U.K. folk collection needs help

Subject: RE: U.K. folk collection needs help
From: Patrish(inactive)
Date: 24 May 01 - 09:34 AM

Me too Kris and he was very prompt with his reply.
The National Sound Archive has replied to my last e-mail (I thanked them for there prompt reply, but added I was disappointed and worried about the fate of the collection) they are now wanting to talk and see if we can get "something off the ground" So I have e-mailed the co-ordinator of the support group, and he is willing to have meeting. Fingers crossed!
Patrish

Subject: RE: U.K. folk collection needs help
From: KingBrilliant
Date: 24 May 01 - 09:25 AM

I just emailed the originator of the email quoted above, and he has provided us with the correct link. Pretty damned quick too. What a decent chap!
Click here for the Doc Rowe Collection Support Group website.

Kris

Subject: RE: U.K. folk collection needs help
From: Patrish(inactive)
Date: 24 May 01 - 08:33 AM

Sorry, I've tried to find a new one but got nowhere..........
I have had a reply from the Curator, International Music Collection British Library National Sound Archive. They know of Docs collection, but cannot manage the amount of material. So it looks as if we are back to square one. Unless anyone else has any ideas - anyone know John Paul Getty?

Patrish

Subject: RE: U.K. folk collection needs help
From: KingBrilliant
Date: 24 May 01 - 06:56 AM

I tried to follow that link but it was duff. Is there a new URL - I'd be really interested to read about this stuff.
Kris

Subject: RE: U.K. folk collection needs help
From: Patrish(inactive)
Date: 24 May 01 - 06:22 AM

I have just been onto the new radio 2 folk web site and noticed that they are compiling an archive. So I posted the details of Doc Rowe collection. I have just had an e-mail back, to say that the curator of the Folk Archive is going to take a look at it.
I am not going to hold my breath cos last time I contacted the BBC about this collection they said they would get back to me, and that was 18 months ago......
So, fingers crossed that they will be interested this time.
Patrish

Subject: RE: U.K. folk collection needs help
From: lamarca
Date: 31 Oct 99 - 11:01 PM

Refresh...

Subject: RE: U.K. folk collection needs help
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 29 Oct 99 - 03:40 AM

I winder if this is the same Doctor [name lsot in the mists of time and a change of e-mail service] to whom I donated my folk-dance music records?

My wife goes to auctions and comes back with some very curious things. About three years ago sho turned up with about two hundred 78s of British folk dance tunes - all strict tempo stuff, none of your Furies or Yetties there! It's not really my cup of tea; I selected a few of the more interesting discs to keep, and set about finding a good home for the rest. By various obscure and oblique means I contacted a colleague of Dr ... well, Dr somebody, and eventually delivered the goods to him. I'm told they're now in the Collection, with a little card bearing my name as donor (my posterity now assured!).

Oh, and if you're wondering ... the records came with a portable wind-up gramophone, which dear old Sue hid away in secret until my birthday came around. It had belonged to a couple (now gone to the big Barn Dance in the sky, no doubt) who did folk-dance events. I collect 78s - of certain genres only! - and this was a perfect gift.

Steve

Subject: RE: U.K. folk collection needs help
From: Patrish(inactive)
Date: 28 Oct 99 - 05:36 AM

More Progress I have spoken to the National Centre for Film and Photography in Bradford. They are getting back to me today if not to help themselves, to give me some contacts of likely agencies. I think it would be great if they can help, cos its a treasure that needs to available to all. Anyway wish me luck... watch this space

kindest regards

Patrish

Subject: RE: U.K. folk collection needs help
From: Patrish(inactive)
Date: 27 Oct 99 - 06:25 AM

Progress so far.... I have passed this onto a larger network including the multimedia special interest group who have sent the information to all their members. I have contacted the BBC Digital Archive Project and am awaiting a reply. I will keep you posted.

kindest regards

Patrish

Subject: RE: U.K. folk collection needs help
From: Patrish(inactive)
Date: 26 Oct 99 - 09:25 AM

I have put out a call for help to various agencies in UK and Europe and will get back to you with some ideas.

kindest regards Patrish

Subject: RE: U.K. folk collection needs help
From: Freddie Fox
Date: 26 Oct 99 - 08:23 AM

Yes, it needs to be thought about. I know virtually nothing about folk traditions, but I do live in the UK, so if you know of any way I can help, count me in.

Subject: RE: U.K. folk collection needs help
From: lamarca
Date: 25 Oct 99 - 08:22 PM

Just bringing this up to the surface again...

Subject: RE: U.K. folk collection needs help
From: Graham Pirt
Date: 22 Oct 99 - 02:19 PM

Doc and John are dead genuine and any help that is given to them will be well used. I spoke to Doc about this in August at Whitby and I know he was concerned about finding a home for what is a priceless collection.

Subject: U.K. trad. coll. needs help
From: lamarca
Date: 22 Oct 99 - 12:09 PM

I'll try this with a less obscure thread name, see if there's any response...

Dear Mudcatters, I received an E-mail today about establishing a support group for the Doc Rowe collection of documentation of English holiday folk customs. I am ignorant of this work, but it sounds like a good cause. Could some of our U.K. 'Catters tell us more about the collection, Doc Rowe and John Adams? Here's the E-mail text (sorry for the length):

From: [e-mail] Organization: University of Salford - Manchester - England To: [e-mail] Date: Wed, 20 Oct 1999 21:32:13 GMT

The Doc Rowe Collection Support Group.

Many people will have spotted 'Doc' Rowe over the last three decades as he has photographed, filmed, videoed and audio recorded the traditions of the British Isles from Padstow Mayday through Abbotts Bromley Horn Dance to Scotland's Burry Man and beyond.

Doc's collection includes original material comprising 76,000 photographs, 4,000 cassettes, 3,500 hours of reel to reel tape, 900 hours of video, and 78 hours of film. There's even more supporting material like recorded broadcasts, 1,500 records, indexes of other collections, mummers costumes, an extensive library, etc. Most of this stuff is priceless- anyone who saw the video footage of Jane Turriff at the National Festival will verify that - there's hours more - more than many of us could view or listen to in the lifetime we have left!

Many people assume that Doc is funded for both the collection and the collecting, but this is not the case. No funds or facilities have ever existed in England specifically for research into our native traditions. Most research and collecting has to date been accomplished informally by individuals generally unsupported financially. Doc is one such person - probably the most important collector since Sharp or Kidson. He receives no support whatsoever, and has to try and keep the collection valid by selling photo usage to various branches of the media and engaging in consultancy - by no means an easy source of income. Now the collection has to move from its present home, which for various reasons has become unsuitable, and the time has come when both collection and collector finally need some help.

I am starting a support group to raise sponsorship to provide temporary storage for this hugely important collection. Negotiations are already taking place with an institution which is interested in housing the stuff permanently so the temporary solution is hopefully very temporary. When the collection is safe in its short term storage, I will also be seeking to raise a small sum of money to re-equip Doc with newer equipment for further collecting. At the same time, approaches will be made to a variety of funding agencies to help get major parts of the archive digitised and available on the internet. It's a big task and we need your help, particularly in these early stages.

If you have sufficient interest in the traditional heritage of these Isles to contribute a small regular donation (the price of a pint of beer per month?) or a one off donation (anything) to this important work, then please have a look at the Doc Rowe Collection Support Group web site at:

http://www.salford.ac.uk/media/research/docrowe/docrowe.htm

where you will find more detailed information.

Thanks for your time,

John Adams