Dear all Thanks to all those who enquired, on or offlist, about the C19 Transactions to which I referred briefly.
The Northumberland Smallpipes Society was started in 1893 by a number of learned gentlemen of the Literary and Philosophical Society in Newcastle. They gathered a number of subscribers (mostly non-players) and set about making a list of known players, whom they enrolled as honorary members (good job - most of the players couldn't have afforded the subs). From 1894-7 they produced a series of learned articles, membership lists and other admin items, and the Fenwick tutor, which were published as 4 volumes of "transactions". Most of the articles are on related matters such as history of the Waits, National Music etc etc Having failed to interest the remaining players in their somewhat rarified (from the perspective of the players) activities, they quietly stopped functioning, degenerated (it is said) into a drinking club, and disbanded the society around 1900. Some of those remaining who were still interested in, or players of the pipes, went on to influence or in a few cases become members of, the early NPS. The four volumes have been scanned and cleaned up a bit (thanks for the offer, Ross), and are available as a facsimile set on an antique looking cream paper (thanks, Steve B), and with a dark red card cover to each volume (thanks to our printer who donated it). Fenwick's tutor is Volume 2. The cost for the set is 15 UKP to NPS members, 25 UKP to others, plus carriage at cost. (The difference is the cost of one year's NPS UK subs - hint <grin>) When we have recouped the costs involved, we will consider mounting the whole thing on the NPS website. I currently have about 8 sets available, though we can print more - we do them in small batches. Anyone who wishes for a set should get in touch with me offlist, and I'll sort it out on a first come first served basis.. Hope this helps Julia Say NPS Hon Sec. To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
