1691 play [with a a sexual reference]
“… if you dare venture, you shall finde I can play on Taber and Fife still, Madam …”
‘Greenwich-park a comedy acted at the Theatre-Royal, by Their Majesties servants’ by William Mountfort. |
1819 May Day, Jack in the Green Festival
"In London there are, and have long been, a few forms of May-day festivity in a great measure peculiar. The day is still marked by a celebration, well known to every resident in the metropolis, in which the chimney-sweeps play the sole part. What we usually see is a small band, composed of two or three men in fantastic dresses, one smartly dressed female glittering with spangles, and a strange figure called Jack-in-the-green, being a man concealed within a tall frame of herbs and flowers, decorated with a flag at top. All of these figures or persons stop here and there in the course of their rounds, and dance to the music of a drum and fife , expecting of course to be remunerated by halfpence from the onlookers. It is now generally a rather poor show, and does not attract much regard;"
The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., commonly referred to as The Sketch Book, is a collection of 34 essays and short stories written by Washington Irving. Published serially throughout 1819 and 1820,
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| "Wheatley, Oxon. :
A man of the name of Gomme used to come from Horton to play fife and drum" |
1886 "The Ilmington Morris Dancers are a very clever and proficient troupe of performers,
and their entertainment gave great satisfaction."
Playing the fife and tabor was James Arthur.
The Banbury Advertiser, 17 June 1886 |
"All of these figures or persons stop here and there in the course of their rounds, and dance to the music
of a drum and fife , expecting of course to be remunerated by halfpence from the onlookers. It is now
generally a rather poor show, and does not attract much regard;" |
1891 fife (three-hole pipe) replaced by the fife (as used in the army)
"The old cylindrical ear-piercing fife is an obsolete instrument, being superseded by a small army flute, still, however, called a fife, used with the side drum in the drum and fife band. "
SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN SUPPLEMENT NO. 819 NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 12, 1891.
Musical Instruments.--Their construction and capabilities.--By A.J. HIPKINS |
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| for information on the origins of the actual fife and drum go here |