Patch, John

Singer

Collection date: Dec 1905

Area: Somerset - Yeovil & Crewkerne

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John Patch of Haselbury Plucknett (1829-1906): age 76, 1 song ‘Remember the Poor’ (FT719) on 28 Dec 1905: Patch’s song is sometimes called ‘Time to remember the poor’ or ‘Cold winter has come’ (Roud 1121). Sharp collected only 3 versions in Somerset and no singer could remember more than just fragments of what was originally a 5 verse song with 8 lines per verse – a broadside exists dated between 1817 and 1828 (Bodleian Library ref Bod13452). It looks like an Art song (proper poem) rather than a folk song (click vwml link).

John Patch was baptised on 6/12/1829 at Norton-sub-Hamdon church, eldest son of John Patch, stone mason and his wife & Mary. By 1861 John had taken over the mill in Haselbury Plucknett, employing 1 miller, 2 labourers and a housekeeper. On 16/7/1867 at St George’s Bloomsbury in London he married Marianne Pope, daughter of Theophilus Pope, farmer of Piddletown Dorset. They had 9 children and John ran the mill for 40 years (1901 census RG13/2297 f66 p15). Marianne died in Aug 1903, so John was a widower when Sharp met him. John died on 29/12/1906 and was buried in Haselbury Plucknett church 4 days later. He left £164 in his will.