Sailors’ Hornpipe

Solo character dance for boys known from oral tradition in the southern Lake District and Northumberlandwhere it was usually taught to children.

Known to have been taught by the following dancing masters:

Dizzy Bryden of Whitehaven
Tommy Cannon of Underbarrow and Crosthwaite
Miss Harding of Ulverston, operating in the 1880s
James Howson operating in Flookborough
Mr Ramage of Netherton
Alfred Threlfall Robinson
Joseph William  Robinson (Old Jos)
Robert Carson Robinson operating in the MIllom and Barrow areas.
Thomas Stainton of Backbarrow

A notation for the dance as taught in the Southern Lakes was provided by Harold Edgar. Partial notation from Mr. T.W. Langhorn.

Information derived from and interview by Tom Flett with:

Also Soulby’s Ulverston Advertiser 2/1/1886 and 23/9/1886.

The dance also formed part of the repertoire of a number of clog and step dancers, notably:

Films of these dancers performing their dances can be accessed through their respective pages.

The dance was also widely known and taught in Scotland where it was in the repertoire of many dancing masters:

William Adamson of Kingskettle, Fife.