Jon Raven - Songs of the Black Country | Staffordshire Memories

Jon Raven was one of the Black Country's best-known Folk Singers, he was also a keen folklorist and historian. This documentary presents a History of the Black Country as told through an evolution of its folk music, much of which was researched and collected by Jon and his brother Michael in the early 60's for their initial publications.

Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
00:43 - John Wilkinson
05:04 - The Canal Navigations
08:30 - The Boat People
12:38 - The Nailmakers
18:15 - The Colliers Uprising
22:47 - Black Country Blood Sports
26:04 - Wife Selling
28:36 - Collier Superstitions
31:00 - The Iron Horse
34:55 - All Bells in Paradise

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The Industrial Revolution turned the area we know today as the Black Country. from a sparsely populated collection of villages into one of the most important industrial regions in Britain. But, despite its new standing, because it evolved as a hot potch of industrial villages each with its own quite distinct trades, tracing its development can be extremely difficult. As a result accounts of the history of the region as a whole are few.

However, there is one valuable and unique source of material that provides a vivid insight into the Black Country's social history: Its folk songs.

Life in the region was violent, often short and death in the mine or factory always imminent. Like the blues of America's deep south, the harsh extremes of living produced a music that lived, breathed and sweated in the same way as its makers.

A music suited to noise, dirt, inhumanity and desperation that mirrored the fears, frustration, despair and humour of everyday life for the 'real folk' of the Black Country.

Many of the songs have been passed on from generation to generation so that todays Black Country folk can share the experience of their ancestors who featured in the rhymes and songs.

"Songs of the Black Country" is a fascinating compilation of mainly traditional songs collected by Jon Raven over many years and brought to life with old pictures, and film footage from around the region including the Black Country Museum.

Songs and narration by Jon Raven.

Video Produced by: Heritage Films.

Also Available from Heritage Films "A History of the Black Country."

Barcode: 5030589000219

Distributed by DVH Productions LTD
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Everything in between the lines is taken directly from the sleeve of the VHS.

There is no date on the tape or its sleeve to indicate when it was produced, though looking at the footage and the age of Jon in his brief on screen appearance it would seem this was filmed at some point between the tail end of the 80's and the middle of the 90's.

Jon Raven passed away in 2015.

This video is still under copyright. Though I have been unable to find the 'Heritage Films' in question that produced this documentary. This video seems to have been produced in limited number and never reproduced as DVD or Digital Media, it is likely that they copyright holder no longer believes this product has any potential financial value. I found this VHS in a singular item at online auction, seemingly never even opened since it was made. As such, due to its importance and rarity I have digitised it and shared it to prevent it from being lost. If you are the copyright holder and you object to this, please contact me by the email on my channel page to request removal.

I in no way financially profit from sharing this digitisation.

#blackcountry #documentary #folksong