Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

OBs of my generation might remember sitting in the Prep school hall singing folk songs to the piano accompaniment of 'Daddy' Dore and Joe Swale. Titles like 'Dashing Away With The Smoothing Iron', and other unforgettable items (so unforgettable that I can't even name any others - Coldplay eat your heart out!) and indeed when Steeleye Span came to mine the archives at Cecil Sharp House in the late 60s I don't recall any of our old folk songs being dredged up. A whole wedge of our culture lost, lost for ever! I'm sure Dr Scuffil will have an academic take on this.
By the way, I seem to recall that Leonard Pearcy (Lamb B in my time) was a folk music archivist and musician. Is that right?

rockfreak wrote:OBs of my generation might remember sitting in the Prep school hall singing folk songs to the piano accompaniment of 'Daddy' Dore and Joe Swale. Titles like 'Dashing Away With The Smoothing Iron', and other unforgettable items (so unforgettable that I can't even name any others - Coldplay eat your heart out!) and indeed when Steeleye Span came to mine the archives at Cecil Sharp House in the late 60s I don't recall any of our old folk songs being dredged up. A whole wedge of our culture lost, lost for ever! I'm sure Dr Scuffil will have an academic take on this.
By the way, I seem to recall that Leonard Pearcy (Lamb B in my time) was a folk music archivist and musician. Is that right?

Speaking of Folk Music I have a vague recollection of hearing that a CH boy auditioned for Fairport Convention in the sixties.

Does anybody else recall this or have I made it up?

This was the subject of a thread back in 2011
Tim Walmsley wrote:

This is going back some way now, but quite an event at the time.The trouble is I cannot remember much except the band auditioned for a drummer in the prep school hall behind Leigh Hunt.I had just started school and was in Maine B and somehow got taken into the hall where there was an audience of boys watching.That's all I recall.It must have made an impression on me as I started playing drums soon after,continued into the school band then turned pro after school and had quite a career playing in rock,funk,jazz and folk bands all over the planet. Was it Toff Lucas who was the drummer being auditioned ? It went well but he was not allowed to join them...

jandewalden replied
Tim,
I too remember Fairport auditioning for a drummer at CH after Martin Lamble had died in the car accident. Their target I believe was primarily Chris Thomas of Col B, a (lead) drummer in the band and who played drums in a school pick up band. I believe that Malcolm Day (Col A) (another side drummer in the band) also auditioned, who later returned to CH as Head of Catering! He may be able to add some more information. Not sure if "Meet on The Ledge" was actually written in memory or not (a wonderful song) but the couple on the sleeve of Unhalfbricking the band's 3rd album were Martin Lamble's parents outside their home. My memory tells me that Chris was actually offered the position but parental pressure encouraged Chris to stay on at CH, but that may be apocryphal...

I have compared those two names with Fairport Convention's lineups and don't see either name. The thread died out without any CH name being supplied

Just a minor correction, Sejintenej, the couple outside the garden on Unhalfbricking are actually Sandy Denny's parents. I'd still like to know where all those obscure folk songs went that we used to sing. What about Hertford? Did they sing this stuff too? And what about Leonard Pearcy? Anyone remember him? I sometimes feel like the cabin boy in Moby Dick, bobbing around on the ocean. Only I am left to tell the tale.

Interesting, Rockfreak; you will note that I cut and pasted both extracts, not knowing how to do a link to the original post.

My recollection of Hertford and folk music is just the dreaded instruction at lunch "Country Dancing in the Gym". This happened occasionally when the weather was so bad that all-out just was not possible. Park and King led us in country dancing. Park shouting instructions and King playing the violin. Anyone else out there remember this?

folk songs in prep hall?
How about 'nymphs and bleeding shepherds, come, come, come away'?
Pearcey. Had distinguished career in musical world, including with BBC.
foureyes

Foureyes wrote:folk songs in prep hall?
How about 'nymphs and bleeding shepherds, come, come, come away'?
Pearcey. Had distinguished career in musical world, including with BBC.
foureyes

I adore the late, great Peter Sellers take on that song !

I think it may have been mentioned elsewhere but one of our science masters in the 50s, David Chaundy, organised a Morris "side" (I believe that's what they're called) who performed at events like Parents Day. Unfortunately mention of "Nymphs and Shepherds Come Away" has led to me going around the house singing it. Is a lift from the classics? Handel or Purcell perhaps??

Steady Freaky. Check your meds !!

Ooops. sorry! Confused 'nymphs and shepherds' by Purcell with a folk song - but it's so old that it almost qualifies.
David

rockfreak wrote:I think it may have been mentioned elsewhere but one of our science masters in the 50s, David Chaundy, organised a Morris "side" (I believe that's what they're called) who performed at events like Parents Day. Unfortunately mention of "Nymphs and Shepherds Come Away" has led to me going around the house singing it. Is a lift from the classics? Handel or Purcell perhaps??

I remember the Morris dancers well, with shame. My elder brother could not contain his mirth during one of the performances (it was when the Fool stated hitting people with an inflated pig's bladder), and I had to suffer a long 'more in sorrow than in anger' speech from Barker as a result.

Singing beside the piano in Prep hall has got the memory banks working.
Were there not also songs called "rounds" (or some similar name) in which groups sang the same song but with delays betwen each group. Always seemd a bit pointless to me but it seemd to give Mr Dore great pleasure.

What a cultural time you youngsters had in the Prep Hall. My recollection is of an extraordinary 'Percussion Band' with the players blowing or humming the tune down papier mache 'brass' instruments. Those unable to hum in tune were relegated to the actual percussion, I and another on cymbals, it being ignored that I could not keep time either (I had already been told not to sing the morning hymn because I spoilt it for everyone else). There were two pairs of cymbals, one big and one small. We ended up with one of each, each, perhaps due to some squabble about who had the bigger pair. I seem to remember the tunes as Lily Marlene and In a Persian Market.

Lili Marlene and In a Persian Market - not simultaneously, I hope?