Obit: Alas Oh Nettlebed

Subject: Obit: Alas Oh Nettlebed
From: GUEST,Ossie - for Dave Houlden
Date: 05 Oct 06 - 01:15 PM

David Houlden
I did not know him very well,
We lived so far away,
His Father was my Father's son,
It seems like yesterday.

He loved jazz, I liked it too
and Pearl loved it as well
There were many records on his shelves,
But now he's heard the bell.

I did not know that he liked 'Folk'
Until one day he said
There's a place I'd like to take you to,
They call it Nettlebed

I met so many people there,
Their names I'll never yield
One was named Geoff Godfrey
And another was Dave Field.

Dave Field had a sonorous voice
A melodeon played he
Whilst Godfrey, hand around his ear,
Sang 'foreign tongues' to me!

Another was John Lawrenson
Who came from very far
From Scotland, I believe it was
He played Celtic Guitar

I've sung in places round the world
But there's one place in my head
Where friendship semed to fill the air -
That place was Nettlebed

I wonder if the club still 'runs'
In that old Bull Hotel
And if those singers still perform
I'm sure they do it well!

So, David, I still think of you
As you stood up there singing
With all the people joining in
And all the rafters ringing

You wrote some songs, still sung today
That surely can't be wrong
Your memory, then, will never die
We'll remember you by song.
RIP

Subject: RE: Obit: Alas Oh Nettlebed
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 05 Oct 06 - 01:24 PM

Last time I was in Nettlebed the Bull was closed, sadly!
Giok

Subject: RE: Obit: Alas Oh Nettlebed
From: Leadfingers
Date: 05 Oct 06 - 01:53 PM

But the Folk Club still runs EVERY Monday except Bank Holidays in the Village Hall - And still packs them in !

Subject: RE: Obit: Alas Oh Nettlebed
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 05 Oct 06 - 02:13 PM

They've closed the pub at Cockpole Green too (as in "I might try Cockpole Green" from Boney Goes Boozing). Not to mention the Henley brewery....

Dave and Jan Field live in Chippenham, and are involved in running Chippenham Folk Festival.

John Lawrenson moved evev further - to the Antipodes.

Kitty (who still raises a glass to Dave when I sing one of his songs)

Subject: RE: Obit: Alas Oh Nettlebed
From: alanabit
Date: 05 Oct 06 - 03:09 PM

I used to run the bars there in the early days, back when Mike Vick was the landlord. I knew John Lawrenson and Craig MacLearie. Those were good days. There were some fine guests and some good local singers. We didn't half shift a few pints of Brakespeares Bitter in the hot summer of 1976! I have been told by someone else though that the Bull has long since closed. It is a shame, because it was a lovely old coaching inn. Nice people too.