Hi there, Master McGrath!

Yopu said you'd like to hear some stories of how organised folk clubs grew out of informal gatherings.

Well, have you forgotten that the first folk-club in your home town of Harlow was launched in the way I described, by my old mate Jim Basset?

For about 18 months, from the summer of '61 through to the early spring of '63, Jim and a few other enthusiasts used to hold weekend folk parties every month or two. Eventually, when enough people became interested, they started meeting once a week in the room above a local pub called "The Small Copper".

I was there on the opening night, and I seem to remember that you were, too - but the star attraction was Alex Campbell. (What an entertainer! I still miss him, don't you? And isn't it a scandal that none of his vinyl recordings have been re-issued on CD?)

Since then, I've seen, or heard about, quite a few other instances of informal private gatherings developing into more established (and accessible)institutions. The details would probably be too tedious for the general reader, but if you like, I could email them to your personal page.

Wassail!

Wassail!