posted on an Oz folk list today - BBC radio program, I did a quick search on Trafalgar & didn't see any reference, if I missed it, pls accept my apologies!

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I've just been listening to a remarkable programme on songs which would have been sung by lower deck seamen at the time of the battle of Trafalgar.

There were one or two 'orrible gaffs, which are outweighed by the fact that the programme was compiled entirely from recordings in the Topic archive. Catherine Bott, the programme's presenter, didn't say so, but I imagine this meant the holdings which Topic deposited at the National Sound Archive.

Anyway, the programme assembled Bert Lloyd, Roy Harris, Bob Harte, Cyril Poacher, Frankie Armstrong, Sam Larner, in fact the whole motley crew, with the strange and lamentable absence of Ewan MacColl. Even more important, it presented recordings which went right back to the early days of Topic microgroove - IE., those 8" LPs which Topic used to press - and included stuff I have certainly never heard before.

You will find the programme stowed away at http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/mainframe.shtml?http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/radio3_promo.shtml and you'll need to 'list on The Early Music Show berth. NB., it's the Sun button you want, not the Sat. It lasts for one hour, and will be available for seven days from the time of transmision.

Moreover, Catherine Bott has asked people to request similar material. I didn't catch the email address, but it's at the end of the programme. So bend on your oars me hearties. Launch out the emails and fire off the broadsides.

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