The Holmfirth Anthem

On 20 August, 1997, the Business Association in Holmfirth paid tribute to the BBC TV series “Last of the Summer Wine” by holding a dinner and concert in the Civic Hall to commemorate the 25^th anniversary of the filming of the series.

By coincidence, it is also 25 years since the Rotary Club of Holmfirth made a recording of the song “Pratty Flowers” which has been known as the Holmfirth Anthem since as far back as the 1850s.

It therefore seemed entirely appropriate that the song should be re-recorded and the BBC were approached and asked if they would support the record for charity and they readily agreed.

As far as I am aware, until the original recording was made, the song “Pratty Flowers” had not been recorded and released for sale but since then a number of versions of the song had been released.

However, what does make this latest recording unique is that it includes three further songs, one of which I am sure has never been released for sale and another which has only ever been recorded before as part of a compilation of hunting songs.

The final song is the theme from the TV series itself which again, to the best of my knowledge, has not been recorded by a brass band and choir.

According to Eileen Williams in her book “From Forest to Township” - “the love of singing has always been part of the Holmfirth way of life”.

Similarly “the glorious strains of the Brass Bands enlivened local functions from their early formation after the Napoleonic Wars as the military bandsmen returned to their homes”.

I hope therefore that all who listen to these four songs will appreciate the depth of tradition that each brings with it.

W.C Swindell
President of the Rotary Club of Holmfirth  1997/98.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
My thanks go to the following without whose co-operation this record would never have been made:

• Alan Bell, John Crossland, Stuart Moser, Keith Sowerby and all the production staff of BBC’s Last of the Summer Wine.”
• Ashley Jackson for allowing the use of the picture “Underbank Old Road, Holmfirth” on the cover.
• Charles Bradbury for leading and conducting the choir.
• Edward Bowman for singing the solo on “Pratty Flowers”
• David Haigh for singing the solo on “Merry Mountain Child”
• Geoffrey Richardson for playing the piano on the above two songs.
• David Armitage and Alan Jenkins for the use of the arrangement of “Smile-a-While”.
• Peter Roberts for the arrangement of “Merry Mountain Child”
• Andrew Rogers and Jane Hobson for their help in researching the songs.
• Jim Morgan and the staff at Holmfirth High School for their help with the venue.
• Stuart Hepworth and Ken Sims for catering, David Rollinson as “best boy”

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ROTARY INTERNATIONAL

Holmfirth Rotary Club is part of the world-wide organisation, Rotary International. Their charity work, both in the local communities and throughout the free world, is well known. The whole of the profits from the sale of the recording will be used in this charitable work.

ARCHIVES

For those who come after, copies of the original recording together with the musical arrangement have been lodged with the Kirklees Music Museum in Huddersfield and with the archives of the Rotary Club of Holmfirth.

Recorded in the Main Hall at Holmfirth High School on the afternoon of Sunday, 9th November, 1997, and mixed in my garage at Holme the same evening.

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