Obit: Ron Edwards (Australia, 5 Jan 2008)

Subject: Obit: Ron Edwards
From: mark gregory
Date: 06 Jan 08 - 08:43 PM

Ron Edwards died on Saturday 5th January, after a long illness.

It would be hard to do justice to Ron. He was of course one of the pioneers of the Australian folk song revival, and publisher of over 300 books ranging the whole spectrum of folkish things from songs, yarns, a detailed index of Australian song published and recorded song, a folk magazine (Northern Folk) or two (he stood in as editor of Tradition for while, a journal (Australian Folklore Society Journal 1984-2007), 10 volumes of books on bush craft and much more.

Ron published the most comprehensive collection of Australian songs, The Big Book of Australian Folk Song, in 1976 with over 300 songs and about two inches thick. The book like most of his work was beautifully illustrated ... Ron was and an artist ... he drew old style bush tools and home made gates, saddles and whips, knots and mudbricks, Chinese medicinal herbs and Aboriginal rock art. He was major collector of Australian folk song and peoples stories and yarns and also of Torres Strait Island songs. He wrote children's books too.

My first meeting with Ron didn't actually happen! I was driving round Australian in 1968 and called into to see him at Holloways Beach in Cairns and he wasn't there so I signed the visitors book. For more than half a century, his Rams Skull Press has kept publishing and you can visit it online at http://www.ramsskullpress.com/

Subject: RE: Obit: Ron Edwards
From: Rowan
Date: 06 Jan 08 - 10:59 PM

Sad news to greet one on returning from Nariel

Subject: RE: Obit: Ron Edwards (Australia, 5 Jan 2008)
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 07 Jan 08 - 12:46 AM

I only met him once & that was at the 2006 Folklore Conference at the National Library where he was one of the speakers.

sandra

Rowan did you meet Canberra Chris (aka Father of Shiny Bums) at Nariel?

Subject: RE: Obit: Ron Edwards (Australia, 5 Jan 2008)
From: Rowan
Date: 07 Jan 08 - 01:29 AM

Happy New Year Sandra!
Unfortunately, I didn't cross paths at Nariel with either Canberra Chris or Andrez, who'd indicated he might be there and looking for me.

Back on thread, I met Ron on various occasions over the years and provided him with snippets of info about bush artefacts but the value of our exchanges was heavily weighted towards my benefit rather than his; his books are superb.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: Obit: Ron Edwards (Australia, 5 Jan 2008)
From: nager
Date: 07 Jan 08 - 04:06 AM

I met Ron on only one occasion and found him a very likeable bloke who really knew his stuff. I have had two of his books for many years and in fact was only flipping through one the other day about old bush crafts etc looking for an idea or two on a planned project for my garden.

Subject: RE: Obit: Ron Edwards (Australia, 5 Jan 2008)
From: Andrez
Date: 07 Jan 08 - 04:10 AM

I am sad to hear about Ron Edwards as well. He was a great contributor to the tradition in Australia and all superlatives seem trite when measured to the man and his legacy.

That aside, I have to protest that I was at Nariel from Boxing day to Sunday Dec 30th when I had to go back to Melb for my daughters birthday on New Years eve. I was camped next door to Canberra Chris, Graeme (Fletch) the Autoharp guru and local farmer Howard, the author of the well known Murray river country banjo ditty " I shot the hawk who killed my mums chicken" with Simmo & Di and Mr Ken McMaster were camped just across the way. On my walk thru's of the campsite I looked and listened for Rowan but alas and alack couldnt find any facsimilie of said person. The fierce sessions around Simmo's campsite didnt flush him out either, at least at the times that I was there i.e. till 2 or 3.00 am most nights. We'll have to try to catch up at the National.

Cheers,

Andrez

Subject: RE: Obit: Ron Edwards (Australia, 5 Jan 2008)
From: Hrothgar
Date: 07 Jan 08 - 06:19 AM

I was in Kuranda for a few days over Christmas and tried to ring Ron, but he was asleep at the time and his wife didn't want to wake him, so I missed one last conversation - and conversations with Ron were a pleasure. A listener as well as a raconteur, he had an enormous fund of knowledgae about a huge range of subjects, and was always trying to expand that knowledge.

I am certain that no-one had a greater knowledge of traditional Australian song or craft, and to this he added so much else in aboriginal lore, bush customs, and other odd bits and pieces.

A lovely man.

Subject: RE: Obit: Ron Edwards (Australia, 5 Jan 2008)
From: Bruce from Bathurst
Date: 07 Jan 08 - 07:58 AM

Ron Edwards has left a great legacy. The range of his writing and publishing was broad and his superbly evocative artwork was unique.

I remember one Christmas at least twenty years ago I gave my father the first volume of Ron's 'Bushcraft' series and, quite coincidentally, Dad gave me 'The Big Book of Australian Folk Song'. I told Ron of this a couple of years ago and he reacted as if it happens all the time.

Perhaps it does.

Bruce

Subject: RE: Obit: Ron Edwards (Australia, 5 Jan 2008)
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 07 Jan 08 - 10:15 PM

G'day Bruce,

You're Dad was right!

Pretty much the same happened a few times between the four Bolton boys and our Dad. He was a wood craftsman, and a Scouter - and determined that we would all grow up with an appreciation of how Australians made do ... and did well ... with whatever was available.

I still have to go through the books that came (... back ... ) to me when Dad died - to see what ought to be passed on to who ... and what needs storage for the day when we might have a "Bush Music Club Library" ... that looks like something more organised than a bookcase or two in my house full of bookcases fitted on top of other bookcases ... up to the 11 foot (3.35 metre) ceilings!

Regards,

Bob