Tanners Hatch - Finding old friends

Subject: Tanners Harch - Finding old friends
From:
Date: 02 Oct 99 - 05:44 PM

My name is Bob Merrett (sometimes known as ferret) and have been going to folk sessions at a Youth Hostel called Tanners Hatch near Dorking, Surrey for the past 30 years. This Hostel has been having folk/singarounds for even longer then I have been going! Over the years I have lost contact with a number of people who used to come to these great gigs and I would like to contact them as I have recently been 'sorting out' and compiling tapes I recorded at many of these nights into a 'best of' set of 4 tapes. I intend to make about about 50 copies which I will to all my friends who I still see at Tanners folk nights but also to all those who used to come but for various reasons I have lost contact with. A lot of them I don't know their sur-names so I will give the names I know them by.

They are:-

All members of a medieval folk band called 'Antic Hey', Tony Harbour, Dick and Mel, Dago Pete, Mary Fookes, Rowan, Carol Gardener and any others who remember those folk nights of 20 to 30 years ago. If any of the above, or people who might know any of the above are wondering who (or how many) of the old crowd are still going to Tanners the following might jog their memories.

Andy Ive(Randy Andy), Geoff Chapman, Ned Clamp(Fluff), Lorna and Sue, Tim Dowd, Paul Flannery, Sean, Babs, Anna, Ann, Jenny(Tits),John(J.B.), Roy, Julie and many others who still turn up now and then.

As a final word, if any one wishes to attend these singarounds, they are still being on the 2nd. saturday of every month from September through to May at Tanners Hatch Youth Hostel, Dorking, Surrey (the last folk in Semtember finished at 7-30 on Sunday morning!)

All are welcome.

Contact the warden on T

Subject: RE: Tanners Harch - Finding old friends
From:
Date: 02 Oct 99 - 05:59 PM

OOPS! I transmitted my message when I had not finished writing it.

To continue

Contact the Warden on Tel. [phone] for more details.

About the Hostel

It is a very old building (about 500 years) which still has gas lighting and an open log fire and is situated in woodland in the surrey hills about a mile from the nearest road or house which gives it a feeling of isolation and a wonderful atmosphere for folk sessions

regards Bob Merrett

Subject: RE: Tanners Harch - Finding old friends
From: katlaughing
Date: 02 Oct 99 - 06:03 PM

WOW! Bob, that sounds like quite a crew and site! Wish I lived in the UK! Great nicknames. I wish you luck. I'll bet some of the UK Mudcatters will be able to help.

katlaughing

Subject: RE: Tanners Harch - Finding old friends
From: Tom on Comfort
Date: 03 Oct 99 - 02:07 AM

Wow, it's neat to hear about the hostel again. I stayed there one night about 20 years ago (December, and pretty chilly). It was beautiful, though it was a good long walk from where the nearest public transportation dropped us off (with backpacks & all).

Nobody got into a song session that night, but there was some story telling. Can you tell one about the old owner of the house? If I remember it right--didn't the building get damaged during World War 2? And after the war, a company of volunteers went out to repair it. And met an owl, who was the embodimet of an old wise woman who used to live there. (That's what someone told me anyway, probably figured I was some gullible Yank who wanted to hear ghost stories.) But now their little hostel stamp is the image of an owl. It's a rainy weekend here (St. Louis), maybe I'll go rooting through an old box or two to see if I can find any of that...

Good luck finding the people you're looking for.

Tom

Subject: Tom on Comfort's story
From: Polesden
Date: 04 Oct 99 - 01:56 AM

Hi Tom, yes i do know of the story regarding the old woman and the owl, it is still being told, I will tell you more when i have looked it up

Subject: RE: Tanners Harch - Finding old friends
From: Bert
Date: 04 Oct 99 - 10:01 AM

Hi Ferret, We used to get around to most of the hostels in the Home Counties in the late fifties. The only organised folk stuff we were involved in was folk dancing.

I don't think we ever got to Tanner's Hatch, but we danced at Holmbury St Mary, Goudhurst, Maldon and Ivinghoe.

I don't know any of the names on your list though.

Thanks for bringing back happy memories.

Bert.

Subject: RE: Tom on comfort - story of the owl
From: POLESDEN
Date: 05 Oct 99 - 04:49 PM

This is the story of the owl that has been told for many years but is not entirely true

THE TANNERS OWL

'Have you been to Tanners Hatch Youth Hostel? If so,you have seen our stand and on it an owl.

Tanners Hatch Youth Hostel was damaged during the war and was rebuilt by YHA members. After a hard days work, sitting by a nice log fire drinking tea on a cold and rainy night, a knock was heard on the door and standing there was an old lady. Can you tell me the way to Wotton Hatch? Yes said one of the group, but first have some tea and a warm by the fire. I have been watching you working on the house she said, its looks very nice. I used to live here years ago. After a while she was ready to leave, on opening the door the lady had vanished. Sitting on the back of the chair was an owl. The only person who had watched the rebuilding was an owl who lived in the roof. We asked around to find the old lady but nobody but nobody knew about her. As old folk lore states it was an old witch, was it her who had come back to her old home in the woods?'

The beginning of the story states that Tanners was damaged during the war, it was in fact two cottages approx 500 years old that were found in a derelict state just before the beginning of WW2 and was given to the National Trust by Lady Greville on the understanding that it was only to be used as a Youth Hostel. A group of volunteers led by Noel Vincent spent two years rebuilding it using whatever materials they could lay their hands on carrying everything by hand the long distance from the nearest transport. Yes the owl did exist there is a photo of it in the hostel sitting in the once derelict building.

Subject: RE: Tanners Harch - Finding old friends
From: Tom on Comfort
Date: 07 Oct 99 - 01:30 AM

I love stories like that!! Thanks.

Subject: RE: Tanners Harch - Finding old friends
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 Oct 99 - 05:35 AM

Wondeful story! Thank you for sharing it.

Subject: RE: Tanners Harch - Finding old friends
From: Griff
Date: 07 Oct 99 - 03:21 PM

Hello Bob,

Couldn't believe it when I saw Tanners on the mudcat list........! I was hoping it was from someone I hadn't seen for years, but it turned out to be you! So I thought I'd better say Hello anyway.

Great to hear from someone Stateside who knows Tanners, and to get such a great rendition of the owl story.

Others it would be good to hear from from across the pond are Greg [at Tanners 1973/4], Canadian Barri, Charlie Schwarz [1975ish]. And loads more I can't bring to mind.

Not to mention New Zealand Colin [1974ish]

Would love to hear from Dutch Janine too.

For any one who has visited Tanners since 1968, you might like to know that the Warden, Graham, retired just last year.

Subject: RE: Tanners Harch - Finding old friends
From: Lady McMoo
Date: 07 Oct 99 - 03:35 PM

I know Tanner's Hatch very well and some of its regulars although I never played there myself. I lived nearby in Dorking for about six or seven years and helped run Dorking Folk Club for several years up until 1991 when I came to live in Belgium. Please pass on my best regards to all those still attending!

Best regards,

mcmoo (Richard)

Subject: RE: Tanners Harch - Finding old friends
From: Bob Merrett
Date: 07 Oct 99 - 04:30 PM

Another little story regarding the witch at Tanners Hatch is that when there was a group of children staying at the Hostel, and there were often children staying there,be it Guides, Scouts, school parties etc. someone would start a story about a witch. The story usually went along the lines of a Witch who came to haunt the Hostel once a year(and that date just happened to be always the date those children were staying there) and banged on the door to be let in. Meanwhile someone would have slipped outside and on a sign from the story teller would bang hard on the door! Did those children jump!

There are lots more stories about Tanners but I will leave it at that for the moment.

regards Bob Merrett

Subject: RE: Tanners Harch - Finding old friends
From: Margmac
Date: 07 Oct 99 - 10:13 PM

My daughter Megan and I stayed at Tanners Hatch near Easter around 1976 on a musical weekend, met a fellow dulcimer player, Guernsey Pete who was a regular there. We kept in touch and he subseguently married Maggie , a girl from this country that I knew. We have kept in touch all of these years. I visited them last year when I was in London. We spoke with nostalgia of Tanners Hatch and Warden Graham.

Subject: RE: Tanners Harch - Finding old friends
From: polesden - bob merrett
Date: 09 Oct 99 - 10:04 AM

Another little fun thing we used to do at Tanners was to send some newcomer about 200 yards into the woods to turn on the generator. On their return, unable to find it, we then explained that we only had gas lighting! One poor soul spent about 2 hours searching the woods.

Subject: RE: Tanners Harch - Finding old friends
From: polesden - bob merrett
Date: 09 Oct 99 - 10:05 AM

Another little fun thing we used to do at Tanners was to send some newcomer about 200 yards into the woods to turn on the generator. On their return, unable to find it, we then explained that we only had gas lighting! One poor soul spent about 2 hours searching the woods.

Subject: RE: Tanners Harch - Finding old friends
From: polesden - bob merrett
Date: 09 Oct 99 - 10:05 AM

Another little fun thing we used to do at Tanners was to send some newcomer about 200 yards into the woods to turn on the generator. On their return, unable to find it, we then explained that we only had gas lighting! One poor soul spent about 2 hours searching the woods.

Subject: RE: Tanners Harch - Finding old friends
From: polesden
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 04:26 PM

FOR INFORMATION ONLY THE NEXT TWO FOLK NIGHTS AT TANNERS HATCH ARE ON SAT. NOVEMBER 13th. HOSTEL BEDS AND CAMPING STILL AVAILABLE AND ON SAT. DECEMBER 11th. WHICH ONLY HAS CAMPING AVAILABLE.(ALL THE HOSTEL BEDS ARE BOOKED) THE DECEMBER FOLK WILL BE A BIG CHRISTMAS PARTY FOLK NIGHT AND ALL OLD TANNERS FOLKIES ARE WELCOME.

HOPE TO SEE SOME OLD FRIENDS

ALL THE BEST BOB MERRETT

Subject: RE: Tanners Harch - Finding old friends
From: Llanfair
Date: 09 Nov 99 - 04:59 PM

This sounds an ideal place for a Mudcat UK gathering next year. We could all book in for a weekend, out of season, and have a whale of a time!!!! Hwyl, Bron.

Subject: RE: Tanners Harch - Finding old friends
From: polesden
Date: 12 Nov 99 - 01:52 PM

The thought of a mudcat meeting at Tanners Hatch sounds a great idea.Let me give it some thought over the weekend and I will get back to you.

Cheers Bob Merrett

Subject: RE: Tanners Harch - Finding old friends
From: RoyH (Burl)
Date: 21 Nov 99 - 08:04 AM

is the Carol Gardner mentioned the same C.G. who used to play fiddle at the old NTMC in the seventies? She guested on the original Notts Alliance album.

Subject: RE: Tanners Harch - Finding old friends
From: RoyH (Burl)
Date: 21 Nov 99 - 08:09 AM

is the Carol Gardner mentioned the same C.G. who used to play fiddle at the old NTMC in the seventies? She guested on the original Notts Alliance album.

Subject: RE: Tanners Harch - Finding old friends
From: polesden
Date: 21 Nov 99 - 02:10 PM

The Carol Gardner that I know is about 50ish now.She played fiddle at Tanners Hatch in the seventies, but in her mid twenties she got MS and was never seen since. I have recently heard that her MS is not as bad as it was.I have also heard that she married the owner of a publishing company where she had been working for many years some time after his wife died. If this strikes any bells and is the same person I would love to know

Cheers Bob Merrett

Subject: RE: Tanners Harch - Finding old friends
From: RoyH (Burl)
Date: 22 Nov 99 - 11:51 AM

Hello Bob, the Carol Gardener I knew was living in Nottingham area early seventies. I know that she moved to London and worked for Routledge, Kegan, Paul. Same person?

Subject: RE: Tanners Harch - Finding old friends
From: KEVINOAF
Date: 12 Feb 08 - 08:25 AM

the story of the tanners owl owes its origin to one of the old regulars Ted Terry (better known as "stagnant stan" - now long deceased )   who invented the story of a wich metamorphing into an owl during the rebuilding program   of the original conversion of the cottages into the present youth hostel, This transfigurement was reputed to be witnessed by a number of the working party he admitted this to me in the Royal oak in Bookham over a copious libation

Subject: RE: Tanners Harch - Finding old friends
From: Snuffy
Date: 12 Feb 08 - 10:08 AM

I never knew that Bob Merret (who started this thread) was actually a Mudcatter, although he did always have lots of printouts of songs from the DT with him wherever he went.

Unfortunately, he died just under 5 years ago - see this thread Obit: Farewell to Bob Merrett. for the tributes to him. It would be nice to think that there are now two owls keeping watch at Tanner's Hatch

Subject: RE: Tanners Harch - Finding old friends
From: Splott Man
Date: 12 Feb 08 - 10:57 AM

I got a shoiver when I read the first post on this thread, it felt like a ghost had tapped me on the shoulder.

I've been a regular at Tanners since the end of the 60s, although my attendance has dropped off lately, but I'm still in regular contact with most of the old crowd.

Bob (Polesden/Gloomy Bob) passed on a few years ago as has already been mentioned. Others from his list have since left us too; Carole Gardner and Roy.

I've many happy memories from this magical place, and have fond memories of some of Bob's hilarious antics.

Thank you for reviving this thread, Kevinoaf.

Splott Man

Subject: RE: Tanners Harch - Finding old friends
From: Splott Man
Date: 12 Feb 08 - 10:58 AM

Sorry, that should be "shiver".

Oh, Snuffy, I can't get your link to work.

Subject: RE: Tanners Harch - Finding old friends
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 12 Feb 08 - 06:54 PM

I just tried Snuffy's link, and it worked for me.... and this has all reminded me that some friends and I went youth hostelling about 40 years ago and stayed at Tanners Hatch.

Kitty

Subject: RE: Tanners Harch - Finding old friends
From: My guru always said
Date: 13 Feb 08 - 03:44 AM

We were there on Saturday & had another fabulous evening! Like you Snuffy I didn't know Bob had been a MudCatter. Good to see this thread, thanks Kevinoaf! You still local? We're in Leatherhead.

Subject: RE: Tanners Harch - Finding old friends
From: KEVINOAF
Date: 13 Feb 08 - 04:53 AM

no, I'm no longer local I now live in the pyrenees I bought my own tanners hatch with olive trees, caribs and almonds instead of oaks & pines

Subject: RE: Tanners Harch - Finding old friends
From: Lady Nancy
Date: 13 Feb 08 - 12:58 PM

I never visit Mudcat often enough - no time! But it was really great to come across this today. I regret not having found it sooner - and the associated link. I knew Bob from the days of Rentacrowd/Heritage/Squire and I now work with Sylvia occasionally who helps me run and administrate folk events in Yorkshire.

I'm still occasionally in touch with others from that time (1974-9 ish) and have some wonderful photos of when we were all that much younger. Did we really change that much? Sylvia and I had a photo and reminisence session a couple of years ago when it suddenly dawned on us that we had known each other back then.

Ah! Such wonderful memories!

Hilary (still singing....)

Subject: RE: Tanners Harch - Finding old friends
From: My guru always said
Date: 13 Feb 08 - 03:02 PM

Aha, another Hilary! Please pass on our Best to Sylvia when you see her next, we usually see her at the Tanners weekend each year since she moved up North.
Hilay Ward & Richard Atkins

Subject: RE: Tanners Harch - Finding old friends
From: KEVINOAF
Date: 14 Feb 08 - 05:08 AM

I remember with nostalgia the entry in the Tanners visitor"s book
'wild-life seen at Tanner's'
Ferret-girl's dormatory (annexe)

Subject: RE: Tanners Hatch - Finding old friends
From: KEVINOAF
Date: 27 Oct 08 - 05:53 AM

anyone remeber 'blind dave @ who's cacophony on an out of tune autoharp nearly terminated folk at tanners?

Subject: RE: Tanners Hatch - Finding old friends
From: Mr Happy
Date: 27 Oct 08 - 06:03 AM

http://www.tannersmusic.co.uk/

Subject: RE: Tanners Hatch - Finding old friends
From: Zen
Date: 27 Oct 08 - 07:10 AM

I remember Tanner's Hatch and also "Blind Dave" who was a regular at the Chanticleer Folk Club in Dorking when I was a regular there back in the late 1980s. I do remember he had an encyclopaedic knowledge of folk music and of composers.

Zen

Subject: RE: Tanners Hatch - Finding old friends
From: KEVINOAF
Date: 28 Oct 08 - 05:40 AM

can't agree with that ,he usaualy played blue grass stuff, and i have no knowledge of that material 'oakie from muscogie' was particularly *********!

Subject: RE: Tanners Hatch - Finding old friends
From: davyr
Date: 28 Oct 08 - 06:22 AM

Wow, that has brought back memories (I missed the thread first time around). Graham, the warden when I was last there in the mid-70s (anyone know what happened to him?), would never turn away a booking, even when the hostel was full. I remember spending a very chilly night on an old sofa in the woodshed, with owls hooting on the roof all night. The other joy was trying to sleep in a "Tanners Tent" (an old army blanket that you were expected to string up between two trees).

I sang the Coppers song "Wop she 'ad it i o" at one folk weekend, and unbeknown to me, the guest performer (whose name I forget) also had it on his set list but was out of the room when I sang.

My version of the chorus was slightly different to the Coppers (which he sang "as known") and he was a bit disconcerted when everyone joined in with "my" version when he performed it later on in the evening...

Subject: RE: Tanners Hatch - Finding old friends
From: My guru always said
Date: 28 Oct 08 - 09:59 AM

Graham Peddie is still going strong but no longer warden at Tanners. He's very active looking after a local charity & drop-in centre and much respected locally!

Subject: RE: Tanners Hatch - Finding old friends
From: davyr
Date: 28 Oct 08 - 10:19 AM

That's good to know - I wonder if he still has the knack of shaving a different part of his face every day so that he has a permanent (but partial) 3 days growth on? :-)

Subject: RE: Tanners Hatch - Finding old friends
From: Surreysinger
Date: 28 Oct 08 - 10:22 AM

Would that be the same Blind Dave that used to turn up regularly at the Ram Club in Claygate every week ? Lived in Leatherhead, always came late and left early by taxi, and managed to get a front row seat every time from where he joined in the guest's act by making verbal interjections ??

Subject: RE: Tanners Hatch - Finding old friends
From: Zen
Date: 28 Oct 08 - 10:55 AM

The very same Blind Dave indeed and I remember the verbal interjections very well which made compering quite interesting. When he missed or couldn't afford his taxi I ended up many times giving him a lift back to Leatherhead from Dorking.

Zen

Subject: RE: Tanners Hatch - Finding old friends
From: My guru always said
Date: 28 Oct 08 - 04:29 PM

Blind Dave still potters around Leatherhead quite happily. As I don't get to local clubs much I haven't noticed Dave's 'musical' behaviour!

Subject: RE: Tanners Hatch - Finding old friends
From: Splott Man
Date: 29 Oct 08 - 04:40 AM

Graham Peddie will be 70 on 14 November, we members of that loose community called rentacrowd are planning on sending him personal greetings with a short message telling him what we're up to now.

If anyone would like his address, I'd be happy to PM it.

Splott Man

Subject: RE: Tanners Hatch - Finding old friends
From: Richard Atkins
Date: 29 Oct 08 - 09:29 AM

I recall giving Dave a lift home from The Ram Club.We eventualy arrived with his directions !

Subject: RE: Tanners Hatch - Finding old friends
From: Splott Man
Date: 29 Oct 08 - 11:46 AM

It sounds cruel, but Dave can take a joke...

A couple of years ago at Tanners Festival, while he was singing a song, a load of kazoos were quietly passed around the gathered throng, and on a given signal we all joined in with his chorus.

Subject: RE: Tanners Hatch - Finding old friends
From: KEVINOAF
Date: 30 Oct 08 - 04:55 AM

dave needed a sense of humor,he certainly taxed mine.... if you have the peddies address do P-M me, does he still follow the same diet?i. e. eating anything that fails to eat him first?

Subject: RE: Tanners Hatch - Finding old friends
From: GUEST,Big Ed
Date: 22 Jul 10 - 05:23 AM

I've just come across this wonderful "Web"site with it's wonderful silken threads and memories. I certainly remember Bob Merrett, Blind Dave, Rent a crowd, etc, etc. I was certainly very sorry to read of Bob's passing away, I will make a pilgrimage to the cemetary and try to find the family grave and offer my belated respects.

I also remember those crazy Treasure Hunts organised in the middle of winter that usually kicked off at mid-night and started and ended at the Hatch. I also remember the afternoons spent at the Ranmore Inn on Sunday afternoons after Tanners Folk imbibing like there was no tomorrow!

As my good friend Trev mentioned in another link to this site we recently popped down to Tanners for a nostalgic evening, my how the place has changed - it's clean for one thing, Peddies counter has gone (along with all the memorabilia associated with it)!

Tanners should be declared a national monument, long live the Hatch.

Ed Owen

Subject: RE: Tanners Hatch - Finding old friends
From: GUEST,Barbara
Date: 27 Jul 10 - 07:48 AM

I remember Tanners Hatch as a place where I always got a friendly welcome and a tea. My friends and I used to visit it during the 80's and 90's quite regularly and we became so fond of the place, it's peaceful settings and all the interesting and nice people we met. For us it was a "secret treasure" and Graham was it's king :-)

Subject: RE: Tanners Hatch - Finding old friends
From: GUEST,Big Ed
Date: 11 Aug 10 - 06:45 AM

Eh up is that Barbara Allen out there?