Heritage FC reunion at Sidmouth festival

Subject: RE: Heritage FC reunion at Sidmouth festival
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 22 Jul 03 - 08:47 PM

I hope to see some of the contributors to this thread in the Volunteer Garden Marquee on the evening of 4th August for "Ask the old barman to pour me another - Monday folk clubs reunited". Anyone welcome to sing, play or tell stories, whether from a Monday folk club or not - but various former members of Heritage have said they'll turn up. 4 August is also the final evening of the Railway Folk Club in Portsmouth, after 40 years, so we'll be toasting that too.

Kitty

Subject: RE: Heritage FC reunion at Sidmouth festival
From: MikeofNorthumbria
Date: 17 Jun 03 - 04:53 AM

Kitty,

Good to hear that plans for the re-union are going ahead.

Val Watmough already knows about it (I rang her last week) but is not yet sure if she will be able to attend. Mike Harrington also knows, but is unlikely to make it. Sad that Peta Webb has to mind the C# library that week, but then, she is booked at Whitby, so I hope to catch her there. Meanwhile I've emailed Naomi Hallan in Luxembourg (no response so far) and Max McBurney in Nuremburg (who regrets he can't come, but will raise a glass to Heritage and all who sailed in her on the evening of Aug 4th).

Anyone got any news of Tony Green, John Baldwin, Richard Valentine, Cliff Henty, Ian Stuart, Bob Pierce, Ro Lee ...?

Wassail!

Subject: RE: Heritage FC reunion at Sidmouth festival
From: greg stephens
Date: 16 Jun 03 - 06:56 PM

Herga Kitty: do you know where to find Val Watmough? PM me if you dont.

Subject: RE: Heritage FC reunion at Sidmouth festival
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 16 Jun 03 - 06:54 PM

Hergitage...

Subject: Heritage FC reunion at Sidmouth festival
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 16 Jun 03 - 06:49 PM

Well, I heard from Peta Webb today that she'll be minding the library at Cecil Sharp House while everyone else goes off to Sidmouth, so she won't be able to make the Volunteer marquee on 4 August. She suggested I try Greg Stephens, though, and the Watmoughs and June Tabor, also Alan Ward, Charlie Hewlett and even Mick Henry...

As far as I know, McGrath of Harlow and Mike of Northumbria will try to be there, as will Rupert Ray.

Because (especially with Mudcat being down) I couldn't get confirmation in time of another ex-Heritage President to co-host the session I've nominated one of my other co-hosts from the Theatre Bar singarounds, and former Herga member, Hugh Diamond.

I've e-mailed Alan Bearman suggesting a session on the lines of
"Ask the old barman to pour me another - Monday folk clubs reunited, with Kitty Vernon and Hugh Diamond" (I've spoken to Hugh and he's happy to do this.) "Anyone's welcome to sing, play or tell stories, but particularly people from clubs that meet or used to meet on Mondays". So now Alan's invited me to write a piece for the News. "Maybe 50-80 words explaining the intention. It could go in Saturday's which would give people a chance to talk about it over the weekend."

So if any former Heritage or Herga or other Monday club (no, not Monday Club) members want to contribute, now's your chance.

As it happens, the Oxford University Morris Men (who include several past Presidents and members of Heritage) are having their first day of dance for 15 years, next Saturday, 21 June, dancing at Wolvercote, Summertown and Foley Bridge, before going on to Abingdon to join the Mayor (of Ock Street) -making tour and feast. John Forrest is coming from the US and John Dawson from Kenya, among others, plus former Heritage member and founder of Poynton Jemmers Ann Mettam. That'll be a Heritage reunion of sorts in itself...

Kitty

Subject: RE: Heritage FC reunion at Sidmouth festival
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 10 Jun 03 - 08:37 PM

Alan Bearman has now asked if I can come up with a title and some words for Monday night, 4 August including some named hosts. He needs this info by next Monday, 16 June. I'm thinking of something on the lines of "Folk clubs reunited" - not exclusively Heritage, or even Monday folk clubs only, but members of former or extant Monday night clubs including Heritage would be particularly welcome. Any suggestions for co-hosts?

Kitty

Subject: RE: Heritage FC reunion at Sidmouth festival
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 07 Jun 03 - 02:56 PM

Tattie B

Of course it's OK!

Kitty

Subject: RE: Heritage FC reunion at Sidmouth festival
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 07 Jun 03 - 01:00 PM

I don't have any association with Heritage, but I am a mudcatter and will be in Sidmouth, so OK to come? That's if Flook and Kerfuffle don't get me first!
Tattie B

Subject: RE: Heritage FC reunion at Sidmouth festival
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 06 Jun 03 - 08:10 PM

Thanks, Kevin.

In terms of competing events, at least it's not Les Bottines Souriantes, and Les Barker will have finished, however shaggy the dog. As I've already said, I'll be very happy to see ex-Heritage people in the Theatre Bar at lunchtime. I still think it's worth trying to have a Heritage night in the Volunteer marquee on Monday 4 August. If I end up practising songs on my own (including the Student Sent Down in his Prime, as written by yourself and Mike of Northumbria and adapted through the folk process) so be it....

Kitty

Subject: RE: Heritage FC reunion at Sidmouth festival
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 06 Jun 03 - 07:54 PM

Here's the Sidmouth lineup for Monday 4th. That Arena show at 8pm sounds pretty good. Still any night means clashing with something pretty good. That's Sidmouth.

Subject: RE: Heritage FC reunion at Sidmouth festival
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 06 Jun 03 - 07:13 PM

According to Peta (when interviewed by Roisin White at Whitby last year)she was playing guitar and singing Joan Baez numbers when she first sang at Heritage. But then Val Watmough took her in hand, and got her listening to English traditional singers.....

It would be very nice to see / hear you and other ex-Heritage people in the Volunteer. (And in my lunchtime singarounds in the Theatre Bar of the Manor Pavilion.)

Kitty

Subject: RE: Heritage FC reunion at Sidmouth festival
From: greg stephens
Date: 06 Jun 03 - 04:41 PM

She was indeed Liz Lewis.I remember the first night she sang there, 1964 I would guess...but I dont which song it was. Well I'm still in touch with a fair few singers from that era, I'll pass this word around if this session is confirmed.

Subject: RE: Heritage FC reunion at Sidmouth festival
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 06 Jun 03 - 03:57 PM

Greg

Monday 4 August - when Sidmouth started, the August Bank Holiday was the first Monday in August, not the last one. So the festival is always run over the first Monday.

I think Peta might have been Liz Lewis when you first met her....

All Heritage presidents are probably old by now!

Kitty

Subject: RE: Heritage FC reunion at Sidmouth festival
From: greg stephens
Date: 06 Jun 03 - 02:35 AM

What is the proposed date for this do?

Subject: RE: Heritage FC reunion at Sidmouth festival
From: greg stephens
Date: 06 Jun 03 - 02:33 AM

I might be up for it. Talking of old Heritage presidents, I ran into Dave Webb at Glastonbury festival a few years back, still Hare Krishnaing after 30 years, banging the drum and dishing out free lentils to all comers.I have some good old tapes of him and Peta Webb in the 6o's.

Subject: RE: Heritage FC reunion at Sidmouth festival
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 06 Jun 03 - 02:12 AM

Refresh - I have until Tuesday 10 June to comment back to Alan Bearman on possibilities for the Monday night....

Kitty

Subject: RE: Heritage FC reunion at Sidmouth festival
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 31 May 03 - 06:38 AM

Cllr

It doesn't have to be defunct clubs. Herga had a club night one year in the Beach Store (just shows you how long ago that was). But Herga's just had a reunion for its 40th birthday. I'm not sure many ex-Capital people go to Sidmouth these days (was discussing this with Helen this morning after our Birthday Girls gig last night). I suggested Heritage because there seemed to be a lot of ex-Heritage people around 2 years ago for the Tony Rose benefit concert - and I discovered last year that McGrath of Harlow and Pete Luscombe of Ramskyte are both past Presidents of Heritage. Alan particularly wants a session on Monday evening, and Herga and Heritage are/ were Monday clubs. I wondered about Dingles and Islington too, but I thought clubs outside London and the Home Counties might want an opportunity..... at the moment I'm just trying to find out whether a Heritage night would be viable for starters. NB There will still be a meeting of the Ashby de La Zouch FC at the Volunteer on Friday 1 August!

Kitty

Subject: RE: Heritage FC reunion at Sidmouth festival
From: Cllr
Date: 30 May 03 - 12:10 PM

I am sure there are folk clubs that have folded with a strong history and there for it is a good idea to have a reunion. I would of thought that some of the clubs that are still running after many years but have had an inevitable change of membership over this time would also be possible.
SO Uxbridge Herga Maidenhead reunions could all possibles. if it has to be defunct clubs how about Capital?

If this is taken up it could be possible you wouldnt see me in the anchor all week!! Cllr ( Hmmm mbs reunion Nah already been done)

Subject: RE: Heritage FC reunion at Sidmouth festival
From: MikeofNorthumbria
Date: 30 May 03 - 11:51 AM

Heritage reunion at Sidmouth? Great idea! I'll make every effort to get there for it.

Regarding Louis Killen - he was certainly a member of Heritage in the late 1950s, and people who remembered him were still around when I came up in 1960. I don't recall anyone ever mentioning that he'd been president, but be that as it may, he was (and is) one of the finest interpreters of traditional songs, and of new songs in the traditional style, that I've ever had the privilege of hearing.   

Wassail!

Subject: RE: Heritage FC reunion at Sidmouth festival
From: Rupert Ray
Date: 30 May 03 - 02:37 AM

I'll come from British Columbia for a Heritage reunion if you can make it happen. I was president in 1970 and my claim to fame is that I played on the Heritage darts team with June.

Ray (Leonard)

Subject: RE: Heritage FC reunion at Sidmouth festival
From: greg stephens
Date: 30 May 03 - 02:01 AM

McGrath: Well I know Louis wasn't there when we were there, I was querying whether he was there before we were.I have heard this rumour before that Louis Killen was president of the society, but I did ask around about this and as far as I could establish, a rumour is all it is. But I'd be very happy to be proved wrong.

Subject: RE: Heritage FC reunion at Sidmouth festival
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 29 May 03 - 06:45 PM

Lou Killen was before you Greg, even before me.

This sounds like a good idea. There's a few more Heritage relics around on the Mudcat, including El Greko and Mike of Northumbria.

Subject: RE: Heritage FC reunion at Sidmouth festival
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 29 May 03 - 06:36 PM

Greg

I'm sure I've been told that Louis was a past President. I matriculated in 1970 and was President in Trinity 1972, by which time Louis would have been long gone. Until I asked him about the Young Student sent down, Kevin had forgotten that he wrote it, and had no idea that it had been handed down by successive generations(? matriculations?) of students. The proposal for a Heritage reunited session came out of a pub session in the Half Moon in Oxford on a Friday night in January this year, when the survivors of an OUMM practice (including John Forrest, who'd come over from the US and John Dawson who'd come from Kenya via Bootle) were joined by the survivors of the Oxford folk club (the guests had been Boden and Spiers)in a session organised by Mike Henry, who used to run Irish sessions in the Gardener's Arms in Plantation Road.

As far as I know, there has never been a proper (or even improper) Heritage reunion since the Baker's Arms closed. I think it would be really fun to find out who would turn up for one.

Kitty

Subject: RE: Heritage FC reunion at Sidmouth festival
From: greg stephens
Date: 29 May 03 - 06:15 PM

Are you sure about Louis Killen? I remember him singing as a guest at the Heritage two or three times, but I dont remember his being a student there. Singers of the "The Student's Lament" may be interested to know that George's, the cafe mentioned in the first line of that excellent song, is now called Georgina's and has gone all trendy.
   When were you there, Herga Kitty? Does your nom-de-plume hide someone I knw?

Subject: RE: Heritage FC reunion at Sidmouth festival
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 29 May 03 - 06:06 PM

Heritage as in what used to be the Oxford University Folk Club. Being a university folk club it had a prolific turnover. Other past Presidents include Louis Killen, Tony Rose, Roy Bailey, June Tabor, Peta Webb. (Also Pete Luscombe of Ramskyte, as I discovered on the campsite at Sidmouth last year, when he joined in the chorus of the Young Student sent down in his Prime, which I subsequently learnt was written in 1962 by McGrath of Harlow and Mike of Northumbria.)

Kitty

Subject: RE: Heritage FC reunion at Sidmouth festival
From: greg stephens
Date: 29 May 03 - 05:57 PM

Which Heritage FC are we talking about here?

Subject: RE: Heritage FC reunion at Sidmouth festival
From: Morticia
Date: 29 May 03 - 05:50 PM

Mudcat night would be great,Kitty....

Subject: Heritage FC reunion at Sidmouth festival
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 29 May 03 - 05:39 PM

Alan Bearman is willing to pursue my suggestion that the marquee in the garden of the Volunteer at Sidmouth might be used for a couple of "Folk clubs reunited" evening sessions. He'd particularly like me to host one on the Monday night, so (as a past President of Heritage) I've suggested that this might be a Heritage reunion night. I've also suggested that there might be a Mudcat night. Any Catters / former Heritage members interested in turning up? Any other suggestions for other club reunions? (Alan would like me to send him comments by 10 June.) I'll post this to umf too.

Kitty