Thanks Kitty. It is not always easy for me to get on the internet to defend myself.

Jim

I am certain that he was proud that his songs were the same as the printed versions. Unfortunately most of my life is in boxes at the moment otherwise I would be able to quote to you verbatim. He did believe from what I read of what he said that he believed his songs were proper folk songs because they were exactly the same as the printed sources - whether you would choose to call them broadsheets or not. I remember reading that one member of his family could read music. I don't disagree with you that he got the songs and tunes off members of his family, however, he did not think much of people altering songs from the printed versions. He might have been too polite to tell you - he was quite shy and introverted - and like many Norfolk people inclined to keep himself to himself.

Do you think it is possible Jim that Walter picked up the concept of adapting songs etc, the folk process from you or those in the folk world he came into? He did learn/fill out some songs for folk festivals and recordingss etc - but wasn't he nudged in this direction? I think you can be too close to something and see it only through your own window.

I only remember seeing him a couple of times in North Walsham - I think it was at the Orchard Gardens or the Black Boy? I can't remember - not my regular haunts. Cliff Gobold who had brought him to the folk club told me that Walter had at the time distinct ideas of what made a proper folk song and he that he could recognise what he thought were or weren't. He did not think that a lot of the songs he heard at folk clubs were proper folk songs. He had his won sense of tradition.

I read that William Kimber when he introduced people to the concertina, was quite specific about people not mucking about with the tunes adding 'feather notes'etc

Personally I like adaptations and people can do what they like, as Greg says there are no rules. In fact the older books of tunes have divisions and changes of tunes in plenty - it was expected. Perhaps we need some people who are faithfull to the tradition and some who play with it. What is remarkable is the continuity over time of not just songs but ways of life until the 20th century.

By all means have fun adapting and changing put also take care not to loose the links which connect us to our tradition and roots, otherwise I would be tempted to agree with Walter.