Oldham Tinkers

**Oldham Tinkers** are an English folk group from Oldham, founded in 1965 by John Howarth and the brothers Larry and Gerry Kearns in the Highfield and Park pub in Waterloo Street, Oldham. The trio chose the title “Tinkers” because at that time there were differences of opinion in Oldham between travelling people and the council. The name of the town was later added to differentiate between this northern triumvirate and a London based group, also called the Tinkers. In the summer of 1977 the Oldham Tinkers sang for the Queen and Prince Phillip at a Royal Gala Performance at the Palace Theatre, Manchester.

## Links to Kershaw

Kershaw in the No Off Switch blogsite published in 2013 claimed that the Oldham Tinkers were the first folk group he liked and also that they were social historians:

> *"For much of my childhood and youth I’d fled from folk music because of the constant presence on television of The Spinners – a group of cardigan wearers who did much to smother the form with comfortable blandness. Then I heard The Oldham Tinkers, whose songs were, I guess, the first UK folk recordings I really liked. (They were also local heroes when I was growing up in Rochdale and going to school in Oldham). Earthy, humane, often bloody funny, the Tinkers were also – and remain – singing social historians."* [1]
>
>

## Sessions

1. Recorded: unknown. First Broadcast: 09 June 1991

* Oldham's Burning Sands / Come Whome To Thi Childer An Me / The Rochdale Mashers / John Willie's Horse

2. Recorded: unknown. First Broadcast: 13 February 1993

* unknown setlist

3. Recorded: unknown. First Broadcast: 12 March 1995

* Charlie Chaplin / Peterloo / Tribute To Owd Paddy / unknown

4. Recorded: unknown. First Broadcast: 24 June 1999

* A Mon Like Thee / New New Medley / The Rochdale Mashers / The Maid In The Calico Dress (The Maidens of Burnley) / Come One To Th' Childer An' Me / John Willy's Rag Time Band / Oldham's Burning Sands

5. Recorded: unknown. First Broadcast: 15 February 2002

* A Mon Like Thee / The Last Train / Coal Hole Medley / The Rochdale Mashers / The Maid In The Calico Dress / McCarthy's Party / Johnny Bugger

6. Recorded: unknown. First Broadcast: 02 November 2003. Repeated: 23 May 2004

* Mon Like Me / Assalamalekum / Funeral Song / When I Were A Lad

7. Recorded: unknown. First Broadcast: Andy Kershaw Podcast Episode 4

* A Mon Like Thee / The Funeral Song / Moseley Park / No Pasarán / You Remember Annie Kenney / John Willie's Ferret / Ee When I Were A Lad

## Other Shows Played

1991
* 17 November 1991: Johnny Bugger (LP - For Old Time's Sake) Topic

   1992
* 09 February 1992: Come Whoam To Thi Childer An' Me (LP - For Old Time's Sake) Topic

1993
* 06 February 1993: John Willie's Performing Newt (LP - That Lancashire Band) Topic

1995
* 11 June 1995: Come Who'am To Thi Childer An' Me (LP - When The Sun Goes Down) Redwood

1999
* 01 April 1999: Peterloo (v/a CD - A Fine Old English Gentleman) Pier
* 15 April 1999: Come Whoam To Thi Childer An'Me (v/a CD - A Fine Old English Gentlemen) Pier
* 29 April 1999: Johnny Bugger (v/a CD - A Fine Old English Gentleman) Pier
* 13 May 1999: A Mon Like Thee (v/a CD - A Fine Old English Gentleman) Pier
* 03 June 1999: A Fine Old English Gentleman (Compilation CD - A Fine Old English Gentleman) Pier
* 17 June 1999: The Owdham Chap's Visit to Th'Queen (CD - A Fine Old English Gentleman) Pier
* 22 July 1999: Success To The Weavers (Compilation CD - A Fine Old English Gentleman) Pier
* 30 December 1999: A Mon Like Thee (CD - A Fine Old English Gentleman) Pier

2002
* 08 February 2002: Eawr Sarah's Getten' A Chap (CD - That Lancashire Band) Pier

2003
* 26 October 2003: A Mon Like Thee (CD - Sit Thee Down) Pier

2004
* 16 May 2004: Peterloo (CD - A Fine Old English Gentleman - The Best Of The Topic Years) Pier
* 31 October 2004: Come Whoam To Thi Childer An' Me (live)

2006
* 03 September 2006: Signora (CD For Old Time's Sake) Pier

2007
* 12 March 2007: Come Whoam To Thi Childer An' Me (album - For Old Time's Sake) Topic

2023
* Andy Kershaw Podcast Episode 24: Peterloo (album - A Fine Old English Gentleman - The Best Of The Topic Years) Pier

## External Links

* Discogs
* Official Website