Roy Palmer is working on a new book about industrial song and has been making enquiries about Thomas Raine of Teesdale. If you can offer any information about Thomas Raine, who may well have come from Barnard Castle originally, I will happily pass it on to Roy.

Roy is as busy as ever and has just completed a book on Black Country folklore. This has gone to the printers and should be launched before Christmas, while his book on Shropshire folklore is reprinting too.

Beyond their interest in folk, Roy and Pat have both contributed to a programme on the Friends of the Dymock Poets. This should go out on BBC Radio 4 at 4.30 pm on Sunday, 30th September, repeated at 11.30 pm on 6th October.