Info/locate: Manchester folksinger Stan Table

Subject: Info: Manchester folksinger Stan Table
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 May 15 - 02:18 PM

I got an email yesterday from someone trying to contact Manchester folksinger Stan Table to get permission to use recordings of Stan's performances. If you know how to contact Stan, please contact me by personal message - or by email at [e-mail].

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Here's the email:

I am trying to trace a folk singer from the past.

In the1960's, the social club of the firm I worked for in London used to hold occasional evenings of traditional music of various kinds. One of our regulars was a lad from Manchester called Stan Table. He seemed to be of no fixed address and we used to send a message to Manchester via jungle telegraph in the hope that it would find him. If we were lucky, he would hitch down beforehand, sleep on someone's floor , then turn up for the event. He sang a mixture of traditional songs together with some of his own. He played a battered old guitar in a percussive style, sometimes hitting it with his fingers to add to the effect. (I'm sure there is a technical term for this)

I have some live recordings of him from that time. They were on reel-to-reel but I have transferred them to CD and they have come out rather well despite their age.

It was a long time ago but I was wondering if any of your older members might remember him. If so, is he still around and is he still performing?


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If it's any help, I can give these further details. My workplace was BISRA, a now defunct organisation, in Battersea Park Road. As a member of our social club committee, I helped to organise occasional "folk evenings". Our definition was fairly broad and performers included anyone who recommended, willing and cheap or free. Two names who are still going were Dave Kelly (bottlleneck blues) and Mike Absolom (bawdy ballads).

We got Stan through a friend of a friend of a friend.. . We called him Black Stan. This in no way referred to his ethnicity but to the fact that his hands looked like he had been working under a car all day and had not managed to remove all traces of grease. I hasten to add that, apart from that, he seemed pretty hygenic.I don't know whether he brought that name with him from Manchester or it was just our warped humour.

I have tape recordings of 3 events, in 1968 (poor mono), 1969 and 1970 (both quite good stereo). All of these have been transferred to CDs. Stan is on the last two.

Thanks again

All the best

Dave

Subject: RE: Info/locate: Manchester folksinger Stan Table
From: maeve
Date: 20 May 15 - 02:31 PM

There is one reference here, the gents quoted (Chris Lee & Ian Wilson) may know more: http://www.manchesterbeat.com/groups/greasybear/greasybear.php

Subject: RE: Info/locate: Manchester folksinger Stan Table
From: GUEST,#
Date: 20 May 15 - 03:12 PM

It seems his name was Stan Ellison.

http://www.manchesterbeat.com/groups/stanellison/stanellison.php

Subject: RE: Info/locate: Manchester folksinger Stan Table
From: maeve
Date: 20 May 15 - 03:23 PM

Oh good find, # !

Subject: RE: Info/locate: Manchester folksinger Stan Table
From: maeve
Date: 20 May 15 - 03:30 PM

Thanks to the name clarification from #, here's a youtube recording of him singing and playingJuly Wakes - Stan Ellison .

Subject: RE: Info/locate: Manchester folksinger Stan Table
From: Stanron
Date: 20 May 15 - 03:49 PM

PM sent.

Subject: RE: Info/locate: Manchester folksinger Stan Table
From: GUEST,#
Date: 20 May 15 - 03:50 PM

Good find, Maeve.

Regarding the song, July Wakes, lyrics and history are in the DT. Ellison says in the video that he didn't know who wrote it. Also, there are about three threads to do with the /poem/song.

Subject: RE: Info/locate: Manchester folksinger Stan Table
From: Stanron
Date: 20 May 15 - 04:03 PM

The poem July Wakes was written by Richard Pomfret.

Subject: RE: Info/locate: Manchester folksinger Stan Table
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 20 May 15 - 07:16 PM

There's also an earlier Mudcat thread...

http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=109520

He can sometimes be found at The Beech in Chorlton (though the singaround and tunes night have moved to Dulcimer). Try PMing Mudcatter 'Les in Chorlton'...

Subject: RE: Info/locate: Manchester folksinger Stan Table
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 May 15 - 08:36 PM

But how do we get from "Stan Table" to "Stan Ellison." Is there something that tells us the two are one and the same person?

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Info/locate: Manchester folksinger Stan Table
From: GUEST,#
Date: 20 May 15 - 09:52 PM

20 May 15 - 03:12 PM

Read that link.

____________________________

"We got Stan through a friend of a friend of a friend.. . We called him Black Stan."

That is from the OP request.

____________________________

The commonality is Black Stan.

____________________________


I think the person requesting info from you is possibly confused about Stan's last name. Please pass this thread along to him/her and find out if we are or aren't wasting our time on this path.

Thanks, Joe.

Subject: RE: Info/locate: Manchester folksinger Stan Table
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 21 May 15 - 04:22 AM

Here'so my - possibly stretched - logic, Joe.

In the email you received, the Manchester folk singer is Stan Table, aka Black Stan. In Maeve's link, he is a folk singer known as Black Stan the Table, which makes more sense, as 'Table' is an unlikely surname. In #'s link, Stan Ellison is Black Stan, a Manchester folk singer. In both links he was an early member of Greasy Bear. That's a fair amount of circumstantial evidence.

The really good news is that Stan Ellison has put his email address in the other thread, so your correspondent will be able to make direct contact.

Subject: RE: Info/locate: Manchester folksinger Stan Table
From: Stanron
Date: 21 May 15 - 04:33 AM

The email address in the other thread is no longer valid. The current email is in the PM I sent earlier.

Subject: RE: Info/locate: Manchester folksinger Stan Table
From: Joe Offer
Date: 21 May 15 - 05:54 PM

Thanks for all the help, everyone. I got a personal message from Stan, and put him in touch with Dave the Requester.

-Jose-

Subject: RE: Info/locate: Manchester folksinger Stan Table
From: Spleen Cringe
Date: 21 May 15 - 07:29 PM

Ah ha! Stanron, are you Stan?

Subject: RE: Info/locate: Manchester folksinger Stan Table
From: Stanron
Date: 21 May 15 - 07:44 PM

About 50 years ago I was Black Stan. Now it's all gone white.

Subject: RE: Info/locate: Manchester folksinger Stan Table
From: GUEST,Dave
Date: 22 May 15 - 07:51 AM

Thank everyone for all this. I have listened to the "July Wakes" link referred to and it is definitely the same Stan. I think my recording of him is much better!

Subject: RE: Info/locate: Manchester folksinger Stan Table
From: Noreen
Date: 22 May 15 - 11:32 AM

Another successful thread! :) :)

Subject: RE: Info/locate: Manchester folksinger Stan Table
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 22 May 15 - 01:31 PM

He is a really nice guy Stan. He has joined the Beechists at the Dulcimer with one of his home made instruments. Loads of strings and a long neck - played as a 'guitar' and witha capo as a 'mandolin'.

If you are out there Stan we are back at the Dulcimer every Tuesday from now on!


Songs and Tunes with The Beech Band at The Dulcimer

Subject: RE: Info/locate: Manchester folksinger Stan Table
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 24 May 15 - 10:06 AM

I always thought that the "black" came from Stan's black hair, beard and, in fact, everywhere. Perhaps it has since gone all white - I'v not seen him for most of the 50 years!