lent a small hand with one of the sections.  It was towards the end of his work.  In fact, the book was in its final review that I remember and about ready to go to print when he voiced his surprise to me that no one seemed to have composed songs in the local language until some 40 years earlier.  That’s when I mentioned Maude’s song, which would beat that timeline by almost 50 years.  The song, “Ucklun”, may be the oldest known sung in Norf'k.

This possibility surfaced some seven ago.  Maude remembered Audrey Scott (nee Robinson; Girlie’s sister) first singing "Ucklun".  It turns out that several girls of that generation remembered Audrey singing it.  Mary Selby is another.  Mary is now in her early-90s and Audrey is a few years ahead of her.  I’m trying to be circumspect, but you get a sense of time.  I gave Audrey a call and we got together.

Audrey always conducts herself with a regal bearing and I have never seen her not dress smartly.  I’m imagining this was always the case, even when Norfolk washed clothes in copper cauldrons and pressed them with heavy cast irons.  Charming, articulate; sharp as a tack.  To say the least, it was an enjoyable couple of hours listening to her reminisce of her school days 85 years ago.
 

Audrey Scott, "Bounty Day", 2010;
Photo by Kim Partridge.

Audrey says she didn’t write the song and believes it was written by her uncle, and the school’s headmaster, Gustav Quintal.  This delights me because “Guttie”, besides being my great-grandfather, is known today as the composer of some fairly solemn hymns.  The thought that he would also write a kid's ditty finally adds a smile to the seriously stern-looking portrait that hangs in the school library.

Gustav Quintal

Audrey recorded the song for me in 2008.  If you haven't yet, you can hear it by following the link below.  Her translation into English follows.  I'm pleased to say Audrey's doing well.  Thank you, Audrey.

Click below to play "Ucklun":

www.rickstours.nlk.nf/ucklun.mp3

Ucklun (Us)

I wish to show you all How hard we little kids find it
To read and write in good English And speak out our minds

We go to school nearly every day And try to learn things
We read and write and talk and play And sometimes we would sing

And when we all go home from school We never try to do
The things our teacher told us And [we] never talk it [ie English], too.

How can we learn if that’s what All of you are going to do
Cause you all know before I told you The thing I’m saying is true

We examined it again [And] We are worse than first I believed
Cause you all know the Englishman We never will deceive [them]

And because our examiners Are Peter, Tom and Jack
Don’t you all be frightened If we don’t get any prizes to take

Now I have finished and now I bet You’re all glad it’s me
Cause you all know before I told you The thing I’m saying is true

 - Rick Kleiner