ABSTRACT
For the men and women of the poorest strata of north-eastern society, musical entertainment was limited to what came free on the streets or in the taverns, and what they could provide for themselves. The musicians who provided for these labouring people were itinerant fiddlers, pipers and ballad singers, and waits who might be seen from time to time accompanying civic processions or crying the hours. Peacock's collection of traditional tunes, intended as it clearly was for domestic use, must have been propped on the music-stand in many a drawing room to accompany an informal family dance. The dancing assembly that was a staple of the winter's entertainments in almost all north-eastern towns attracted a richer clientele. For those who did not know how to dance or who wished to improve their skills, dancing masters were available; the activities of these men can be deduced from their frequent advertisements.
