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Subject: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: GUEST,Fred McCormick Date: 25 Aug 14 - 06:25 AM Next year being the 50th anniversary of Whitby folk festival, I've been trying to remember when I first visited. AFAICR it was 1968 and it was just a weekend affair in those days. But here's the tricky bit. I don't remember it being in August. In fact if memory serves me aright, it was originally held in May over the late bank holiday weekend. Can anyone confirm or deny same? Thanks. |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: GUEST,Malcolm Storey Date: 25 Aug 14 - 07:15 AM Just to stop another myth. The Whitby Folk Festival now known as Whitby Folk Week has always been in August. End of Thread |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: GUEST,Guest Betsy Date: 25 Aug 14 - 07:27 AM Bob Spray "Captain" of the Yorkshire Faction , Mike Harding "Captain" of the Lancashire crowd. Graham Binless etc ....happy days . |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: The Sandman Date: 25 Aug 14 - 07:44 AM bob spray made Malcolm look like the epitome of diplomacy and tact. |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: doc.tom Date: 25 Aug 14 - 09:39 AM Wow! That takes some doing! |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: Doug Chadwick Date: 25 Aug 14 - 09:45 AM From the Moor & Coast website: "Moor & Coast organise the Whitby Spring Session - a celebration of music, song, dance, food and drink in Whitby, North Yorkshire. This popular event occurs on 1st 2nd & 3rd May 2015" DC |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: doc.tom Date: 25 Aug 14 - 10:50 AM Yes, but it's a very modern phenomenon compared to Whitby FF |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: GUEST,jim bainbridge Date: 25 Aug 14 - 11:10 AM One memory I have is hearing of the death of Brian Epstein while I was there - have just checked that & it was August 27, 1967, so it used to be a little later in the month, maybe- that was my first visit & I never went back till about 5 years ago, wonder why? |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: GUEST,Fred McCormick Date: 25 Aug 14 - 12:12 PM Jim. I think you must be right. Old age and dead brain cells have obviously led me to the wrong conclusion. But what presumably caused my confusion was the fact that the festival was at some time brought forward a week. Obviously, in those days it was arranged to coincide with the late summer bank holiday. IE., the one we're supposed to be currently enjoying. As I look out of the window at the freezing cold rain, I'm thinking what a good idea it was that they moved it. |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: GUEST,Guest Betsy Date: 25 Aug 14 - 12:30 PM I'll let Malcolm Storey guide me with this answer - but I always believed that Folk week ,was/is the week after the Whitby Regatta - and the Regatta's exact week was/is determined by the tides so it is a bit of a " moving feast-day" but not to the extent that it occurs outside of August. |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: Steve Gardham Date: 25 Aug 14 - 12:43 PM Regatta may well be governed by tides and weather but the Festival isn't governed by it. On the few occasions when Regatta and Festival have coincided the place has been chaotic but we occasionally got 2 fireworks displays because of it. I also have a fading memory of it not being a full week in the 60s but when did it become a full week if that's the case? As far as I can remember, and I was dancing and mumming at the second one, it has always finished on the Friday before the Bank Holiday or was earlier on the weekend of the Bank Holiday. I have a recollection that Tony Wilson (the Liverpool big bearded one) was captain of the Lancys. This was before the cricket matches. |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: r.padgett Date: 25 Aug 14 - 12:51 PM Whitby folk week is set as being the week before August Bank holiday Monday is it not!! Regatta is NOT I believe set in stone as being necessarily totally to do with tides and they could and should from a tourist angle avoid any clashes I believe Regatta is not the same week in 2015 as Whitby folk week Ray Yep Bob Spray was something of a character with his wife Hazel ~ Hazel last heard of in Australia and Bob died some years ago ~am I making it up that he was twin?? Ray |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: GUEST,Fred McCormick Date: 25 Aug 14 - 01:04 PM Steve. It certainly started out as a weekend festival, run by EFDSS incidentally. I know not when it became a week long event, but it must have been somewhere between 1969 and 1971. I remember booking a week's holiday to go to it, while I was still working as a contractor's plant fitter. That couldn't have been later than 1971, because it was in September of that year that I was made redundant and took a lab technician's job instead. I've no idea whether Tony Wilson, or Molyneaux as he became, was ever the Lancy's captain, but he was the fool for the Southport Swords. BTW., Does anybody remember the big green bus that we scouse festival goers travelled around in? We used to call ourselves the Merseyside Folklore Research Association. Honest. |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: Surreysinger Date: 25 Aug 14 - 01:32 PM Regatta next year is from 14th-17th of August so will not clash. Shame in a way - it would have been nice to have the Red Arrows for the 50th anniversary first weekend ! |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: GUEST,Malcolm Storey Date: 25 Aug 14 - 02:44 PM Just a few more FACTS. The August Bank Holiday was originally the first Monday in August. After a trial period from 1965 to 1970 the date was changed to the last Monday in August. The current Whitby Folk Week takes place in the week - Saturday to Friday immediately preceeding the Bank Holiday. The dates for WFW are 16th - 22nd August (as this year) at the earliest and 22nd - 28th August latest (as next year). I have lost count of the number of people and organisations I have given this formula to. The Regatta, the Council and the Local Paper could always be relied upon to lose the letter. The festival started in 1966 as a predominently dance festival held in a local hotel. It gradually grew in the early years and by the mid 1970s had become 5 and a bit days with Wednesday night off for song except for the charity concert at the Friendship Club. (Strictly speaking this should not have occured as the festival was run by EFDSS, itself a registered charity). The Festival proper started with a Concert with Dance elements at the Spa Pavilion with the flat roof and kids running about on it on Sunday evening - 10.00pm finish. The event finally became Whitby Folk Week in 1981 when Trevor Stone, Graham Pirt and Edmund Jenkinson became involved alongside Grahame Binless (anagram - a harmless being). I became officially involved in 1982. |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: Mo the caller Date: 25 Aug 14 - 06:03 PM Yes, I remember walking over to roof of the Spa (to get to the Crescent) in the 80s. And joining Efdss because there was a discount for members (then leaving again in disgust over the House fiasco, and rejoining later to get their insurance cover). We were amazed when we first went at the expert dancers (we knew just about enough to join in and learn more). So many chances to learn new things at Whitby. |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: Musket Date: 26 Aug 14 - 03:45 AM I can't go back to the '60s but for many a year starting in the late '70s it was always straight from Whitby to Stainsby for the August Bank Holiday. Then Stainsby moved... |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: GUEST,Fred McCormick Date: 26 Aug 14 - 05:47 AM I too left in disgust over over the House fiasco. (In fact that wasn't the first time. I'd previously joined purely so that I could buy the members only EFDSS LPs of traditional singers. In those days, if you lived in the North West, there was absolutely nothing for song buffs, so there was no point in stopping, but that's another story.) In those days, I regarded EFDSS as a very fusty organisation, full of little grey haired old ladies of both sexes, Ewan McColl once put it. Anyway, I rejoined several years ago and found it had turned into a completely different organisation. It's now much more efficient, pro-active and professional, with loads of important initiatives like the Full English and the Roud Index. And of course it's got a first class library. Where some of the old guard looked to me like they couldn't preserve a pot of jam, EFDSS nowadays does a first class job of both preserving and propagating folk tradition. If you left in disgust in the 2oth century, then I'd seriously consider rejoining in the 21st. |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: GUEST,Clive Pownceby Date: 26 Aug 14 - 06:33 AM Tony Wilson was indeed the Lancs Captain way back when. Us west coast types used the 'Elsinore' as a base and the Yorkshire contingent supped in the 'Star.' In the days when the pubs closed in the afternoon (2.30pm I think) and there were nowhere near as many official events, we had to make our own Wars Of The Roses fun. This entailed a race up and down the Abbey steps, beach cricket, a tiddlywinks championship when Wilson flipped his wink into a full pint glass and somehow (the stuff of legend) ended up swallowing the thing. Yard Of Ale drinking, a wallpaper dance where rolls of lining paper replaced Morris sticks - ahh, the innocence of it all. I stayed in a complex of rooms on the Esplanade the first time I went, must've been about 20 of us in there with one toilet!!!! - no really. Time has thankfully erased the more ghastly details. Malcolm Howarth booked it and I paid him 30/- (that's erm, £1.50 for the entire week) Another early venue I recall apart from the Mission To Seamen was the Drill Hall - can't recall the exact location but it was a dusty old place. |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: The Sandman Date: 26 Aug 14 - 06:38 AM I thought Graham Binless did a good job,as someone that he booked a number of times he treated me decently and with respect,I enjoyed the Whitby festivals he organised |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: GUEST,Malcolm Storey Date: 26 Aug 14 - 07:18 AM The Drill Hall is still there - it's behind the Bagdale Hall Hotel Annexe which itself had been a social club. The Drill Hall is used by the local scouts and I recall seeing the likes of Walter Pardon, Dave Burland, two young Wilsons (Chris & Steve), a very young Chris Parkinson and quite a lot more whilst sitting on very small seats. Don't recall Dick Miles but no doubt he can supply the years he was there which would be good. The festival paid to have showers installed in the hall so that we could use it for indoor camping for such as Fosbrooks and others. There was also a folk festival cafe there set up on the stage which was never used as a stage in my experience. As the festival expanded the uses we could put the venue to became less and after our contact became ill we eventually had to, regretably, agree to disagree with the committee and cease using it. |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: Mo the caller Date: 26 Aug 14 - 08:17 AM Fred, if your comment "If you left in disgust in the 2oth century, then I'd seriously consider rejoining in the 21st." was aimed at me, I did rejoin - when I started Calling for cash for the general public. It was pointed out that I needed Public Liability insurance and EFDSS was a way of getting it. If it was a general comment then I agree that they are doing some good work now (catching up with the digital age at last, much behind CDSS). Purely in cash terms, I'm not sure what someone who didn't need insurance would get from being a member that they couldn't get anyway (magazine & journal if you still like print) other than supporting the cause. If EFDSS stopped running Whitby in 1981 I think the members discount must have carried on longer than that. Interesting that CDSS are still running Pinewoods weeks (and people are getting hot under the collar about proposed changes). I only knew Whitby after it 'grew up and left home', it seems to me that EFDSS made the right decision. |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: GUEST Date: 26 Aug 14 - 08:40 AM "Interesting that CDSS are still running Pinewoods weeks " But then CDSS aren't goverened by the Charity Commission. My understanding (based on heresay) was that the CC had raised certain objections to the Society running festivals. |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: GUEST,Clive Pownceby Date: 26 Aug 14 - 08:47 AM Thanks for the Drill Hall info. Malcolm. Fred Jordan is the one I recall appearing there, to the accompaniment of a small child running around, unrestrained and quite vocal. Fred kept going to his credit and I alluded to the incident in a newsletter interview with him - "I would've smacked its arse" he said, "if it were mine." A reply in the next days newsheet accused me of fabricating it and something along the lines of "how dare you accuse that nice gentleman of potential child-whacking." I make no further comment!!!! |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: GUEST,Malcolm Storey Date: 26 Aug 14 - 11:22 AM Oh dear oh dear. Heresay and balderdash! The EFDSS ran WFW until 1986 when the whole question of the Society running festivals and the financial risk involved was addressed. This was largely brought about by Sidmouth having spent almost the whole of its reserves on their 30th anniversary bash a couple of years before. The cash was held in a local account and the then treasurer of the Society was somewhat alarmed to say the least. The local accounts were included in the Society's overall accounts and as such the "loss" of quite a large sum in one year put the Society's already fragile accounts under undue strain. Reprimands were handed out but the money had gone. In the period 1982 to 1986 (five festivals) WFW contributed in excess of £20K to EFDSS central funds. A sizeable amount in those days. At some time in the year 1985/6 Jim Lloyd made his suggestion which I have touched on before that "Any profits from Society festivals to go to central funds, any losses met locally". Edmund Jenkinson and myself took over WFW by agreed consent in 1987. Business pressures led to Ed leaving after that first independent year and I carried on until 2006 when I retired. The above is what happened, no heresay, I was present at all the relevant meetings and discussions and there is lots more for some other forum. |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: Musket Date: 26 Aug 14 - 11:31 AM Perhaps it was running children interrupting him that got Fred Jordan to sing Grandfather's Clock Interruptus..... The timing of the charitable status stuff comes from when charitable trusts with trustees who were "jointly and severely liable" came into force. Many organisations had to start separating their commercial from their charitable sides. |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: Mo the caller Date: 26 Aug 14 - 11:50 AM Ah, I see. So when we started coming it was still an EFDSS festival. I know our dance club was an affiliated(?was that what they called it?) club, and sent a lot of it's money to EFDSS. |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: GUEST,Chris Murray Date: 26 Aug 14 - 11:56 AM Do you mean hearsay? Or heresy? |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: GUEST,Derek Schofield Date: 26 Aug 14 - 12:08 PM After consulting the relevant issues of English Dance & Song, I can say that the first "Whitby Festival" was Saturday 27 August to Thursday 1 September 1966. That included the bank holiday Monday. In 1967, the dates were Sunday 27 August to Thursday 31 August (again including bank holiday). In 1968 - Sat 31 Aug to Wed 4 Sept - the bank holiday that year was Monday 2 September... In 1969, Sat 30 August to Wed 3 September - the bank holiday was 1 September... 1970: a change - Monday 24- Friday 28 August. Before the bank holiday. (Guests: Tim Hart & Maddy prior, Tony Rose, Orange & Blue, Nibs Matthews, Barnsley Sword...) 1971: Monday 23 - Friday 27 August. Yetties, Tony Rose, John Kirkpatrick, Derek & Dorothy Elliott. "Last year as a light-hearted venture, a War of the Roses contest was introduced. It proved so popular that it will be included again this year". That was the first time I went, and I remember that some people stayed on over the bank holiday weekend with informal sessions. Mike Harding was also there. Derek Schofield |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: r.padgett Date: 28 Aug 14 - 02:52 AM I was there certainly in 1970 and 1971 and seem to remember being there when a number came in from Sheffield maybe 1969 and remember the guests outlined and detailed by Derek Schofield above including Nibs Matthews and the pretty newly formed Barnsley Longsword team with Ivor Allsop Derek Elliott and Jim Potter and the lads Mike Harding, Tony Rose and War of the Roses still memorable 1977 was I believe when Walter Pardon and the Watersons appeared in the Drill Hall (I was there!) The early Wilsons were also seen in the Drill (two of 'em who sent for the others! and the Yetties Ray also Johnny Booker retrieving Mike Hardin'gs wallet from the beach (must have sunk)during the cricket match |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: GUEST,Malcolm Storey Date: 28 Aug 14 - 03:17 AM Thanks Derek. Knew I could rely on you. I am keeping an eye on this thread, which, for once, is coming up with useful stuff and has not become a bun fight. Interestingly although Mike Harding is mentioned I am almost certain that he was never actually booked for the festival. Vin Garbutt spent most of one particular festival singing in the the Plough yard, getting lots of bookings and launching his not inconsiderable career. I feel sure his first official booking at the festival was not until the 80s, but am prepared to be corrected on that. What do you reckon Vin? Keep the memories coming and maybe Sally (Atkinson)can get some useful stuff for her book. |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: JHW Date: 28 Aug 14 - 03:57 AM The Drill Hall stage was wonderful to sing from but in the days I remember you could only get in to a festival event if you were a seasoned ticket holder so that meant using the back door |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: GUEST,Malcolm Storey Date: 28 Aug 14 - 04:34 AM Seasoned(?) ticket holder - an old salt I suppose. If you remember singing from the stage at the Drill Hall can you give us more details please. Promise not to send the bailiffs round to collect your entry fee. cheers |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: GUEST,Brimbacombe Date: 28 Aug 14 - 05:24 AM While we're in a useful mood, what are the origins/dates of other Whitby traditions? Was the garland/singing of Wild Mountain Thyme done from the off? Has cricket always, to some extent, played a part at the festival? I assumed the latter was an 80s-onwards thing but reading this, maybe not. And as there are a few Whitby organisers/old hands on this thread, it's as good a place as any to thank you all for making the festival what it is and always has been (i.e. bloody terrific). |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: GUEST,Peter Date: 28 Aug 14 - 05:33 AM Somebody asked me about the garland and song this year leaving me curious to know when it started and why. |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: GUEST,Malcolm Storey Date: 28 Aug 14 - 05:41 AM Just off to Suffolk for John & Katie's do, leaving Clarence (10 stone bull mastiff) in charge. Will let you know about the Garland and Wild Mountain Thyme later. cheers |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: GUEST,Derek Schofield Date: 28 Aug 14 - 10:39 AM I think the garland started at the instigation of Paul and Georgina Smith. Georgina is now Georgina Boyes, and Paul Smith is a professor of folklore in Newfoundland. They were based in Sheffield/Rotherham and Georgina in particular had researched the Castleton Garland, which was presumably the inspiration for the Whitby version.... Malcolm will confirm or deny on his return... Derek |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: GUEST,Malcolm Storey Date: 28 Aug 14 - 11:44 AM In Essex - but will recover. It would not surprise me if Paul and Georgina were involved in the instigation of the Garland. I know that the late Peter Glover's son was heavily involved in the construction of the early garlands, until the son moved to London, and they were carried in the early years by the "goon squad" - mostly people from the Darlington area. Following the final parade the Garland was suspended from a ceiling beam in the old Spa and at the end of the last dance the Garland was slowly lowered to the waiting scrummage as people tried to grab a piece of heather to start their own particular tradition. People then tended to mill around saying their goodbyes as the staff tried to herd them out of the door - not much changed there! In about 1984/5 as this was going on Dave Brady of Swan Arcade broke into a gentle rendering of the Wild Mountain Time which could be heard all over the complex and when the assembled multitude joined in the chorus the roof nearly lifted, to coin a phrase. Edmund and I turned to each other and said "We'll keep it in"! |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: GUEST,Brimbacombe Date: 28 Aug 14 - 12:56 PM Thanks Malcolm. I also have vague memories of there being a child's garland for a brief period, which was filled with sweets and released much earlier on the final evening for younger attendees. The singing of Wild Mountain Time at Whitby matches anything I've heard in a sporting arena or anywhere else when it comes to mass communal singing that stirs emotions/makes the hairs on your arms stand on end. I would imagine that generations and generations to come will owe a debt of gratitude towards Dave Brady. |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: JHW Date: 28 Aug 14 - 03:30 PM My Drill Hall appearance must have been in the 80s? No idea who got me on stage or why, let alone what I sang or how they got me off again but I've remembered and praised the acoustics ever since in discussions of such things. I think the back door was at the stage end of the building. Some time later someone put on a show there with PA speakers at the back of the room trying to defeat that acoustic! |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: GUEST,Georgina Boyes Date: 28 Aug 14 - 05:24 PM Yes Paul Smith started the Whitby Garland and based it on the Castleton one. I can't claim any credit for introducing it to Whitby apart from doing research on the the Derbyshire original. Unlike the Castleton Garland the first Whitby one was built up from an old bicycle wheel, is it still in use? With Paul Smith and Dave Wood however, I do claim credit for the introduction of the first Wars of the Roses, including the final challenge which involved each team's chosen champion eating a whole sliced loaf, a family-sized Neapolitan ice cream, a tin of sardines and a jar of gherkins. Yorkshire's man made ice cream, sardine and gherkin sandwiches, the Lancashire lad had to retire retching. And like Malcolm, although 'Wild Mountain Thyme' sung in other places might be a bit hackneyed, at Whitby and especially at the old Spa, it's a towering song. Georgina |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: GUEST,Malcolm Storey Date: 29 Aug 14 - 03:49 AM Just in the interests of accuracy. I am aware that the word is hearsay - just used previous guests spelling to emphasise the point. I also know that it is Wild Mountain Thyme but used the same method - perhaps being too subtle? Although Sid Kipper does sing of the Wild Mounting Time which sounds good for getting some fresh air. |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: The Sandman Date: 29 Aug 14 - 09:08 AM Malcolm, I played whitby as a booked guest,with my ex wife, Sue, the year you took over, funny you cant remember, because you said to me you couldnt pay my expenses[ 80 pounds] the first year because you hadnt done well financially, this was after we had worked all week,found our own accomodation[staying with jon and angie barker in whitby], to spare you expense] i subsquently played for you in the 1990s, possibly 1996, when you put our accomodation way out of town[ something i did not think was very suitable] considering we had travelled from ireland by public transport and had two small children with us, so we had to push our shopping great distance up hills to our self catering out of town house, another reason it was not suitable, was that you expected me to perform in concerts after walking fair distances in the pissing rain, a classic example of an organiser expecting professionalism from a performer, but not being professional in their own organisation., to be fair to you I think this was one of the few occasions when you were not professional, most people are of the opinion that overall you ran the festival in a professional way this was the year you shouted abuse at me while i was playing cricket against you, calling me a wanker, you clearly have a selective memory. i was involved in the late seventies with the starting of the singaround in the[then] cutty sark, it was the idea of a number of people who were not entirely happy with the singaround in the drill hall,these were, chris timson, ann gregson, all the wilson family, myself,possibly colin cater, pete stephenson, john knight. i played with my ex wife, Sue, before you took over 1978,79, 80 and we were well received by audiences and treated well by the organiser. overall, I think you did a good job in running the festival successfully for many years. |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: GUEST Date: 29 Aug 14 - 02:19 PM |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: GUEST,Malcolm Storey Date: 29 Aug 14 - 02:22 PM Message received Dick - again. |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: The Sandman Date: 30 Aug 14 - 04:20 AM I was also there in 1974 75 76,possibly 77 but not as a booked performer, I thought it was a great festival. I repeat Malcolm did a good job keeping the festival going subsequently. |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: GUEST Date: 31 Aug 14 - 04:47 AM Keep the memories (however foggy) coming. This could be a really useful thread. |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: GUEST,Fred McCormick Date: 31 Aug 14 - 05:44 AM Well, anyone who remembers Pete Rowley will remember that he was of somewhat elephantine proportions. One night in the Elsinore he got so plastered that he could barely stand up. What's more, he couldn't remember the address of his B&B. That led to an army of us trying to prop him up and steer him round the town, asking 'is it down that street?', 'is it up there?', while Pete kept shouting 'I'll fall in the harbour!'. We mightn't have had much money in those days but we never stuck for laughs. |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: The Sandman Date: 31 Aug 14 - 06:58 AM The rev ken loveless, was regular in the seventies, a great entertainer and I seem to remember him standing in for a guest who didnt turn up at short notice, despite the fact he had several malts, he did a sterling job, fell over backwards whilst on stage in the spa, picked himself up and carried on, His concertina workshops were also very entertaining. I remember seeing martin windsor drink a whole bottle of whiskey in the drill hall during a set with red sullivan and still standing up and appearing sober. |
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Subject: RE: Whitby. Was it always in August? From: GUEST,Fred McCormick Date: 01 Sep 14 - 06:37 AM Here's a contemporary reminisce about Whitby, something that happened on the first day of this year's festival in fact. I was in the Tourist Office trying to sort out bus timetables when a woman arrived at the counter. She'd obviously arrived on speck and wnated to know where it all happened. The assistant told her where the festival office was and then claimed that, although there are some fixed events (663 of them in case he hadn't counted), a lot of it happens spontaneously. "They mostly just Goth about from pub to pub", he said. Goths? Goths? I'd have that man know that some of us consider ourselves Grots, not Goths! |
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