Young, Harriet

Singer

Collection date: Dec 1905

Area: Somerset - Yeovil & Crewkerne

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Harriet Young of West Chinnock (1845-1928): age 61, 15 songs on 28/29 Dec 1905: Harriet gave 15 songs to Sharp over 2 days and one (‘Keys of Heaven’) was selected for Folk Songs from Somerset vol 3 (click vwml link). Although Harriet could only recall 2 verses of the song, Sharp obtained virtually the same tune from Susan Williams at nearby Haselbury Plucknett and in total he collected 8 versions in the county.

Harriet was born c1845 - she was recorded as aged 6 in the 1851 census at West Chinnock - and was the 5th child of Charles & Mary Chick. There are baptismal records for all their other children but the only entry at the correct sort of date is for ‘Charlotte’ Chick bp 6/4/1845. Perhaps she changed her name to Harriet, as the name Charlotte does not recur in subsequent family entries nor in other archives. On 5/11/1864 at West Chinnock church Harriet Chick (spelt Cheek) married John Young, labourer originally from Merriott. Neither could sign their names. They remained in the village throughout their lives, raising 10 children. Their 3 eldest daughters worked in the sailcloth factory and son Henry was a flax worker.

In 1901 John & Harriet were living in Lower Street near the parish school (ref RG13/2297 f71 p4). John was buried at West Chinnock on 13/7/1903 but Harriet lived on, working as a charwoman, aged 66 in the 1911 census. She probably died in March qr 1928 ref Yeovil 5c 452 aged 83.