Community Singing

We think the above illustration shows a programme insert dating from 1927. The game was a Scottish Cup tie between Brechin City and Celtic and as part of the entertainment for the supporters the Evening Times sponsored a singalong. Fans were even provided with the words to the popular ditties of the day and encouraged to sing along, often for prizes.

The insert contained all the words to the songs which would be played, which ranged from the convivial "The Froth Blower's Anthem", through negro spirituals like "John Brown's Body" and "The Old Folks At Home" to popular music hall numbers of the day such as "Roamin In The Gloamin". However, we can't picture too many of the away fans joining with a full throated rendition of number 10 on the sheet, "Land Of Hope and Glory".

The back cover features the winners from the previous week's competition which had been held at Ibrox Park. If the roving cameraman captured your coupon and it appeared in "The Bulletin" with a circle around it you won a guinea (that's £1 and five pence to all you post -decimilisation babies). Judging by the motley collection of war criminal types in the photo things haven't changed much at Ibrox in the intervening eighty years!

MANFRED LURKER

 

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