HORSE SHIFT

Series

Series Name

Mining Review 17th Year

Issue

Issue No.

6

Date Released

Feb 1964

Length of issue (in feet)

894

Stories in this Issue:

1. 1CITY LIGHTS
2. 2THE PLACE WITH THE COAL
3. 3HORSE SHIFT

Story

Story No. within this Issue

3 / 3

Summary

BFI synopsis: The only miners’ pack of hounds in South Wales, with Ewan MacColl singing a ballad telling the story.

NCB Song lyrics - Down in the Dulais Valley there’s a pit called Abercrave,
And the night-shift has just knocked off for the day;
The ladss have left pit bottom, cutters, fillers and the rest,
And a feller called John evans who at hitching earns his pay.

So it’s over to the baths, peel off cost and pants and shirt,
Get under the shower and get rid of the pit-dirt;
Hurry to your locker - clean vest and pants and socks -
Then you’re togged up in your hunting-gear to search for the fox.

At Ollwyn number three, from the old lamp room there,
The sweet cry of hounds is heard, and fills all the air;
At the pub at Pantyddrainen, the hunt-assembly place,
Men and hounds and ponies are impatient for the chase.

Now everyone’s assembled there, except the second-whip,
And here he comes, John Evans from the Abercrave pit;
So drink your mild-and-bitter down and drain the stirrup-cup,
Turn your ponies to the hills, for now the hunt is up!

Tally ho, hark away,
Tally ho, hark away,
Tally ho, hark away, my boys,
Away, hark away!

They galloped over fields, toiled up hills, forded streams,
Till hunters and ponies were lost in clouds of steam;
And the camera-crew rode out with them, a truly valiant feat,
And for nearly three days after wards they couldn’t sit down to eat.

Tally ho etc.

Here’s to the noble hound who bold Reynard did espy,
Who procked up his ears and then gave the hue and cry;
The horns they played their music, Reynard raced towards the rocks.
And the hunters close behind the pack in search of the fox.

Tally ho etc.

The here’s to John Evans and all the folks around,
Farmer Jones who lent his ponies and the men underground;
At getting coal or hunting you will find them well in front,
The gallant sporting colliers of the Banwen-Colbren hunt.

Tally ho etc.

Keywords

Music and dance; Dogs; Mining; Hunting

Locations

Wales

Written sources

British Film Institute Databases   Used for synopsis
The National Archives COAL 32   /13 Scripts for Mining Review, 1960-1963

Credits:

Sponsor

National Coal Board

Production Co.

National Coal Board Film Unit