‘Mashers’ tune kept alive by George, 89

DAPPER George Bamforth had gone into cyberspace in a bid to revive interest in a catchy ditty from his youth.

The sprightly 89-year-old has recorded a song on the internet he hopes will attract a new audience.

And he confessed he sang “Two Greenfield Mashers” online in an American accent. “It sounded so cool,” he quipped.

The song, used by boys to attract girls’ attention in the 1940s, tells in lyrical form of visiting Uppermill dressed in “tall hats and no shirt on their backs”.

George, who lives in Dobcross with Eva, his wife of 66 years, recalls: “Even when we were young, we inherited this song.

“And today I’m hoping my recording may encourage young lads to pick it up and rejuvenate interest.

“In my teenage days, the Greenfield lads were the top dogs. We sang wherever we went.

“We would go into Uppermill hoping to see young ladies on the ‘monkey run’ which is what we called the park.

“And the song tells of two boys who were the pride of Greenfield attending a dance at the co-operative hall.”

George, who was works manager at Clear-span engineering until he retired, has a keen interest in the internet.

He put the tune online with the help of his daughter, Christine. “ I don’t want it to die out. But I never wanted to be a pop star!” he declared.

George’s recording of “Two Greenfield Mashers” can be heard by logging on to www.soundcloud.com.
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