Not many songs have been dedicated to professors of history. W.G.Hoskins was appointed as the first Professor of Local History at Leicester University in 1965. He had achieved his first “hit” with his “Making of the English Landscape” (1955), which showed how the countryside evolved over the centuries. In “The Midland Peasant” (1957) he traced the history of the village of Wigston from pre-Roman to Victorian times and, using sources like wills and inventories, gave us a glimpse into the lives of ordinary Midland folk across the centuries. With his emphasis on economic and social history he was a pioneer in showing us that history was more than about dates, kings and queens; so “Thankyou Mr Hoskins”!
lyrics
Thankyou Mister Hoskins
1. At school we read our history books which told of queens and kings,
Of those who sat upon the stage and always pulled the strings
But now those empty pages once hidden from our sight
Are brought out from the darkness and out into the light.
So thankyou, Mister Hoskins, I’ll raise a glass to you,
As from the bigger picture, we find a world that’s new,
As through a glass seen darkly now standing out so true,
A world once out of focus comes clearly into view.
2. Talk not of Pitt or Walpole, of Tory or of Whig
But underneath that roof of straw the smell of hens and pigs,
We see through the kaleidoscope and find the daily bread,
As you take us to the heartbeat where our forefathers tread...
So thankyou, Mister Hoskins, I’ll raise a glass to you,
As from the bigger picture, we find a world that’s new,
As through a glass seen darkly now standing out so true,
A world once out of focus comes clearly into view.
3. Into those dry statistics, you breathed a hearfelt breath,
Those goods and chattels listed, as life melts into death,
Among the beans and barley who would not be content,
All in the house that Jack built, and left his tewstament..
So thankyou, Mister Hoskins, I’ll raise a glass to you,
As from the bigger picture, we find a world that’s new,
As through a glass seen darkly now standing out so true,
A world once out of focus comes clearly into view.
I write both serious and comedy songs. 6 solo CDs to date and collaborations with Steve Cartwright -"Legends of
Leicester/Leicestershire". "All at Sea" shantyish album. Folk based for the most part - when people ask where the ideas come from I can say with honesty -"not drugs!!".. Currently working on a new album "Aspects of Lurve" hopefully out later in 2024....more
