First heard of The Kipper Family on their Christmas “ cassetty “ tape. Took up a chance to see Sid in a Northants village hall, I introduced myself as coming from Wymondham to which Sid (Chris) replied Ah the great metropolis! Took all my extended family, as a Christmas present, to Kipper Family farewell at the “ Mad Market” in Norwich. Saw him perform in a Loughborough pub, where a smart well dressed woman in heels was sipping her drink
I thought she would be the least likely to be a folk fan but she , like the rest of us, was soon shaking with laughter at his jokes, songs and homemade instruments.
He stayed at ours in Grantham when he was touring Lincolnshire folk clubs, Chris was a wonderful man, one of my all time musical heroes. I had a tee shirt The Rising Sun ( after the Kippers split ) when I wore it out my wife created a tea cosy from it, still used today.
When my daughter was still at school she was in trouble at the school Christmas concert for singing On the first day of Christmas my dog and I brought back a Partridge in an old sack, (and all the alternative 11 days of Christmas thanks to Kipper Family) She sent Chris a montage of all the 12 days to Chris, he sent her a lovely letter in response.
After he’d performed at our 19th wedding anniversary ( alternative to boring 25th) he stayed on for our boozy after party and overnight. The next morning he asked me in mock seriousness and in our slow Norfolk accent “ what’s this Dote that everyone is on about” I expressed surprise at this, he replied “Everyone is looking for an Anti Dote”.
Chris was a one off, I can hardly bear that I will never see him again.