john seymour gypsy inteview

Subject: RE: john seymour gypsy inteview
From: The Sandman
Date: 22 Nov 12 - 03:45 AM

re.

Subject: RE: john seymour gypsy inteview
From: GUEST,Jon Dudley
Date: 19 Nov 12 - 04:35 AM

I remember thinking at the time that if you're seeking the old songs, it's not always the obvious places you should look. Who'd have thought that a rather posh-sounding Englishman would be such a repository? Through an accident of birth and upbringing John sounded aristocratic, but you couldn't have met a more knowledgeable and straightforward countryman who found it easy to communicate with country folk and travelling people. His Irish neighbours absolutely adored him and he was always up for the craic. While we were over there, parties with musicians lasted well into the small hours and John would always give us a song or tune or two with the melodeon. Happy days indeed.

Subject: RE: john seymour gypsy inteview
From: The Sandman
Date: 19 Nov 12 - 03:16 AM

ihave several of his books, some of the illustrating was done by his wife sally, one thing his books are 100 per cent reliable on is drainage.
the books are a great read and full of information for the countryman, most of it useful

Subject: RE: john seymour gypsy inteview
From: GUEST,Jon Dudley
Date: 19 Nov 12 - 02:19 AM

Wonderful post GSS! I posted about John Seymour back in 2009...here's the final paragraph..

...Subsequently Bob (Copper) spent some time with John over in County Wexford and subsequently wrote up the experience in a short and hilarious monograph 'The Irish Papers'. The two of them, both in their late seventies had the time of their lives singing drinking sailing and fishing the River Barrow. One evening John produced a battered old melodeon and commenced singing some familiar East Anglian songs. Bob remarked that he knew them from the renowned Bargeman Bob Roberts (coincidentally also a friend of his)...
"That's where I learnt them" said John, "and this is his instrument. Bob was a dear friend and I sailed on the Cambria with him many times"...and I guess that prompted at least another hour's reminiscing.

I never knew there was any film of him playing.

Subject: RE: john seymour gypsy inteview
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 18 Nov 12 - 07:54 PM

Well I didn't know that, even though I lived in Loughton (and cycled to Walthamstow via Chingford) for years! I have his Self-Sufficient Gardener book, but he also did a more general self-sufficiency book for people who had a bit more land than just a garden, which is maybe what you're referring to (your man may have done the graphic art for both, of course). The books are very can-do, which I found great. Lawrence Hills also wrote some great books about organic gardening, any of which are worth grabbing if you've never read 'em!

Subject: RE: john seymour gypsy inteview
From: GUEST,puzzled of Barnsley
Date: 18 Nov 12 - 06:26 PM

The graphic art to his self-sufficiency book was done by Fred Ford of Chingford Morris.

Not many people know that.

Subject: RE: john seymour gypsy inteview
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 18 Nov 12 - 06:04 PM

John Seymour was a one-off if ever there was one. A lot of his convictions didn't exactly chime with me own leftie views but you had to admire the man's steadfastness. His books taught me how to grow organic veg in deep beds and I've never looked back, after 30 years of following (more or less - I'm no slave to anyone's line) his advice. He made a great telly series about our impact on the environment called Far From Paradise, with an accompanying book. I have a book of his called Bring Me My Bow (probably dirt-cheap somewhere if you look for it) which deals with the absurdities of modern life in a wacky but convincing and entertaining manner. Great bloke. He died a couple of years ago I think.

Subject: john seymour gypsy inteview
From: The Sandman
Date: 18 Nov 12 - 04:01 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOlYykVIx8c&feature=relmfu