2023 Obit: Fritz Fitton

Subject: Obit: Fritz Fitton
From: r.padgett
Date: 01 Jan 24 - 10:20 AM

Recently announced by Margaret Walters in Australia, Fritz was from Southport, England but spent some time in Australia and in Whitby, England. A fine unaccompanied singer and shanty man

A well known knowledgeable singer

RIP Fritz

Subject: RE: Obit: Fritz Fitton
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 01 Jan 24 - 04:59 PM

I haven't seem him at the National FF for some years & was pleased to knew he was a regular at the Albany Shanty festival, he just wasn't crossing the country. I have good memories of him at the staircase singing session at the National. It's the best singing space at the festival & was always packed, I left one morning at a respectable hour - 2ish??? - 3ish??? - he stayed until 4.30 & around 10 he was at the second best singing session, Community Hymn singing with Ozcatters Hrothger, JennieG & friends - the place where believers & atheists could have a good sing. He looked a tad tired! Rest well, Fritz.

I recently posted a 2006 photo of him on here image 9 there's also a slightly blurry pic of Margaret covering both ears - she is surrounded by Danny Spooner & John Warner! I might add 2 more recent pics - I added 3.

Subject: RE: Obit: Fritz Fitton
From: rich-joy
Date: 01 Jan 24 - 07:27 PM

Crikey. I well remember the first time I saw/met/heard Fritz - and Ann - when they were newly arrived at Perth's Governor Broome Folk Club (run by Geoff Morgan) in the very early 1970s!!!

Both geologists, I believe, and both had big voices (and whether drinking or swearing, Ann could give ANY bloke a run for their money, LoL!)
However, she became a member of The Fair Maids of Perth - Morris Side.
Saw him/them regularly over the years in both WA and the NT, but, not now for many a long year .......

Thanks for those snaps, Sandra - always good to see your pics! (hint hint :)


Vale, Fritz.

Subject: RE: Obit: Fritz Fitton
From: JennieG
Date: 02 Jan 24 - 01:48 AM

I remember Fritz too.....always a big voice, and an interesting song.

Subject: RE: Obit: Fritz Fitton
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 02 Jan 24 - 05:02 AM

Upon reflection, I think Fritz stayed singing in the stairwell until 6.30, so he had even less sleep!

Rich-joy, just bookmark the blog & the Guide to the Blog will help you find articles. Festival reports are almost exclusively pics taken by Bob Bolton & me. I'm not a professional photographer like Bob, but in later years I was at places he wasn't, & more importantly I was one of the relatively few people taking pics of him.

Subject: RE: Obit: Fritz Fitton
From: Hrothgar
Date: 02 Jan 24 - 07:05 AM

RIP, Fritz.

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Fritz Fitton
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Jan 24 - 05:51 AM

Sorry to hear this news. Fritz was a great character and will be sadly missed around the folk festivals in Oz.

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Fritz Fitton
From: Waddon Pete
Date: 06 Jan 24 - 10:05 AM

Another good man gone. My condolences to all those who know and love him. His name has been added to the "In Memoriam" thread. He will clearly leave a big space where once he had been. RIP

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Fritz Fitton
From: GUEST,Bill S in Adelaide
Date: 08 Jan 24 - 03:56 AM

sad news in this household as my partner is one of his exes. I've known him for well over 30 years and my partner even longer. prodigious repertoire of songs, a booming voice and great concertina. Also note he was a gold miner working around the world, he contacted me once to get him a train timetable for Albania, (I found one!) he also worked a gold mine in Tyndrum in Scotland. He loved Whitby and checking a Sutcliffe photo of a house found it was for sale and bought it, the house that is. He has been going downhill for a while, hence no travelling, as I am advised. Sad loss to the folk world.

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Fritz Fitton
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 08 Jan 24 - 05:26 AM

thanks Bill. I found an obit today - Fitton, Marvyn John (Fritz) Beloved Fremantle character and renowned shantyman/geologist Fritz passed away in his home on 29.12.23. He is survived by his son Jack. Funeral Arrangements TBA

He was definitely a character!

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Fritz Fitton
From: GUEST,DAVID CHARTERS
Date: 08 Jan 24 - 06:01 AM

I was a friend from the age of eight, when he was called Marvin Fitton. We shared a dog, an English Springer Spaniel, called Floppy. It was semi-wild and used to turn up at odd times, covered in mud after roaming the local marshes. We also shared a love of railways and used to go on our bikes to sit at the side of the main London-Scotland line. He was a good swimmer and diver, known as "Fits", which was a shortened version of the surname. A bright boy but always the class fool, too, he went off to Leeds University, to study Geology. We lost touch after he married and emigrated to work in the metals exploration field in a process during which he became "Fritz" I re-discovered him when I began to organize a school reunion in 2003 and he surprised everyone by turning up, from Fremantle. He performed a few songs, under the strong influence of beer, at our local folk club, The Bothy, where we had been members in our teens. I was aware that his health was not good when I last spoke to him by phone. A one-off, for sure.

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Fritz Fitton
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 08 Jan 24 - 08:43 AM

it's good to get memories from people who knew him as I only saw him once a year

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Fritz Fitton
From: r.padgett
Date: 09 Jan 24 - 02:14 PM

Thanks for the biog from David Charters above, tell us more about

Fritzys life and career

Ray

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Fritz Fitton
From: GUEST,Lesla Soulsby
Date: 23 Jan 24 - 06:33 PM

A formidable figure at W.A. Folk events.

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Fritz Fitton
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 23 Jan 24 - 09:50 PM

Fritz's facebook page - I'm not on facebook so can't see the posts

Fritz was a member of Rocky River Bush Band - pics here of their 2004 European tour. Alas they no longer exist.

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Fritz Fitton
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Jan 24 - 01:33 PM

From Peter Bugden (Mudcat was timing out - this was on FB):

I hope that friends of FRITZ FITTON, will see this
"Fritz's funeral will be held at Fremantle Cemetery on Thursday 1st February at 2.15pm.
For those too far away to attend, the ceremony will be live streamed through the website of BOWRA & O'DEA, HILTON WA.
I tried to make a "Blicky" but it wouldn't come up.
copy and paste the below into your search engine.
https://bowraodea.com.au/tribute-page/...
Cheers
Bugsy"

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Fritz Fitton
From: GUEST,Thanks, SRS.
Date: 26 Jan 24 - 06:42 PM

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Fritz Fitton
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 02 Feb 24 - 08:14 AM

tributes including photographs have been added here https://bowraodea.com.au/tribute-page/...

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Fritz Fitton
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Feb 24 - 08:26 AM

https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=fritz%20fitton&__stsd__=eyJwcmltYXJ5Ijp7InR5cGUiOiJUWVBFQUhFQURfUEVPUExFX0VOVElUSUVTIn19

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Fritz Fitton
From: rich-joy
Date: 02 Feb 24 - 08:50 PM

Thanks for the links - was good to watch.

Vale, Fritz.

Cheers, R-J

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Fritz Fitton
From: GUEST,David and Michele
Date: 20 Feb 24 - 10:04 AM

What a coincidence! My wife has just been working through some old letters, photos etc from her "cousin" Ann - wife of Fritz - to my wife's mum and dad (who are, sadly, no longer alive). It would be good if we could make contact with her if anyone could either provide me with a link or mention this message to her.

Thanks.

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Fritz Fitton
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 20 Feb 24 - 04:16 PM

Bugsy posted funeral details on Mudcat's facebook page, if you aren't on facebook, Mudcat's Music Editor Joe Offer could get a message to him - [e-mail]

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Fritz Fitton
From: GUEST,David and Michele
Date: 23 Feb 24 - 04:24 AM

Thanks, "Sandra in Sydney". I have sent a message on Facebook, so fingers crossed.

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Fritz Fitton
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 23 Feb 24 - 05:55 AM

it's a tad hard to type with fingers crossed!!

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Fritz Fitton
From: GUEST,Ann Fitton
Date: 23 Feb 24 - 08:04 AM

Michele+ David
Iam still living in Perth, Western Australia. Please send me your email if you wish to contact me.
Ann

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Fritz Fitton
From: GUEST,David and Michele
Date: 24 Feb 24 - 07:28 AM

Hi Ann Fitton,

Thanks for responding. I had separately sent you a message on Facebook, so we can establish contact that way. I am hesitant to put our email address on an open forum in case it attracts scammers and couldn't see a way of sending you a private message on here.

Hopefully, we will then be able to compare notes on family history as I understand we both share an interest in our overlapping trees.

David and Michele

Subject: RE: 2023 Obit: Fritz Fitton
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 24 Feb 24 - 08:05 AM

for future reference - if you ever need to join Mudcat you can send members Personal Messages via the PM link on the From line

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To join send an email to [e-mail] and he'll help you set up an account. ---mudelf