The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #108456   Message #2256639
Posted By: GUEST,Edthefolkie
08-Feb-08 - 06:30 AM
Thread Name: Folklore: John 'Babbacombe' Lee
Subject: RE: Folklore: John 'Babbacombe' Lee
Swarb, being an inveterate junk, sorry antique, collector, found a collection of old documents in a shop when he was living at Little Hadham I think. One of them was a copy of Lloyd's Weekly News with the story of Babbacombe Lee in it. (This scandal sheet was one of many - the Illustrated Police News was another. Lots of lurid copy and incredibly bad engravings. Think The News of the Screws or the National Enquirer).

The Babbacombe Lee album as originally issued had a booklet inside with a transcription of the story, and some lovely drawings of the band made to look like engravings. I think Island Records lost a LOT of money on it.

Also, when BBC2 put the programme on, the Radio Times had a big article about Lee and Swarb, complete with the front page of the very Lloyd's Weekly News concerned! And I kept it, sad person that I am. Glad I did though.

By the way, Swarb though the scaffold failure was an inside job.