Back to teh type of people Sharp collected songs from
I took a shufti at Sharp's collection last night - retired farm workers and road labourers, sailors, fairground showmen - a number of them found in 'Unions' (workhouses)
One singer couldn't sing to him unless she was "doing her ironing"
Fox Strangeways tells the story of his looking for one of his important singers, Mrs Overd - a heavy-drinking widow living in a disreputable part of Langport, in Somerset (she stripped willows for a chair manufacturer)
On enquiring, Sharp was told she was in the local pub, which is where he eventually found her
When he spoke to her she grabbed him by the arm, dragged him into the street and began dancing with him shouting, "Me fancy-man's come for me at last lads"
Sharp didn't collect from poor people - my arse he didn't
jIm Carroll