The Old Country (Jack Hargreaves)

[nightshade]

I was looking for a Jack Hargreaves link when i came across a link to You Tube
so for you who have not met Jack Hargreaves here isthe link
YouTube - Out Of Town Ep.3 http://www.google.co.uk/#q=Jack+hargreaves+You+Tube&hl=en&prmd=ivnso&sourc e=univ&tbs=vid:1&tbo=u&sa=X&ei=sAyaTe-DJ4SYhQfu4czxCA&ved=0CEAQqwQ&fp=af8519680a78d3d0Pt .1

[werdnal]

He's great isn't he. Shame there is no-one similar on TV now.

Hubby bought me the boxed set of his "Out of Town" DVD's a couple year ago.

Used to watch him on the Kids programme "HOW" too.

[davecatt]

Thanks for that nightshade.
Jack Hargreaves was one of my inspirations along with a bloke called Graham Dangerfield. The tracks on youtube are a later series. Theme tune for Jacks earlier series was "I'm just a poor country boy" though I cant remember the title of the series,but it was filmed in black and white. I remember being totally gob smacked when in one episode he repeated word for word my Uncle Walt's advice on how to cook pigeon. Just slice off the breast meat and fry it in bacon fat and chuck the rest to the ferret!

[nightshade]

Originally Posted by davecatt

Thanks for that nightshade.
Jack Hargreaves was one of my inspirations along with a bloke called Graham Dangerfield. The tracks on youtube are a later series. Theme tune for Jacks earlier series was "I'm just a poor country boy" though I cant remember the title of the series,but it was filmed in black and white. I remember being totally gob smacked when in one episode he repeated word for word my Uncle Walt's advice on how to cook pigeon. Just slice off the breast meat and fry it in bacon fat and chuck the rest to the ferret!

I used to go pigeon shooting as a go-fer, one bloke would put all his pigeons in a sack(s) and take them home, my favourite gave me the pigeons to take the meat off and put in a chilled covered bucket. The carcases went over the hedge for the foxes. I agree with the recipe, also good for squirrel (grey)
I have the words for 'country boy' somwhere

[Dorts]

When I was about 29-30, Jack did one of his 'Out of Town' programmes about me! At the time I was a bit of a 'Wild Rover' and spent some of my time going round painting and restoring among other things, Gipsy Caravans, Totters Carts, Little 'Spinners', Old Farm Wagons etc.

At this time, early 70's, I also happened to be painting a Circus Ring and other bits of circus paraphanalia for a friend who traveled with his circus to Ireland each summer. This chap was a close friend of Jack Hargreaves and when Jack turned up one day, (in his Rolls Royce that he drove!) and saw what I was doing, he suggested there was enough content for one of his half-hour programmes.

He was a lovely chap, an although very business minded, he greatly appreciated the old country skills and traditions.

All of his films (no video then) where shot by one man, no sound, on an Ariflex film camera. The filming was edited as he went, as much as possible, to save studio time and money. So it was necessary for me to re-enact several scenes from different angles to give the impression of more than one camera.

I was very impressed with this 'Ariflex' and asked how much it cost. "£15,000" was the answer, an enormous amout of money then. "you must have to look after that well?" I ssuggested. "This is the 5th. one I have had since I've been working with Jack, all the others I have dropped in the sea!"

The film was shown and everyone in my village watched.

Wonderfull memories of bygone days.
Dorts.

[nightshade]

I always imagined you were a "bright young thing" Dorts but you have real history I would love to have met Jack. I bought a couple of his books and
The Old Country in particular gives a real insight into just what we have lost, some good, some bad. Is your film in any of the videos or was it just tv?

[Dorts]

Originally Posted by nightshade

I always imagined you were a "bright young thing" Dorts but you have real history I would love to have met Jack. I bought a couple of his books and
The Old Country in particular gives a real insight into just what we have lost, some good, some bad. Is your film in any of the videos or was it just tv?

He was a major share-holder in Southern Television that commisioned the films, and when that company was sold to Carlton I think it was, all of his 'Out of Town' programmes were sold to an American company.
I often tried to get a copy of my 'bit-part' but to no avail. But I now see that a number of episodes are available in Box-sets, and also snippets on 'Youtube', so we can still go down memory lane with Jack in his little shed with his fishing rods and films on thatching and blacksmith's etc.etc..............

Just watched this piece on an old tool for catching Larks, wonderfull!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7ckJCajWh0

Dorts.

[ChrisJB]

Originally Posted by Dorts

When I was about 29-30, Jack did one of his 'Out of Town' programmes about me! At the time I was a bit of a 'Wild Rover' and spent some of my time going round painting and restoring among other things, Gipsy Caravans, Totters Carts, Little 'Spinners', Old Farm Wagons etc.

At this time, early 70's, I also happened to be painting a Circus Ring and other bits of circus paraphanalia for a friend who traveled with his circus to Ireland each summer. This chap was a close friend of Jack Hargreaves and when Jack turned up one day, (in his Rolls Royce that he drove!) and saw what I was doing, he suggested there was enough content for one of his half-hour programmes.

He was a lovely chap, an although very business minded, he greatly appreciated the old country skills and traditions.

All of his films (no video then) where shot by one man, no sound, on an Ariflex film camera. The filming was edited as he went, as much as possible, to save studio time and money. So it was necessary for me to re-enact several scenes from different angles to give the impression of more than one camera.

I was very impressed with this 'Ariflex' and asked how much it cost. "£15,000" was the answer, an enormous amout of money then. "you must have to look after that well?" I ssuggested. "This is the 5th. one I have had since I've been working with Jack, all the others I have dropped in the sea!"

The film was shown and everyone in my village watched.

Wonderfull memories of bygone days.
Dorts.

A great story Dorts. I'm glad you said he was a lovely chap too. It's always nice to hear such things about one's heroes.
I used to watch Out of Town when I was a kid, mainly for the bits on fishing, but as I became a man it kind of faded from all my thoughts really, that is until someone (on here I think) told me about the new box sets, so I bought them all and am really glad I did so.

Regards, Chris

[sibadd]

Excuse a very belated addition to this thread. I've only just registered here. I'm Jack Hargreaves' stepson, growing up with him and my mother between 1948-1962. I'm posting some of his episodes from Old Country that have been sent me by viewers who recorded them off air, on YouTube and Vimeo. Unlike the commercial DVD series which were never broadcast whole, though using superb location film by JH's long term cameraman Stan Bréhaut, these Old Country sequences were, on Channel 4, with Steve Wagstaff on camera.

http://www.youtube.com/my_videos?sq=Hargreaves

Jack Hargreaves on Vimeo

With help from an informal group of friends, some known only via the web, I am trying to get more of my stepfather's material into the public domain. Kindest regards Simon s.j.baddeley@bham.ac.uk

[davecatt]

Welcome to WAB Simon. Thanks for the links.

I especially liked the tale about the poachers rod.

Jack gave me a different perspective on the countryside and its history, for which I will always be grateful. He is the only man I've seen TV who I wish I had known personally.

Dave