Bramley is honoured
0:00am Fri Oct 23, 2009
Songwriter Sir John Starkey with a CD of his The Bramley Apple Song under the original Bramley apple tree with Miss Nancy Harrison (89) the current owner of the tree. - 201009JT3-5
A song celebrating the Bramley apple has been released on CD to mark the fruit’s bicentenary.
Sir John Starkey, whose grandfather Sir John Ralph Starkey planted the first Bramley orchard on the edge of Norwood Park in 1910, has written the song.
It was put to music by musician and freelance music teacher Mr Simon Freeman, of Station Road, Southwell.
The CD, available from the Minster Shop on Church Street, also features other apple-related songs.
They are all sung by Mr Richard Pratt, a lay clerk at Southwell Minster.
Sir John said: “We have composed the tune so it is easily singable.
“I want as many people as possible to have a copy of the CD and know about the song because it tells an important story.”
It is the first time Sir John has composed words for a song.
He said: “At a lot of these events you get posters that last for a short time and get binned so I thought I would do something with a lasting quality that no one else had thought of, and decided to write a song.
“The song tells the story of the Bramley apple and will hopefully help to promote the apple.”
It took Sir John six months to write and record the song.
It was recorded in the studios of Minster School, Southwell.
The CD costs £4.99. Other songs on it include Linden Lea, Oliver Cromwell and I Will Give My Love An Apple.
Television chef Mr Phil Vickery will officially open the Bramley Apple Festival in Southwell at 10am tomorrow.
The Bramley Centre will host an apple pie competition and there will be activities for children in the Southwell Library throughout the day, and games and competitions at The Core Youth Centre.
A book sale will be held at the centre today and tomorrow and a festival of food and drink at Southwell Minster tomorrow.
Displays, stalls and demonstrations are planned at the Admiral Rodney pub.
Morris dancing by the Lord Conyers Morris Men will take place in the Saracen’s Head Hotel courtyard and the Minster School Ceilidh Band will play around the town and at The Workhouse.
Various apple-themed activities are planned at The Workhouse, Southwell.
Cookery demonstrations with historical rural recipes, apple tours, and apple activities take place from noon-4pm tomorrow.
To hear Sir John Starkey’s song click here.
