Subscribe to our Newsletter

Buonaparte's Grand March, Tune from Thomas Hampton's Manuscript

Back to browse page

Alternative title: Napoleon's Grand March

Source: Thomas Hampton's manuscript
Performer: Hampton, Thomas
Place Collected: Hereford
Date collected: c1870-1880

Thomas Hampton was born at Blaisdon in Gloucestershire (baptised March 1844), and probably worked on the canals for a while. By 1870 he was living in Hereford, being married there that year. He died in 1896, still resident at Bath St. Hereford. He left a manuscript containing tunes, which is now in the possession of his great-great granddaughter, Becky Dellow, who is researching both TH and the tunes. Although the manuscript was compiled in Hereford, Becky believes some of the tunes were remembered from TH’s childhood in Gloucestershire.

Napoleon’s Grand March: An excellent version was recorded from the Yorkshire accordion player George Tremain. Peter Kennedy also recorded the tune from Billy Conroy on the tin whistle in County Durham, publ: FSA-30-122, nla.
notes by Charles Menteith and Paul Burgess

In the linked abc file this is tune number X:39