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Whatever happened to Graham Pirt?
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Subject: Whatever happened to Graham Pirt? From: GUEST Date: 30 Sep 14 - 08:07 PM Graham has posted a message on Faceache to the effect that he has been booted off the committee at Whitby Folk Week. Anybody know any more? |
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Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Graham Pirt? From: Joe Offer Date: 30 Sep 14 - 10:50 PM If I knew the answer, I wouldn't feel comfortable answering such a question from an anonymous poster. Might be better if you joined Mudcat. Even then, I don't think that's an appropriate sort of question to ask or answer publicly. If you want to know, ask him on "Faceache." -Joe- |
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Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Graham Pirt? From: r.padgett Date: 01 Oct 14 - 04:17 AM No idea, it is mystifing! I read the fb message too Hope all is ok, he says he will be there next year for the 50th, meanwhile all old Whitby ff photos etc to Sally Atkinson please Ray |
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Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Graham Pirt? From: Tattie Bogle Date: 01 Oct 14 - 04:25 PM No idea,but no doubt there should be some semblance of confidentiality in dealing with something like this: maybe not for public speculation and debate, as Joe has suggested. |
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Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Graham Pirt? From: Steve Gardham Date: 01 Oct 14 - 04:36 PM I'm sure Graham wouldn't mind it being posted. He is alive and well and still folking. He is still involved in WhitbyFF and when I went in the office he was sat in his usual chair probably working on the daily newsletter. If GUEST is another name for the taxman he died a couple of years ago! If GUEST was on the folk scene he would surely know his son Sam is regularly gigging on the folk scene as part of 442 or The Hut People or delivering a wide variety of workshops excellently! |
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Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Graham Pirt? From: Steve Gardham Date: 01 Oct 14 - 05:32 PM Joe & Tattie IMO I think you are being too defencive here. Public figures, albeit in a relatively small pond like ours, expect and usually court being discussed. I've known Graham for many many years and I know he would be chuffed to know that someone was worried that he seemingly wasn't around, as would all performers. |
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Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Graham Pirt? From: Tattie Bogle Date: 01 Oct 14 - 06:45 PM Well as he himself has posted it on Facebook, it may be that he is inviting comment, although on the other hand, from my reading of his statement, it looks like he is being quite carefully restrained in his choice of words. Maybe Guest knows him personally, maybe he/she doesn't. But if anyone is to state the reasons, surely it is is Graham himself, rather than rumour-mongers letting fly? Btw, I spent a very enjoyable week at Sidmouth some years back, with Graham, Val and John of Cockersdale, learning the songs of Keith Marsden in the " Picking sooty blackberries" workshop. |
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Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Graham Pirt? From: Joe Offer Date: 01 Oct 14 - 10:31 PM Steve, if a named person had asked the question, I might not have gotten my hackles up. But if a person asks such questions under cover of anonymity, I think there's something wrong there. No, we don't require membership here, but most people show the courtesy of posting under a consistent name. -Joe- |
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Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Graham Pirt? From: Jeri Date: 01 Oct 14 - 10:59 PM Joe, since you've mentioned it twice: not everybody has the same prejudice as you regarding guests. I'm fine with people not answering questions, but constantly crabbing about people who do something Max allows is annoying. |
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Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Graham Pirt? From: Jack Campin Date: 02 Oct 14 - 06:57 AM It isn't "prejudice". Joe is suggesting you discriminate about WHICH questions it's appropriate to ask anonymously. Would you leave up a thread started by a GUEST asking for your home address? |
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Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Graham Pirt? From: Joe Offer Date: 02 Oct 14 - 10:41 AM You get my point, Jack. And Jeri, you don't. Whether Max allows something or not, is not the issue. This is a matter of fair play, not rules. Anonymity gives a person an unfair level of invulnerability, as opposed to the vulnerability of a person who is identified by name. If an anonymous person asks for song lyrics or something impersonal like that, it wouldn't make me uncomfortable at all. If they're asking for something personal or criticizing an identified person, then I think they owe it to the community (and their target) to say who they are. It's not a matter of what the rules are, but I think it's unfair and threatening when an anonymous person gets personal. The anonymous person protects himself under a shroud of anonymity, and takes advantage of the vulnerability of the identified person. I don't make the rules here anymore, but I think I have a right to speak out when I feel somebody is taking unfair advantage of another person. I don't "constantly crab" about this - but when I see unfair things happen, I speak up. And on another issue, if a person submits song lyrics, I want to know who is submitting them or the source of their information, so I can have some idea of the credibility of their submission. It's nice to get song lyrics, but they're far less helpful if we don't know where they come from. -Joe- |
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Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Graham Pirt? From: Dennis the Elder Date: 02 Oct 14 - 11:39 AM Joe, I believe most people would see your straightforward reasoning for you initial comment and do not doubt your sincerity . I wonder if any member of the Committee are willing to give us an answer to the initial question? Dennis |
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Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Graham Pirt? From: The Sandman Date: 02 Oct 14 - 12:04 PM I hope Grahm is in good spirits, he is a fine singer, and a nice bloke |
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Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Graham Pirt? From: GUEST,Brimbacombe Date: 02 Oct 14 - 12:10 PM He's a gentleman. I've seen on more than one occasion how kind and decent a man he is. A real loss to WFW. I always figured that his friendliness went a long way to making Whitby such a friendly - and therefore successful - festival. |
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Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Graham Pirt? From: GUEST,trews Date: 02 Oct 14 - 01:37 PM well said, Joe |
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Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Graham Pirt? From: Steve Gardham Date: 02 Oct 14 - 03:50 PM Joe, I completely agree with most of your assertions, but in this case I can see nothing insidious in the OP. The GUEST to me is just making enquiries about a performer they haven't seen for a while, presumably someone who enjoyed Graham's performances! What I find annoying is that the GUEST hasn't returned to make comment. Perhaps you frightened him/her off! |
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Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Graham Pirt? From: GUEST,surreysinger Date: 02 Oct 14 - 05:06 PM Sorry Steve, but I read the OP's post as asking for more information about Graham being asked to leave WFF committee,following his post on Facebook, NOT information in general terms about Graham himself.As such Joe's response is quite appropriate. |
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Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Graham Pirt? From: Steve Gardham Date: 02 Oct 14 - 06:28 PM Yes, you're right, but if it is being bandied about on Facebook ....... |
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Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Graham Pirt? From: Joe Offer Date: 02 Oct 14 - 11:12 PM Here in the U.S., "personnel matters" are not discussed publicly, but I'd like to know the answer, too. I met Graham when I went to Whitby Folk week some ten years ago, and I've corresponded with him a few times since. He's a wonderful person, and I hate to see Whitby Folk Week lose him if that's the case. Nothing on the Whitby Folk Week Website to indicate any change in personnel. -Joe- |
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Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Graham Pirt? From: r.padgett Date: 03 Oct 14 - 03:43 AM I watch with interest and know nothing more than has been said so far! both here and on fb Times change and " I know with each new generation everything must change of the good things we once took for granted not much now remains and ask the rain that rattles all along the bleak North Wall could they not have lefta little did they have to take it all!!" could be appropriate Ray |
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Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Graham Pirt? From: Steve Gardham Date: 03 Oct 14 - 04:50 PM My problem here is that I know well and respect Graham greatly, but I also know well and have the same respect for most of the people on that committee. |
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Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Graham Pirt? From: Tattie Bogle Date: 03 Oct 14 - 09:08 PM Well, asI I said on 1st October, Graham has said on the Whitby Folk Week Facebook page that they no longer require him on the board, so that was his public-ish statement, but not really for us to speculate methinks. |
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Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Graham Pirt? From: Joe Offer Date: 04 Oct 14 - 01:01 AM Here's a link to the Facebook page of Whitby Folk Week where Graham posted the following message:
The board have decided that they do not wish me to work with the Folk Week any more. After 49 years of being part of the festival, including running it with Trevor Stone, after Grahame Binless, and before handing over to Malcolm Storey and then pulling together the people to run it after Malcolm decided to let go of the reins. I will still be there for the 50th and will probably get to see some events in 2015. Looking forward to seeing old and new friends there.
-Joe in Sacramento- |
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Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Graham Pirt? From: GUEST,Malcolm Storey Date: 04 Oct 14 - 09:20 AM In the interest of accuracy and because my name has been mentioned may I state the following. Graham Pirt is the only person I know who has been to all of the Whitby Festivals containing a song element. I doubt he would have been "AT" the first one as that was a long weekend based in a smallish hotel and dance based. In 1981 Graham and Trevor Stone were asked by the English Folk Dance and Song Society, through Grahame Binless, to be involved in the running of the 1981 Whitby festival which in that year, through the insistance of Trevor, finally became Whitby Folk Week. Thus the 2015 event will be the 35th Whitby Folk Week. In late 1981 Graham, fearing that the festival might revert to being a solely dance festival, asked Edmund Jenkinson and me to get involved in the 1982 event. At the time the EFDSS was rationalising on staffing and during discussions at that time Grahame Binless chose to leave the Society's employ and took no further part in the festival although he was invited to join the gang of four to make up a famous five (perhaps). He politely declined. After the 1982 event Graham (Pirt) and Trevor chose to leave the running of the festival for the EFDSS with the dynamic duo (Edmund and I). This we did until the 1986 event when Jim Lloyd made his suggestion that any or all profits from Society events accrue to the Society and any losses be bourne by the VOLUNTEER organisers. Although how that would have worked with Sidmouth which had full time staff was never clear. In the event Edmund and I took over the running of Whitby Folk Week for one year (1987) after which, because Edmund had too many proper job pressures, I ran it alone with the help of good friends who know who they are. Can I finally say that I am at a loss as to why the Whitby board should choose this particular point to dispense with Graham Pirt's help and advice. |
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