Oldest Folk Club Around?

Subject: RE: Oldest Folk Club Around?
From: GUEST,Joe G
Date: 05 Feb 18 - 12:15 PM

The Star was the home of the Topic for many years - and the first venue I attended when I moved to Bradford in 1982 but the first venue was the Laycock Rooms and there were a few others before it moved to the Star. There is a potted history with list of venues here for those who are interested. The Topic now has a very welcoming home at Glyde House in the City Centre and, although I have moved to York and can no longer attend, I can highly recommend a vist to anyone who is in the area

Topic History

Subject: RE: Oldest Folk Club Around?
From: Bill D
Date: 05 Feb 18 - 11:52 AM

A more direct link to the archives

Subject: RE: Oldest Folk Club Around?
From: Bill D
Date: 05 Feb 18 - 11:50 AM

The one in Washington DC is FSGW -The Folklore Society of Greater Washington
It is possible to look back at (I believe) ALL its newsletters at this archive to see what happened over the years.

Subject: RE: Oldest Folk Club Around?
From: r.padgett
Date: 05 Feb 18 - 11:26 AM

Yes my understanding is that The Topic is the oldest UK (Yorkshire) folk club but has had a number of changes of Venue ~ The Star probably the first ~ started as a Communist get together I believe ~ lots on its history somewhere!

Not sure Herga still in business though

Ray

Subject: RE: Oldest Folk Club Around?
From: GUEST,Joe G
Date: 05 Feb 18 - 09:55 AM

Although the Topic in Bradford has been to a number of different venues it is believed to be oldest continuously running club (from 1956)

Subject: RE: Oldest Folk Club Around?
From: Paul Reade
Date: 05 Feb 18 - 09:34 AM

I understand the Grove in Leeds could be the oldest folk club running in the same venue - started in 1962 and still there! I have fond memories of the Grove during my student days in Leeds 1964 - 67 with residents The Seven Hills Folk Group (Brian Senior, Keith Marsden and his brother Howard Marsden).

On opening their current web page (http://www.folkatthegrove.co.uk/) to set up a blue clicky, I noticed the sad news that Brian had died recently. I saw the Holbeck Moor mummers just before Christmas, and they said he was ill. Perhaps someone who knew him better than me, and saw him more recently, could start an "Obit" thread.

Subject: RE: Oldest Folk Club Around?
From: GUEST,Ed
Date: 05 Feb 18 - 09:18 AM

See previous threads:

UK's Oldest Folk Club and Oldest folk clubs?

Subject: RE: Oldest Folk Club Around?
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Feb 18 - 08:34 AM

Herga has closed since then although a new club has opened using the name.

Subject: RE: Oldest Folk Club Around?
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 05 Feb 18 - 04:22 AM

Australia - Bush Music Club founded 24th October 1954

I started this thread Long-lived folk clubs? 60yrs? in 2011 in the lead up to our anniversary & many other clubs contributed their starting dates.

this came from my final post in 2016 when I listed all the clubs

San Francisco Folk Music Club (US)- founded 1948
Bush Music Club (Aus) - founded 1954
Topic in Bradford (UK) - founded 1956
Edinburgh University Folk Society (UK) - April 1958
Vancouver Folk Song Society (Can) - July 1959
The Folksong Society of Greater Boston (US) - 1959
Victorian Folk Music Club (Aus) - 1959
Swindon Folksingers Club (UK) - Jan 1960
Dunfermline Folk Club (UK) - 1961
Stockton folk club (UK) - 1962
Aberdeen Folk Club (UK) - 1962
Birtley Folk Club (UK) - 1962
Herga (UK) - 1963
The Fo'c's'le (formerly Balladeer) Southampton (UK) - 1963
The Pick'n & Sing'n Gather'n (US - NY state) - pushing 50
Grimsby Folk Club (UK) - 1964
Washington DC (US) - 1964
Black Diamond Folk Club, Birmingham (UK) - 1964
Southport's Bothy Folksong Club (UK) - 1965
Cutty Wren Folk Club, Redcar (UK) - 1965
Folk at the Royal Oak, Lewes (UK) - 1965
Orpington Folk Club (UK) - 1965
Whitby (UK) - similar age to Orpington
Folklore Society Of Greater Washington (US) - 1965 'only' 45?
Croydon Folk Club (UK) - 1965
Frodsham Folk Club (Cheshire UK) - Jan 1968
Durham City Folk Club (UK) - 1969
Fleetwood (UK) - 1969 (40 slightly interrupted years)
Dorking Folk Club (UK) - late 60s
Calgary Folk Club (Can)- 1972
Islington Folk Club (UK) - 1972
Woods Hole Folk Music Society (US) - 1973
Llantrisant Folk Club (UK) - 1980
Somers Traditional Folk Club (UK) - 1981

Subject: RE: Oldest Folk Club Around?
From: GUEST,Jon Bartlett
Date: 05 Feb 18 - 03:09 AM

Vancouver Folk Song Circle (July 1959). Six or seven venues, though.

Jon Bartlett

Subject: RE: Oldest Folk Club Around?
From: GUEST,Link
Date: 05 Feb 18 - 02:30 AM

Here is the link for Swindon Folk Singers Club: http://www.swindonfolk.org/

Subject: RE: Oldest Folk Club Around?
From: GUEST,Swindon/Enfield Pete
Date: 05 Feb 18 - 02:28 AM

Swindon Folk Singers Club still going strong since Feb 1960. Set up by Ted and Ivy Poole who are still with us and going strong in their 90s. Still come to the club most weeks.

Subject: Oldest Folk Clubs Around?
From: GUEST,Lin
Date: 05 Feb 18 - 12:52 AM

I am curious about folk clubs that are still around that go back to the 1960's or 1970's?
1) Still at same location (and where that is?)
2) Still goes by the same exact name of club since it opened.
3) Year it opened.

I know there might have been many different owners/managers of the folk club or coffeehouse over the years but I am looking to have a list of the oldest folk clubs around (and still opened) at the same address and still goes by the same name from the day it opened.
Oh yeah, it is still a folk music venue and has not changed in that respect - in other words - still folk after all these years.