For an apparent folksong On Ilkley Moor baht ‘at has a very reliable provenance. The tune Cranbrook was devised in 1805 by Thomas Clark a shoemaker of Canterbury and prolific composer of hymns for in particular Nonconformist churches of southeastern England. It was sung to When Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night.Some decades later an East Riding church choir on an outing is said to have created the new words following an incidenton their walk. In the many years that the song has been sung as On Ilkley Moor ever more rambunctious interpolations have been added e.g. ‘yum yum yum’ or ‘up the ducks!’ following ‘Then we will go and eat up ducks’.In thisversion by composer and Curwen & Sons Chairman Maurice Jacobson a descant has been added at verses 3 6 and 9 and a lively interplay arranged between high and low Voices in the verse and Chorus.
