2007 Obit: Gerry Fox - ex The Tinkers

Subject: Obit: Gerry Fox - ex The Tinkers
From: Fliss
Date: 24 Nov 07 - 05:14 PM

I have heard that my friend Gerry Fox, formerly of the Irish group The Tinkers, passed away on Thursday (22nd).

Gerry was a valued member of our Irish music session at the Boat Inn, Jackfield, for many years; until the long drive became too much for him. We have missed seeing him and his son Kieran at the sessions.

Of late he has been to the South Birmingham Comhaltas branch... I think; and taught fiddle in the Birmingham area.

Gerry alway had a good story to tell and funny songs to sing.. Lavender Cowboy, and a skit on Willy McBride.

He wrote the middle verse to Carrickfergus and was friends with the likes of Brendan Behan and Peter O'Toole in the 50s.

My respects to his family. The musicians at the Boat mourn his passing. We have lost yet another fiddle player.

Fliss Burke

Subject: RE: Obit: Gerry Fox - ex The Tinkers
From: johnadams
Date: 24 Nov 07 - 08:08 PM

I'm very sorry to hear this. I didn't know Gerry well but I worked with him at Decca Studios many years ago (1971?) on an album called Songs and Music of the Redcoats - an anthology of soldier's songs - and thoroughly enjoyed working with him and especially the socials afterwards.

I digitised the vinyl to CD a few weeks ago and listened to his rendering of 'Hot Stuff', a song from the wars in Quebec (circa 1750) - a truly spirited bit of singing.

Good man yerself!

J

Subject: RE: Obit: Gerry Fox - ex The Tinkers
From: MARINER
Date: 25 Nov 07 - 04:18 AM

Sad to hear of his passing. I never met him but his rendition of "Hot Stuff" will always remain in my mind as one of the most spirited singing of any song I ever heard.All in all it was a great album .

Subject: RE: Obit: Gerry Fox - ex The Tinkers
From: Fliss
Date: 25 Nov 07 - 04:36 AM

Hi John
Do Gerry's family know you have digitised the Album? Im sure they would be thrilled.

Ive only known Gerry for about 7 years through the session at the Boat Inn and know very little about The Tinkers.

Ill pass any messages on to his family in due course.

Subject: RE: Obit: Gerry Fox - ex The Tinkers
From: GUEST,Jim McLean
Date: 25 Nov 07 - 05:19 AM

I knew Gerry fairly well in the 60s and 70s and would also like to pass on my condolences. My wife, Alison Chapman McLean, took many pictures of Gerry and the Tinkers way back then so if someone out there would like copies, let me know.

Subject: RE: Obit: Gerry Fox - ex The Tinkers
From: Fliss
Date: 25 Nov 07 - 05:38 PM

Cheers Jim.

Subject: RE: Obit: Gerry Fox - ex The Tinkers
From: johnadams
Date: 25 Nov 07 - 05:54 PM

Fliss,

I was not in contact with Gerry or his family but if they want a copy I'm happy to oblige at an appropriate time.

Poured a toasting glass tonight and had another listen - Lochaber No More and The Connaught Rangers. Good stuff.

I never heard any of his Tinkers recordings though.

Subject: RE: Obit: Gerry Fox - ex The Tinkers
From: Fliss
Date: 27 Nov 07 - 09:46 AM

Neither have I.

Right, Ill mention this to the friend who is in touch with the family and see if they would like a copy.

cheers

Subject: RE: Obit: Gerry Fox - ex The Tinkers
From: GUEST,Terry McDonald
Date: 27 Nov 07 - 12:06 PM

I'm sorry to hear that Gerry has died. I only knew him for a week but remember him well - it was the Kilkenny Beer Festival of 1966 when the Tinkers (Gerry, Mick Flynn, and Maureen Kennedy-Martin) were one of four English (sic)folk groups chosen to compete against Ireland's best in the Festival's 'ballad singing competition.' (The Fettlers, the Kerry Singers and my own group, the Biddles, were the others.) We all spent a lot of time together and Gerry,on more than one occasion, explained to me the history of some of the Irish songs that we (rather naively) sang in those days. A nice man.

Subject: RE: Obit: Gerry Fox - ex The Tinkers
From: Kevin Sheils
Date: 28 Nov 07 - 04:39 AM

I haven't seen Gerry for many years but like Jim McLean above used to see him a lot in the 60's and 70's around Camden Town, bot socially and with the Tinkers.

Sorry to hear the sad news

Subject: RE: Obit: Gerry Fox - ex The Tinkers
From: Fliss
Date: 28 Nov 07 - 07:46 AM

Have got funeral details. PM me if interested in attending. Its in Worcestershire.
fliss

Subject: RE: Obit: Gerry Fox - ex The Tinkers
From: GUEST,Niall McDevitt
Date: 29 Nov 07 - 06:49 PM

I too sorry to hear of Gerry's passing. With friends used to be regulars every Friday night upstairs in the White Horse? White House? Can't remember the name of the pub but remember well the great ballad sessions there and all-night afterward think it is near Hamstead Heath. That would have been in the sixties. Played golf with Gerry in Richmond Park and Rickmansworth and through him met Noel Murphy another golfer/musician. Gerry told me he had no copies of records he cutin the early days and I have never been able to locate any. Maybe someone somewhere has? I am sure the family would be interested.

Hope to be at Kidderminster to pay my respects to a great champion of Irish music.

Niall in Dublin

Subject: RE: Obit: Gerry Fox - ex The Tinkers
From: GUEST, Kathleen /Sean Moran
Date: 02 Dec 07 - 12:16 PM

If anyone can give us details of Gerry's funeral we would be very grateful. We got to know Gerry at Birmingham Irish Centre and the Antelope. We have also been to the Boat with him. He was a real gentleman.

We offer our condolences to the family.

Subject: RE: Obit: Gerry Fox - ex The Tinkers
From: Fliss
Date: 03 Dec 07 - 04:13 AM

Gerry's funeral is on Friday 7th December 11:30am at St Mary's RC Church, Harvington, Worcestershire. Its by Harvington Hall.

The Hall is situated three miles south-east of Kidderminster, about half a mile east of the A450 Birmingham to Worcester road and about half-a-mile north of the A448 from Kidderminster to Bromsgrove. Grid. Ref. SO877745.

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=387820&y=274384&z=3&sv=387820,274384&st=4&mapp=newmap.srf&searchp=newsearch.srf&ax=38782

Harvington Hall website... small map on there.
http://www.harvingtonhall.com/

Im hoping to be there with some of the musicians from the Boat Inn. Gerry and his son Ciaran were great favourites at the session.

One of our Irish speakers sent me the following...

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasal

("May his noble soul be at the right hand of God", for non-Irish speakers)

Ill print out all the Mudcat comments and give them to Maureen at the funeral.

slan Fliss

Subject: RE: Obit: Gerry Fox - ex The Tinkers
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Nov 16 - 12:34 PM

I hate to interrupt your grieving, but I have been looking for the chords to his "Hot Stuff" and "Connaught Rangers". Would anyone happen to have them? I've been looking for years!

Subject: RE: Obit: Gerry Fox - ex The Tinkers
From: GUEST,jim bainbridge
Date: 18 Nov 16 - 07:35 AM

Didn't know the man to speak to, but the Tinkers were everywhere on the mid sixties folk scene. In those days, I remember enjoying their Irish stuff at the Scots Hoose folk club on Cambridge Circus, Charing Cross Road...... run by Bruce Dunnet?
I was also quite that night by a young redheaded floorsinger called Luke Kelly.....

Subject: RE: 2007 Obit: Gerry Fox - ex The Tinkers
From: GUEST,john adams
Date: 18 Nov 16 - 07:54 PM

Hello Guest,

I think that after the passing of nine years we're over the initial grief.

I played the backing on both those tracks so I'm sure I can get the chords together for you.

Find me via my web site - http://www.john-adams.info

Subject: RE: 2007 Obit: Gerry Fox - ex The Tinkers
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Dec 17 - 01:03 PM

hello,
I'm a niece of Gerry Fox. He is my father's brother. Dad is 81 now and would truly love any music of Gerry's. We have heard a few recordings on you tube but it's not the same at all. If anyone could help I would really appreciate a response.
Thank you

Subject: RE: 2007 Obit: Gerry Fox - ex The Tinkers
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Sep 19 - 06:15 PM

Hello niece

I’ve just stumbled onto this thread by chance on holiday in Portugal. I was looking for Gerry’s rendering of the Lavender cowboy. Anyway, I used to go to the Tinkers club in Hampstead in the late 60s and I have an old LP of theirs in fairly good condition. I don’t have a deck to play it on at the moment but I could try and get it transposed or just send it to you for you to get it done. Send me an email to tony,[e-mail] as I don’t know if I’ll stumble back here any time soon. Great old times and Gerry was a great entertainer and a fun guy to be with. ??

Subject: RE: 2007 Obit: Gerry Fox - ex The Tinkers
From: GUEST,Claire Botton
Date: 01 Sep 21 - 10:45 AM

Hi,

I'm very late into this thread, but my mother (Shirley Murrell, now 87) was very friendly with the Tinkers and Gerry in particular in the 60's.
One person (Jim McLean) mentioned having old photo's that we would love to see if at all possible.
If you could send any to our email we'd be very grateful?
[e-mail]

Many thanks!