Norma Waterson

Subject: Norma Waterson
From: banjomad (inactive)
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 05:18 AM

Congratulations to Norma Waterson who has been awarded the MBE in the
new year honours list.
Long overdue and never more deserved.
Peace and love for 2003, Dave

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: DMcG
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 05:25 AM

Eliza will sulk now.

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: Harry Basnett
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 07:48 AM

Terrific news.......a lovely lady and a well-deserved award!!

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: Bassic
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 08:21 AM

Thats a HULL of a good thing to happen. Congratulat9ons!!

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: Schantieman
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 09:51 AM

Good news indeed.

What other instances are there of a husband and wife getting the same honour, in the same field?


Steve

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 12:41 PM

Schantieman

Well, Neville and Doreen Lawrence OBE for a start. And in the same Honours List.

Kitty

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: selby
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 01:15 PM

I thought they had to go to buck house to recive thr gong not a field:-))
Keith

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: Leadfingers
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 01:28 PM

Great stuff |Good for them And Jasper Carrott!!

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: DMcG
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 01:30 PM

I don't think 'double awards' are that rare in themselves. But they are usually awarded at the same time to two people who have been in some kind of joint venture. Martin and Norma's awards are, in effect, independant.

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: KathWestra
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 01:39 PM

Wonderful news! Congratulations to Norma on a well-deserved honor. Sometimes prophets ARE honored in their own countries.

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 02:06 PM

With an MBE she doesn't get to be called Dame Norma, I understand. Rather a pity. The same way it isn't "Sir Martin". They'd have had to have the GBE instead of the MBE for that.

Here is a page where the BBC solemnly outlines this strange phenomenon of the Honours System,/a>, with all the subtle distinctions of rank and hierarchy involved.

I think it'd be better to have just one award called the GE, for Good Egg. And balance it with another called the BE, for Bad Egg.

I see the BBC has been having a listeners' poll on which person they would most like to see excluded from Britain - Tony Blair romped home ahead of the field.

There was a parallel poll on who people would like to import into thsi country. George Bush and Saddam Hussein scored well here, largely on the reasonable grounds that that would save the USA, Iraq, and the rest of the world, from having to put up with them as Head of State.

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: Big Tim
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 03:41 PM

I am quite rapidly re-evaluating my opinion of the British honours system.

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 03:44 PM

Sorry about that blue clicky that went wrong there - I posted a corrected version immediately, but clearly a helpful Mudelf removed the first (wrong) duplicated post, rather than the second (corrected) one.

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: Guy Wolff
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 04:14 PM

What great news and says something on truly honering British folk music.. Very Very Good News!!!!

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 04:24 PM

Why have the papers and TV stations ignored Norma and concentrated on pretty well every other recipient?

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 04:30 PM

Well, they are English papers and TV stations - what would you expect when it comes to anything about English traditional music?

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: banjomad (inactive)
Date: 31 Dec 02 - 06:25 PM

The Yorkshire Post had a photo of Norma on the front page and a large photo and an article about Norma inside.
My local paper in Halifax [ Yorkshire ] managed to mention , a Brummy comic, a Welsh opera singer and a Cornish cook but not a great YORKSHIRE folk singer, nuff said.
Dave

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 01 Jan 03 - 04:13 PM

Banjomad, is there a Yorkshire Post website, perhaps? Norma has always been one of my favourite female voices, and when I saw Waterson:Carthy at Tonder last year (yes, 2002!) they seemed to be enjoying themselves and their music so much, it was a joy to watch. I'm very sure Eliza will get her MBE (or whatever) in time.

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 01 Jan 03 - 06:39 PM

Good Grief.... An hereditary peer of the realm, and 2 MBE's have used my occasional table... I'll never get the stains out now!

Couldn't happen to a nicer lady. Bet June is in a snit today!

LTS

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: vectis
Date: 01 Jan 03 - 06:47 PM

It is a pity that the activities that have earned Norma, Martin and Jasper their gongs will shortly become illegal.
There's logic for you.

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: banjomad (inactive)
Date: 01 Jan 03 - 06:48 PM

Hi Susanne, try this www.yorkshirepost.co.uk if this does'nt work come back and i'll try again.
Cheers, Dave

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 01 Jan 03 - 08:33 PM

Thanks, Dave. Found it, but it was today's front page, so I missed it.

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: johnross
Date: 01 Jan 03 - 10:29 PM

The reports of the Honours List say that anybody can nominate people for honours. Is there any kind of organized effort to nominate additional folk musicians?

And who should be on future lists?

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 01 Jan 03 - 10:38 PM

nic jones for next year? start a petishun ?

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: RoyH (Burl)
Date: 02 Jan 03 - 12:40 PM

There is one man who's name stands out to me as deserving of an MBE for 'services to folk music'. He has the longest professional career of any folksinger in Britain. He has steadfastly maintained an English song repertoire throughout his career. He has written songs that have become established as classics wherever the English language is sung. He has brought many neglected songs to life via his collecting and research. He has published the definitive book on the songs of the Royal Navy. He pioneered singing at the Sidmouth Festival,very much a dancers event in the early days. He was the driving force behind the birth and growth of the folk club scene in the English West country. He was the first folk DJ on BBC radio. He has been and still is a source of inspiration and encouragement for scores of present day singers. I suggest that this man's life has been one long gift of 'services to folk music', and he is still going strongly at over 70 years of age. He deserves the MBE, no one more so. . His name is Cyril Tawney.

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: Schantieman
Date: 02 Jan 03 - 12:49 PM

Hear Hear!   Well said Burl!

Cyril gets my vote! A truly great, modest, hard-working, down-to-earth, talented folkie.

Steve

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: Schantieman
Date: 02 Jan 03 - 01:02 PM

...but how about Bob Copper, whose birthday it is today (apparently!)?

Steve

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: Santa
Date: 02 Jan 03 - 03:24 PM

Where would we stop?

Alistair Anderson for Folkworks, if nothing else
Sandra Kerr, ditto and Bagpuss
Maddy Prior
Alan Bell
John Kirkpatrick

Lots and lots

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: karen k
Date: 02 Jan 03 - 05:30 PM

Congratulations Norma! Certainly a very well deserved honor bestowed on one of my very favorite singers of all time. Here's to many more years and many more songs.

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: banjomad (inactive)
Date: 02 Jan 03 - 07:24 PM

Bob Copper is 88 years old on Monday Jan 6th.
Both he and Cyril Tawney should be honoured and both long overdue.
Dave

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Jan 03 - 10:00 PM

I am not sulking...
ec x

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: Chris Amos
Date: 03 Jan 03 - 02:19 AM

Hi,

While I profoundly disagree with the honours system in this country, (won't go into details now – it becomes a rant), it is excellent that folk musicians are recognised and Norma in particular who has done so much for the music and given people a bloody good time in the process for so many years.

Chris

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: DMcG
Date: 03 Jan 03 - 04:47 AM

Glad to hear you're not sulking... It was tongue in cheek, of course!

Mind you, getting letters published in the Guardian pointing out how hopeless the PEL reforms are won't do your MBE chances any good, you know :-)

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: Schantieman
Date: 03 Jan 03 - 11:41 AM

Eddie Upton?
Swarbs?

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: GUEST,Big Jock
Date: 03 Jan 03 - 01:59 PM

I was much more proud of Hamish Henderson who refused an 'honour'. Surely these merit badges only go to prop up the dreadful class system of this country. Fling the peasants a few crumbs and they won't disturb the gluttony of the upper classes.
B J

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: Big Tim
Date: 03 Jan 03 - 04:46 PM

When did HH refuse? Under the Tories or Labour?

Personally, I did once turn down an invite to a "royal" Garden Party in Edinburgh - because I don't believe in monarchies. So did my wife. The honours system is a bit diferent tho, and it's evolving all the time: evolution not revolution, no more chopping off of heads!

As it happens, I gave a Norma CD to my English son-in-law for Christmas. He had never heard of her and was quite amazed, as I was, that her name turned up in the Honours List!

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: banjomad (inactive)
Date: 03 Jan 03 - 05:10 PM

Hamish refused the honour from Margaret Thatcher, saying he would not accept an honour from a government who promoted the nuclear arms race.
Brian McNeil composed a tune in his honour ' Hamish Hendersons Refusal '
Cheers, Dave

Subject: RE: Norma Waterson
From: GUEST,Big Jock
Date: 03 Jan 03 - 05:40 PM

Marion Blythman, the wife of Morris Blythman AKA Thurso berwick, also refused an MBE, under Tony Blair's government. She didn't qualify her refusal, just that she disagrees with the whole set up.
B J