Monologue by William Cubbon (Manx Museum), 'My Mother's Days'
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Date(s): 11 August 1949
Creator(s): Manx Museum
Scope & Content: Monologue by William Cubbon talking about his life and family. At the start William speaks Manx Gaelic as a sound test; William talks about his early home life in the Isle of Man with his mother as a busy woman and his father, with most of the stories he remembers being those told to his father by neighbours; he recalls his father who was born in Orrisdale and went to school at the church where the master was Thomas Qualtrough, a shoemaker and the parish clerk, whose wife took the lessons; father born on New Year's day 1829; story about his father at school when the custom of the 'dead bell' for a deceased relative rang in 1840; he mentions the parish accounts and clerk's emoluments including the plough payments; he describes his mother's childhood days in Kirk Arbory; how she was a good singer in the choir and would gather primroses to make primrose tea; an old lady who lived nearby who took snuff; Christmas Eve with choirs singing carvals and the Borders Choir led by Cannell who had a school at Balladoole; carvals in Manx Gaelic.
He talks about his mother's tales of her childhood about Joss Comish, Neddy Gawne, brewer and banker of Kentraugh; how mother walked to Peel hiring fair on St Patrick's day for a 'skeet' and how she was told to take rest at St Patrick's chair; William recalls a story from 1873 when he was aged 8 about a telegram for Mrs Christian and her son Tom thought drowned at the fishing but who made it to Kinsale; he talks about the only person he knew who was a Manx speaker and quotes him speaking about an approaching storm in Manx; Tom Trumble flailing corn; the Comish family and the father who was a miner at Ballacorkish lead mine; mine accident; Comish's funeral, his widow and children and how the widow asked for a loan to start a shop; he tells a story about Kirk Braddan, as told to him by Jackie Dan Kneen, about McQuine the miller of East Baldwin and his son Gilbert and how a blackbird warned the miller against dishonesty (he sings the Manx Gaelic song of the blackbird); he reads two unpublished extracts in Anglo-Manx dialect by T.E. Brown about the Christians of Ballabeg and the Quirks of Ballamoar arranging a marriage between their heirs Richard and Nell; and he starts to tell a story about Richard Karran, Eleanor Cannell and Jo Leece.
(The sound recording ends mid-sentence.)
Administration / Biographical History: This recording was made for the Manx Folk Life Survey.
William Cubbon was a journalist, librarian and director of the Manx Museum (1865-1955).
Language: English
Extent: 34 min. 17 sec.
Item name: magnetic tape
Collection: Sound Archive
Level: ITEM
ID number: SA 0069
Access conditions: All reasonable attempt has been made by Manx National Heritage to trace and request permission (where needed) from the copyright holder(s) in this sound recording. If however you think you are a rights holder then please contact Manx National Heritage.
Subject tags : #UOSH, #UOSHManxFolkLifeSurvey
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