Noble though your enterprise be Mr Chris, the idea that there is a claer line dividing 'English' and the other British folk is a little silly from my experience.

As far back as 197 something playing what I thought was an Irish tune - BTW when nobody cared what a folkie played as long as it was traditional and acoustic - and was corrected by a gentleman giving me what he insisted was the correct name.

Course there is a strong case to be made for promoting the superb music of the 'folk' era, Nick Jones, Martin Carthy ( isn't that an Oirish name ? ) and the rest, surely that does not mean we have to ignore the super music of lessser know regions such as Dorset, Cornwall etc.

OTOH I would not be that hasty about claiming Irish or Scottish etc music is so ethnic that it is not English. For I all of these people are English speaking - thanx to English efforts, for 2 lots of people who compose and play the music do it with English dance forms - Hornpipe -and themselves are descendents of not just any old English person but Gentlemen and Ladies.

Next beef I have with the line drawing, what about urbanmusic in London, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham etc Are these also excluded?

In short are you not turning off the true source of 'English Folk' by
restricting the audience to Victorian Shanties and Countrybumpkin rants all from the age of horsehit and habberdashers?

Have a nice English day

:0)