It was a very nice gathering - not too many people but plenty enough, probably about 40 people passed through. Jacqui's brother Rob who normally only does electric sang a song and played a guitar accompaniment on another.

Jacqui's older daughter Jo was unable to make it as her new (ish) daughter Eleanor had chicken pox. Those who knew said it was a shame not to hear her sing again but we can do that some other time.

Keith Pearson (who used to run the first club that Jacqui and I started going to when we started folking again in Kent) came and sang a lot excellently. He has a splendid dark brown soulful voice, not as big and round as Peter Collins, but with more of a "catch" in it, and is a useful guitarist too.

John and Maureen Morgan, who ran Hull (or was it Newcastle) folk club for a long time even longer ago, right back in the days of "the soup", produced a few really excellent North Eastern songs, ones not often heard today, including a cracking version of the Grey Cock (without the chorus, and a different tune to the one that Pete HIcks used to play).

The garden was looking nice after Dilligaf's efforts with lots of gazebos. There is half a barrel of beer left but Growner is coming to collect it for a do they are going to on Wednesday.

Dilligaf had a really splendid idea. I don't know if you know about the chinese fire lantern balloons - like big chinese lantern lampshades and you light a little burner (a bit like a firelighter) in the bottom and they turn into a hot air balloon with a flame inside and float off into the sky glowing. We lit three, one for Pete Hicks, one for Jacqui, and one for Dave Bryant at about 11 pm and off they went into the night sky. It was a really soppy but nice moment. Sort of Viking funeral moment above the garden.


Everything cleared and sorted by noon today.

Thanks to all who came for the memories.