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about

Betty Kenny
In Shining Cliff Woods, near Whatstandwell, Derbyshire, stands the remains of an ancient Yew tree known as the Betty Kenny Tree.
Luke and Betty Kenny lived in Shining Cliff Woods as charcoal burners during the 17th and 18th centuries for over 50 years. They raised eight children in their hut beneath the tree under which one of their children is buried.
The yew tree is the origins of the nursery rhyme, “Rock-a-bye baby" as Betty would let her babies rock from the boughs of the tree & sing to them as she worked.
Shining Cliff Woods was owned by the Hurt family, who were fond of the Kenyons. Francis Hurt had their portraits commissioned to be painted by Royal Academy artist, James Ward.
When James went to see how they lived, he found Betty bailing out water with a wooden bowl from under the beds. As Luke was standing for the portrait at the hall, he said “I’m miserably uncomfortable from the cold, but I’m much warmer and comfortable in my snug little hut, than I am in these great and comfortless rooms”. And when Betty came to sit for her portrait, and saw that of her husband, she burst into tears, and said “Ah! Poor old soul, there he is, for all the world, with his round back! He was once as straight as an arrow; but he is welly done.” Meaning that he was nearing his end rather than complimenting the artist.
After toiling for years charcoal burning, they accumulated a sum of ten pounds but a thief found out and broke into the hut, dragged them from their bed, beat them & robbed them. Luke is thought to have died soon afterwards.
Luke had lived the most part of his time in huts in the woods and burned charcoal and his wife who was 94 years old had walked from Alderwasley for his funeral.
It is believed that Betty lived on and danced at a party in the Hall, held to celebrate her 100th birthday.
In 1909 Louis Hurt wrote, “The tree is said to be 2000 years old. About twenty years ago some mischievous boys set fire to it, and now only the gigantic trunk and some enormous boughs remain which, however, still send out shoots.

lyrics

Betty Kenny

Theres a baby cradled in the roots of this home,
Who once was rocked from the boughs.
A pillow of turf covers those tiny bones,
As I rest in my beautiful tree house.
Eight children were raised & rocked in this tree
And though the rain floods under our beds
Theres nowhere else that id rather be,
When I kiss goodnight to those sleepy heads.
Rock a bye baby In the tree top,
Betty is working & Betty is earning.
When the wind blows the cradle will rock,
Betty is charcoal burning.
After toiling & working for years & years,
We earned ten pound & retired,
But a theif in the night beat us & robbed us
And soon after my poor husband died.
On his funeral day, I wept as I walked.
My love had been welly done.
On my 100th day I danced & I talked
At the big house with everyone.
Rock a bye baby In the tree top,
Betty is working & Betty is earning.
When the wind blows the cradle will rock,
Betty is charcoal burning.
Bad boys came & burnt my tree down
But by then, I was long gone.
But my baby still sleeps in the roots of my home
Still sing there for my little one.
Rockabye baby in the treetop
When the wind blows your cradle will rock
When the bough breaks, your cradle will fall
Down will come cradle, baby and all.

credits

from A PARCEL OF WORMS ( Full double album ), track released September 11, 2019

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THE FERRETTS Belper, UK

Markus Ferrett-Paine, multi instrumentalist musician for 35 years and Nansy ferrett Paine, singer for 20 years, are a duo who have played the stages up and down the country with many other acts and now together use their musical talents to perfectly create energetic fresh original music. They decided to work together on their own outfit to rock the present & future with their unique gritty sound. ... more

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