Background
James Rewcastle was born c. 1802 (some suggest 1798) in (or in the neighbourhood of, Newcastle, Northumberland.
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James Rewcastle
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His most well-known song is possibly “Jackey and Jenny”. Little is known of his early life, but he was a printer by trade and also had a bookshop in Dean Street, Newcastle. He was a keen supporter of the Temperance movement and was there at the start of the movement in Newcastle.
He published one of their earliest publications, the Temperance Advocate.
When minister Edwin Paxton Hood, who during his years held several pastorates, began to liven up his temperance meetings with his own songs, including “As I "woke one morning” and “lieutenant was in dark December" and others, James Rewcastle decided that he too could do that, and penned several tunes, the best known being "Jackey and Jenny". His songs appear to have been sung by a co-worker at the movement, Fenwick Pickup.
As he got older James Rewcastle retired from bookselling, and took on a responsible job, working for the local (Newcastle) Corporation. He died 4 October 1867, aged 65, and was buried at Saint John"s Cemetery (which had just recently opened 10 years before, to replace Street John"s Churchyard, which closed at the same time).
His songs and recitations do not appear ever to have been issued in a collected form.
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Born
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Died
1867 (aged 65) -
Nationality
United Kingdom -
Religion
Methodism