Herefordshire

Subject: Herefordshire
From: Murpholly
Date: 15 Jun 14 - 04:08 PM

Some of you may remember I have been researching a traditional song for all the old counties of England. I am now coming to the end of my counties but am stuck on Herefordshire. I know of the carols but really did not want to wait till Christmas to sing the last of my songs at the two clubs who suffer these golden oldies. The Seasons is lovely but well beyond my singing range these days and Robin Hood and the Bishop of Hereford does not seem to come from the county. Any help would be gratefully received bearing in mind husband and I may have to learn melody as well as words.

Subject: RE: Herefordshire
From: GUEST,Derek Schofield
Date: 15 Jun 14 - 04:20 PM

Check out Ella Leather's Folklore of Herefordshire, or The Full English ....
Derek

Subject: RE: Herefordshire
From: Mr Red
Date: 15 Jun 14 - 04:25 PM

Check out publications by Roy Palmer
http://sounds.bl.uk/World-and-traditional-music/Roy-Palmer-collection mostly military but worth a look
http://www.abebooks.co.uk/search/sortby/3/an/Roy+Palmer+/tn/+Folk+Songs books for sale by Roy
Twelve Traditional Carols from Herefordshire - try researching along this line http://afolksongaweek.wordpress.com/tag/roy-palmer/ with reference to BBC iPlayer.
Best of luck

If you are close to homing in on things I should have Roy's email address, he lives in Malvern so I may have his snailmail address.
PM me for more data.

Subject: RE: Herefordshire
From: Mr Red
Date: 15 Jun 14 - 04:27 PM

Derek - my last URL talks about the Ella Leather interview on Woman's Hour. 12 carols is quite a haul.

Subject: RE: Herefordshire
From: GUEST,Derek Schofield
Date: 15 Jun 14 - 04:29 PM

yes... and there's Roy's Herefordshire Folklore.
Derek

Subject: RE: Herefordshire
From: Murpholly
Date: 16 Jun 14 - 03:55 PM

Thanks for advice, definitely avoiding Christmas Carols but shall keep on searching.

Subject: RE: Herefordshire
From: GUEST,Derek Schofield
Date: 16 Jun 14 - 05:30 PM

the books I've mentioned are not all about carols...

Subject: RE: Herefordshire
From: Mr Red
Date: 18 Jun 14 - 04:47 PM

I am pretty sure Roy has written a specifically Herefordshire book.

"The Roots of Welsh Border Morris" by Dave Jones covers some somgs because his Not For Joes Morris side (there was a distinction between Morris and Na Fer Joes apparently) used to sing the song Not for Joes/Not for Joseph. As I remember it includes song but how much I cannot say. He ran Bromyard and Putley Folk Festivals and his Morris (?) side. The book ISBN 0 9526285 0 3 is still available from Annie Jones, 01885 490323.

And in the same issue of "Folklife Quarterly" Jan 2014 (paper but may appear at http://www.folklife-west.co.uk/ ) on page 42 is an article on Ballad Singers of the Border" referring to "Welsh Bibliographical Soc" 5:2 (July 1938) 107-109 - Jkyrle Fletcher.

The article is written by Roy Palmer. quote "anyone who came from the west of Malvern, was referred to as Welsh". Malvern Hills are the boundary. We are talking very definitely - Herefordshire.