If anyone is still interested this is what I sent to the local Folk Mag as a report of the weekend.
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Over the weekend of 18-19 November 2006 Liverpool was, once again, invaded by a horde of shanty singers and shanty fans; but this was no local promotional festival or a celebration of that vague entity, maritime music. This was a gathering to celebrate the life and deeds of one man, Stan Hugill who was born exactly 100 years ago. Stan was the man who did more than almost anyone else to preserve the songs and stories of the Shanty-men from the age of sail and introduce a new generation to the enjoyment of work songs and other songs of sailors and the sea.

Many of today's shanty singers were born after the job of shanty-man had passed into history along with the commercial sailing ships on which he worked. Stan was a real shanty-man. In fact he was the last shanty-man. His books, his work at the outward bound school at Aberdovey and most of all his singing and encouragement of other singers have ensured that these fine old traditional songs do not die out. Although Stan is no longer with us but his legacy is and that was why the cream of the world's shanty singers came in unprecedented numbers to celebrate the 100th anniversary of his birth. A gathering in such numbers that this writer is tempted to contact the Guinness Book of Records.

Out of the sixty plus acts and over 200 performers it would be unfair to label any one group or singer as the star of the show but special recognition must be made of the 3 members of the Hugill family who performed on the main stage that weekend. They were his sons Philip and Martin and his grandson Tom who together opened the singing at the first of the two special concerts at Liverpool's newest hotel, the appropriately named Liner. They were followed by singers and musicians from the four corners of the UK, the European mainland and continental America. From the opening recital to the final rousing chorus the assembled throng were treated to a host of amateur and professional performances all dedicated to Stan.

There were individual Shanty-men and women as well as shanty crews and choirs. Therer were work shanties, as well as sea-songs and recitals in true fore-bitter style. There were singer's who had sung with Stan, singer's who had been influenced by Stan's own singing as well as those who had only got to know about shanties from reading Stan's books. With well over a hundred items one might be forgiven for thinking that anyone would have had more than enough to tax their voices but a few minutes spent at the bar would have shown the opposite. Small groups clustered around tables singing different versions or different songs, swapping tales and memories of the great man.

Away from the singing there was plenty to occupy the visitors with screenings of the many television programs featuring Stan covering his time on the Garthpool, his reminiscences and his work with the Tall Ship's training program. Displayed prominently around the performance areas were many of Stan's excellent paintings. The occasion was also commemorated by the launch of a new book. The Bosun's Locker. This was a collection of Stan's writing and drawing that appeared in the Spin magazine. Now available from all good bookshops!

Two raffles were surprise charity fund-raising successes. The first for a copy of Stan's most famous book Shanties And Sailor's Songs signed by singers and performers from all over the world. Each singer signing on a page with their favourite song from the book. The second raffle was for a set of 3 framed prints of Stan's own drawings that were an integral part of his appearance on the Spinners' TV shows in the 70's. The raffles raised a substantial amount for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

Before the finale with Leaving of Liverpool the organisers. Jan and Ken Lardner read out e-mails and messages of support from all over the world from those unable to attend but wanted to add their own voices in praise of Stan Hugill

The whole weekend was the brainchild of Jan and Ken Lardner of Chantey Cabin fame who had nurtured the initial idea and undertaken the lion's share of the preparation work. Securing accommodation, organising the programme from the host of guest (who not only gave their performances free but paid for their own tickets along with all other guests) arranging the typing and publishing of the new book, the collection of Stan's paintings and prints and the hundred and one other little jobs that most of us will never know about but for which we were all grateful.

The result was a marvellous weekend and the memory of a never to be repeated occasion when the whole maritime community were drawn together to raise their glasses and say "Here's to Stan".
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And just for CharleyN there were 7 items by CFS and a couple by Bob Watson .