Birch, Walter

Singer

Collection date: Jul 1910

Area: Lancashire

---

Walter de Hoghton Birch at Adelaide Rd: 1 song ‘Hunting the Wren’ (FT2499 Roud 236) on 17 July 1910: Walter Birch was Sharp’s brother-in-law (Constance’s younger brother). He was born in Loddiswell, Devon in 1863. He was obviously visiting the Sharps when he produced this song. He said he had learned it at school (Downton) from a friend ‘Harry Wood, who came from Armley nr Leeds – a regular Yorkshireman. His people were confectioners’.  Sharp published the song in Journal of the Folk-Song Society 5 (1914).

Walter was a land agent and surveyor, who married Margaret Seddon, artist and sculptor, in London on 22/4/1897. They had 5 children and lived in Walton-le-Dale, nr Preston Lancs. He died on 31/12/1924, leaving £1,264.