Surrey

Several song collectors are associated with Surrey over the years - most notably Lucy Broadwood, Ralph Vaughan Williams and Clive Carey. Sharp obtained some interesting country dance figures (not tunes) in Surrey just in time for his first Country Dance Book. These were obtained from John Lavercombe, aged 75, a bootmaker.

In April 1906 Sharp received 5 songs from a Mrs Blount (FT856-60). Although he gave no age or location for this intermediary, it is most likely to be Mrs Edith Blount (nee Hine 1864-1943), who together with her artist husband Godfrey Blount helped to set up the Haslemere Peasant Arts Society in 1897. Edith was a fine weaver and embroiderer. They had lived previously in Hampstead and may have known Sharp briefly there - they moved to Haslemere in 1896. Sharp was invited to lecture to the Peasant Arts Society in 1913. For more information on the Blounts, see http://www.haslemeremuseum.co.uk/collections/des/peasant-arts/Ethel-Blount-and-Maude-King.html  See also article by Arthur Knevett and Vic Gammon 'English folk song collectors and the idea of the peasant' in Folk Music Journal vol11 no.1 2016 p57.

Books by Author David Sutcliffe

Cecil Sharp and the Quest for Folk Song and Dance

A new biography of Cecil Sharp, written by David Sutcliffe

£20.00 + p&p

The Keys of Heaven - The Life of Revd Charles Marson

This is the first biography of the Revd Charles Marson.

£6.00 + p&p