Singing Landscape Somerset
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Cecil Sharp was born in London on St Cecilia’s He published his first collection, A Book of British Between 1904 and 1909 he published the five During the First World War, he collected songs in Mrs. Sage, Chew Magna Robert Parish, Exford SOMERSET Day, 22 November 1859. Educated at Uppingham Song for Home and School in 1902. volumes of Folk Songs from Somerset and his the Appalachian Mountains of the USA, helping to Frank Sampson, Pensford Albert Pool, Exford Cecil Sharp in Somerset IS YOUR Theodore Taylor, W.S. Poole, Chipstable School and Clare College Cambridge, he went to Cecil had not yet done any folk song collecting of theoretical book English Folk Song: Some develop the folk music movement there, and his Shepton Mallet Robert Pope, Minehead Cecil Sharp travelled mostly by bicycle on his words in notebooks, a process which took a seek his fortune in Australia. his own, but in 1903 Charles wrote to tell him Conclusions, which revolutionised knowledge of work made him the leading international authority. ANCESTOR HERE? Henry Tidball, Wedmore James Proll, Monksilver He made music his profession while living in that his gardener, John England, knew some folk folk songs in England. He continued to collect, organise and publish until William Tucker, Ashcott John Stark, Wiveliscombe collecting journeys criss-crossing the county little time, but which enabled him to get to Mrs. Walters, Bridgwater John Thorne, Minehead FOLK Adelaide, and met a young clergyman named songs. Cecil went down to Hambridge and Cecil made 21 collecting trips to Somerset less than a month before his death from cancer on Can you spot your family name amongst Cecil Sharp's on his quest for its hidden folk songs. In the know his singers. One of the most remarkable singers? How can you find out if you are related to them or John Wedlock, Chew Magna Richard Thorne, Withypool Charles Marson. collected ‘The Seeds of Love’ on 22 August 1903. between 1903 and 1909. 22 June 1924. William Tucker, Skilgate not? A good way to start is with the Somerset & Dorset 1908 MAP early 1900s, portable recording equipment legacies of his collecting journeys is a unique Mr. Voolacott, Dulverton Family History Society. They have an excellent website full of Mr. Bailey, Bleadon Cecil returned to England in 1892 and married his Cecil had two music teaching jobs and so the only After that he did most of his work in other In 1911 Cecil founded the English Folk Dance Robert Willliams, was just becoming available but was very collection of photographs of the singers, tips, links and news, and they publish a regular magazine for Gladys Brown, East Harptree childhood sweetheart Constance Birch in 1893, leisure time he had for collecting was the school counties, collecting morris and country dances as Society (EFDS). Timberscombe Mrs. Duddridge, Mark cumbersome. It was also most uncomfortable dancers and musicians he encountered. These the same year Charles Marson became vicar of holidays. well as songs. members. Visit www.sdfhs.org for more information. To find In 1932 the Folk Song Society merged with the out about their songs and music, visit www.efdss.org Sam Evry, Bleadon 1907 for the singers who were required to bury their are now held in the Vaughan Williams Hambridge, Somerset. For more than five years Cecil spent nearly every He made a further five collecting visits to Somerset EFDS to form the present English Folk Dance and Thomas Green, Wells Betsy Holland, Simonsbath Somerset Mrs. Jarrett, Bridgwater Richard Mailby, Exford heads into what looked like a large bucket for Memorial Library at Cecil Sharp House, Cecil became interested in folk music through day of his spare time in Somerset travelling between 1913 and 1916. Song Society (EFDSS). Its headquarters in north Hambridge Bridgwater and Harptree Mrs. Jarvis, Bridgwater 1908 the sounds to be recorded. Cecil Sharp headquarters of the English Folk Dance and teaching and the problem of finding songs which hundreds of miles by train and bicycle, meeting London is Cecil Sharp House. 1903 1904 William Patch, Winford Alice Davy, Dunster young boys liked to sing. more than 300 singers and collecting more than Mary Bunston, Hambridge Miss Doveton Brown, Tom Pearce, Winford preferred to notate song tunes and record the Song Society. Elizabeth Edbrook, has a John England, Hambridge Clevedon Mrs. Pople, Brent Knoll 2,000 tunes. Withycombe Job Gillard, Hambridge George Currel, West Harptree Charles Porter, Bleadon Harriet Goodland, Hambridge John Durbin, East Harptree May Saunders, East Harptree 1909 secret... Revd. Hamlet, Barrington Mr. Hole, Clevedon George Say, Axbridge William Kingdon, Simonsbath Louisa Hooper, Hambridge Benjamin Horler, Elizabeth Seeley, 1914 1903: HAMBRIDGE ‘Mayle’, Barrington East Harptree Bridgwater Ada Baker, Withypool ...an amazing story of Charles Parsons, Long Sutton F.B. Kettlewell, East Harptree Elsie Simmons, East Harptree Captain Hole, Watchet Miss Quick, Drayton William King, East Harptree Albert Stock, Temple Cloud John England Follow the Singers Trail Mr. Clatworthy, Blue Anchor 1 Tom Spracklan, Hambridge Elizabeth Price, William Stokes, Chew Stoke Somerset people who John Short, Watchet George Templeman, Compton Martin Mrs. Tilley, Clutton John England was born in 1865 at Hambridge. After Sarah Tarr, Dulverton Hambridge John Purnell, East Harptree William Walter, Wells sang. Their songs working as a farm labourer in Dorset he returned to the N AUGUST 1903, London music teacher Cecil Sharp visited his friend Reverend Charles Marson at Hambridge and heard John England, the vicarage gardener sing ‘The Seeds of Love’. Edwin Thomas, Dulverton Lucy White, Hambridge John Stevens, 1909 village, married, and became Charles Marson’s James Woodland, Stocklinch Compton Martin inspiring great musicians Thus began one of the most remarkable adventures in English music. In Somerset, over the next thirteen years or so, Sharp visited 122 locations, collected songs and tunes from 358 John Arnold, Frome The Quantocks John Voke, East Harptree gardener and general 1904 Lucy Dunston, Bridgwater George Wyatt, West Harptree 1904 who wrote works Mrs. Bond, Barrington James Grace, Frome outdoor servant. His song named individuals, and gathered children’s games from twenty schools. Perhaps one of these singers or children was your ancestor? Maybe Cecil collected in your town or village? Lydia Wyatt, West Harptree Jim Squires, Holford ‘The Seeds of Love’ was I John Coles, Hambridge Charles Norris, Meare performed worldwide. Joseph Cornelius, Shepton 1905 Francis Trusler, Wells 1906 the first that Cecil Sharp Singers photographed listed in date order as visited by Cecil Sharp Beauchamp James Bale, Bridgwater George Willcox, Shapwick William Bailey, Cannington Sarah Gummer, Hambridge Richard Barnard, Hugh Barrett, Cannington These maps locate the collected, on 22 August 1913 Alfred Harris, Priddy Louisa Barrett, Cannington yet flexible voice, and G.F.C. Peppin, Bridgwater singers and tell the story 1903. In 1912, he and 1904: LANGPORT 1905: HARPTREE & BRIDGWATER 1906: HAZELBURY PLUCKNETT 11 Betsy Holland Shepton Beauchamp James Bishop, Priddy Charlotte Binding, Stogursey his family emigrated to retained his singing Caroline Hill, John Briffett, Bridgwater 1914 John Bromham, Cannington of Cecil Sharp and Saskatchewan, Canada, Emma Overd Jack Barnard Susan Williams Betsy Holland was born at Kentisbeare, Devon, in ability into his nineties. It Huish on the Moor William Briffett, Bridgwater Henry Bailey, Bridgwater William Burland, Stogursey 4 6 8 Elizabeth Lock, Muchelney Thomas Brunt, Blagdon Charles Bonny, Bridgwater Elizabeth Coles, where his descendants 1880. Her family were travellers, but did not travel was only in the last few Charles Marson who Emma Overd was born in 1838 at Port Field, Curry ‘Jack Barnard’s’ real name was John Barnett, and he Susan Williams was born in 1832, and was among Anna Pond, Wilson Champ, East Harptree Dorothy Bonney, Nether Stowey still live. widely, circulating around mid and north Devon and months of his life that Shepton Beauchamp Robert Dibble, Bridgwater Bridgwater Grace Coles, Enmore Rivel, but spent most of her life in Langport ‘Westover’. was born in Bridgwater around 1861. His father several singers in Hazlebury Plucknett who made their western Somerset, though her grandmother had been illness confined him to Mrs. William Ree, Hambridge Thomas Griffiths, Bridgwater Irene Bonney, Bridgwater Jack Crewys, Halse collected songs over one John England singer of ‘The She was married to an agricultural labourer and James was also a singer, and they lived in the West living from weaving. She Ann Welch, Samuel Horler, Ubley William Hobbs, Bridgwater Edwin Davey, Cannington Seeds of Love’ at Hambridge more adventurous and came from Wisbech, his house. He shares supplemented the family Street/Halswell Lane area of the town, amid a number came from North Perrott, Shepton Beauchamp Jessie Jeffreys, Cheddar C.A. Johnson, Mrs. Davey, Cannington hundred years ago. You Cambridgeshire. It is not known when she married, but with Cecil Sharp the Lizzie Welch, Hambridge Harriet Moger, East Harptree Hinton Charterhouse Mrs. Graddon, Stogursey income through willow of other singers. They worked at brickmaking and later but had been living in by 1907 she was travelling with her husband and Alfred Willy, Hambridge Mrs. Pavey, Cheddar Mr. Stileman, Frances Gray, Enmore can also find out where to distinction of having an Theophilus Pritchard, Weston-Super-Mare Jim Gray, Enmore peeling or ‘withy-stripping’. as scavengers and stone-breakers, work probably given Hazlebury since the 1905 Harry Richards several small children. Cecil Sharp met her near obituary published in Compton Martin John Haste, Enmore 2 John Short, Watchet Mrs. Dabbenett, Barrington 1916 She was fond of a drink, them in return for poor relief. Cecil Sharp met them 1860s. Her husband died George Radford, Bridgwater William Huxtable, Taunton go to hear folk songs, see Simonsbath in August that The Times. Anne Dyke, Kingsbury Edmund Easton, Meare Harry Richards (1840- unusually preferring beer to through the agency of Revd.