{"id":8301,"date":"2021-01-16T17:50:00","date_gmt":"2021-01-16T17:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=8301"},"modified":"2024-12-13T10:19:56","modified_gmt":"2024-12-13T10:19:56","slug":"young-country-squire-the","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/young-country-squire-the\/","title":{"rendered":"Young Country Squire, The"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
AKA<\/strong><\/td><\/td><\/tr>
First Published<\/td>1891<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Writer\/composer<\/td>George Ware \/ Felix Dumas<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RN559?<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Music Hall Performers<\/strong><\/td>Jolly John Nash, Marie LLoyd<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>None of this song, lots of Blackberry Fold<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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There's a young country squire, so I have been told\nWho is after a widow who is sixty years old\nThe young squire's handsome, the young squire's bold\nBut the young squire's short of both silver and gold\nThe widow they call her old Auntie Maria\nHer late husband was the festived Josiah\nWho left his gay widow, so I have been told\nThree nieces, and over a million in gold\n\nNow what do you think, this young country squire\nTold Auntie he loved her, the gay holy friar\nAnd Auntie Maria said, 'I shall expire\nIf I don't wed Bertie, the young country squire.'<\/em>\n\nNow Auntie Maria had a niece named Sophia\nWho was up to her eyebrows in love with the squire\nBut the young squire found out she hadn't oof\nAnd it was his intentions her Antie to spoof\n'All right,' said Sophia,'You marry Maria\nI can wait for you squire, you know I'm quite young\nFor Auntie Maria, I know,' said Sophia\n'You won't long require, she is not very strong.'\n\nNow the young country squire married Auntie Maria\nAnd her young niece Sophia, gave Auntie away\nAnd Auntie Maria, she gave the young squire\nA million of money on her wedding day\nBut Auntie Maria is under the briar\nAnd the young niece Sophia has taken her place\nThe young country squire, and his young wife Sophia\nEnjoy their youngselves now, there is love in each face.\n\nBut this young country squire, did not want his wife long\nHe had led a gay life, and was not over strong\nAnd the squire he loved hunting - and his loving wife\nSaw him brought home one day - without any life\nThere was sighing, and crying, for nearly an hour\nAt last he was burried, close to the old Tower\nAnd they say his widow - with a million of gold\nIs in love with a policeman not thirty years old.\n\nNow you've heard the tale of Sophia and the squire\nHow he got the cash from old Auntie Maria\nAnd he's left the pile to his late wife Sophia\nAnd if she's not soon married - you call me ....... (another)<\/em><\/pre>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Words by George Ware, music by Felix Dumas. Sung in the Halls by ‘Jolly’ John Nash <\/a>and later Marie Lloyd<\/a>, in the past this song has been confused with a the well-known traditional song Young Squire, <\/em>better known as Blackberry Fold <\/em>and at the time of writing it has the same Roud Index number (Roud 559). The reason for including the song is partly to point out that it’s not really the same song, and partly to allow comparison\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Its possible that this song may be in a distant way parodying and updating some of the themes in Blackberry Fold<\/em>, which follows a storyline found in other traditional songs originating in the 18th century and earlier. It usually involves the young squire raping a pretty milk maid, who vigorously defends herself, injuring him with a dagger or sword, but ends happily when he recovers and they get married!  On the other hand, it may just be that the songs have similar names\u2026 More about Blackberry Fold can be found on the Mainly Norfolk site<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n