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News
Mick with one of his many fans at Broadstairs Folk Festival in 1996
Mick Wright Obituary
One of the all time stalwarts of The Travelling Folk (TTF) died recently and will be greatly missed by his family and friends, especially his wife Shirley.
Nearly 40 years ago Mick started attending TTF sessions but it was not until an evening at The Half Moon in Hildenborough that he plucked up the courage to sing and then there was no stopping him! He quickly built up a substantial repertoire which he delivered in his own very distinctive fashion. He could sometimes be seen playing a triangle or a tambourine in the tunes sessions.
Mick’s brother David soon accompanied him at sessions and they were both rewarded not only through their love of song and music but also by meeting their respective life partners, Shirley and Jennifer.
As organisers, Roger and I valued the way that Mick was always willing to perform and hence was often chosen to kick off an evening’s entertainment. Fittingly we both included numbers that Mick regularly sang at our last session at The Anchor in Sevenoaks, as well as drinking a toast in his memory.
Mick worked most of his life for British Rail and so it was no surprise that his other long term love was for miniature railways and he was a prime mover in The Tonbridge Model Engineering Society which runs the miniature trains near Tonbridge Swimming Pool. The track operates on Saturday and Sunday afternoons in the summer and he would often be seen driving one of the engines, ferrying passengers to much enjoyment on both sides. He also painstakingly created a large working model of a steam engine in his own workshop in his back garden.
Mick hadn’t enjoyed good health in recent years and so we were very pleased to see him at our 40th anniversary celebration in October. We are indebted to Liz for bringing him along.
Terry & Steph King - 18 February 2024
One of the all time stalwarts of The Travelling Folk (TTF) died recently and will be greatly missed by his family and friends, especially his wife Shirley.
Nearly 40 years ago Mick started attending TTF sessions but it was not until an evening at The Half Moon in Hildenborough that he plucked up the courage to sing and then there was no stopping him! He quickly built up a substantial repertoire which he delivered in his own very distinctive fashion. He could sometimes be seen playing a triangle or a tambourine in the tunes sessions.
Mick’s brother David soon accompanied him at sessions and they were both rewarded not only through their love of song and music but also by meeting their respective life partners, Shirley and Jennifer.
As organisers, Roger and I valued the way that Mick was always willing to perform and hence was often chosen to kick off an evening’s entertainment. Fittingly we both included numbers that Mick regularly sang at our last session at The Anchor in Sevenoaks, as well as drinking a toast in his memory.
Mick worked most of his life for British Rail and so it was no surprise that his other long term love was for miniature railways and he was a prime mover in The Tonbridge Model Engineering Society which runs the miniature trains near Tonbridge Swimming Pool. The track operates on Saturday and Sunday afternoons in the summer and he would often be seen driving one of the engines, ferrying passengers to much enjoyment on both sides. He also painstakingly created a large working model of a steam engine in his own workshop in his back garden.
Mick hadn’t enjoyed good health in recent years and so we were very pleased to see him at our 40th anniversary celebration in October. We are indebted to Liz for bringing him along.
Terry & Steph King - 18 February 2024
Malcolm Ward Obituary
It is with great sadness that we announce that long-time regular supporter of The Travelling Folk, Malcolm Ward, died last night. He’d been unwell for a while but had made a point of attending and performing at as many events and festivals as he could. We’ll miss his varied repertoire, his singing that ranged from raucous shanties to more sensitive pieces, his monologues, and his skilled concertina playing.
6 December 2022
It is with great sadness that we announce that long-time regular supporter of The Travelling Folk, Malcolm Ward, died last night. He’d been unwell for a while but had made a point of attending and performing at as many events and festivals as he could. We’ll miss his varied repertoire, his singing that ranged from raucous shanties to more sensitive pieces, his monologues, and his skilled concertina playing.
6 December 2022
David Wright
David Wright Obituary
Long standing members of The Travelling Folk will remember Dave and his wife Jenny as being involved in folk events in our area, and in particular staunch supporters of Travelling Folk. Dave with his voice and his melodion had a good repertoire of songs, but perhaps will best be remembered for his rendering of “My Brother Sylvest”, the Yetties version of which was played at his funeral. They left the south east somewhile ago for Clun in Shropshire, where they had a very happy time pursuing their hobbies of walking and bird watching in addition to their folk music. They have been very much missed in our area, but needless to say made many new friends in the folk community in Shropshire.
Dave died on 5 October 2021 and his funeral was held at Shrewsbury Crematorium on 21 October which unsurprisingly was extremely well attended. Everyone was encouraged to wear something red to commemorate his involvement with the group “Rapsquillion”. Liz Randall and I were able to attend and therefore to represent The Travelling Folk, and although a sad occasion it also evoked happy memories. Afterwards we all went to the Hundred House at Purslow near Craven Arms where we paid tribute to his memory by indulging in many rousing choruses.
Goodbye Dave, you enriched all our lives, and it was a pleasure to know you, may you rest in peace.
Roger Resch - 23 October 2021
Long standing members of The Travelling Folk will remember Dave and his wife Jenny as being involved in folk events in our area, and in particular staunch supporters of Travelling Folk. Dave with his voice and his melodion had a good repertoire of songs, but perhaps will best be remembered for his rendering of “My Brother Sylvest”, the Yetties version of which was played at his funeral. They left the south east somewhile ago for Clun in Shropshire, where they had a very happy time pursuing their hobbies of walking and bird watching in addition to their folk music. They have been very much missed in our area, but needless to say made many new friends in the folk community in Shropshire.
Dave died on 5 October 2021 and his funeral was held at Shrewsbury Crematorium on 21 October which unsurprisingly was extremely well attended. Everyone was encouraged to wear something red to commemorate his involvement with the group “Rapsquillion”. Liz Randall and I were able to attend and therefore to represent The Travelling Folk, and although a sad occasion it also evoked happy memories. Afterwards we all went to the Hundred House at Purslow near Craven Arms where we paid tribute to his memory by indulging in many rousing choruses.
Goodbye Dave, you enriched all our lives, and it was a pleasure to know you, may you rest in peace.
Roger Resch - 23 October 2021
Tunes
Favoured session tune sets
TFF evenings usually begin with a few tunes (based mainly on the Lewes Arms tune book). Of course, other tunes may be played, especially during the course of an evening, but we think a standard, shared repertoire is a great asset for encouraging beginners.
Tunes are played in session-friendly keys (i.e. G or D), mainly to accommodate melodeons. Although historically dances would have been confined to a single tune, it's now common practice when playing tunes in sessions to arrange them in sets.
Jimmy Allen (G) x 2 / Rakes of Mallow (G) x 2 / Huntsman’s Chorus (G) x 2 / Jimmy Allen (G) x1
Flowers of Ashgill (G) x 3 / The Man in the Moon (G) x 3
Uncle’s Jig (G/D) x 3 / Oyster Girl (G) x 3
Princess Royal (G) x 3 / Portsmouth (G) x 3
Planxty Irwin (D) x 3 / Fanny Power (G) x 3
Sussex Bonny Breast Knot (G) x 2 / Three Around Three (G) x 2 / Double Lead Through (G) x 2
Marmalade Polka (G) x 3 / Golden Slippers (G) x 3
Harper’s Frolic (D) x 3 / Bonny Kate (G) x 3
Cock of the North (G) x 3 / Wi’ a Hundred Pipers (G) x 3
Bonnie Dundee (G) x 3 / Westering Home (G) x 3
Brighton Camp (G) x 3 / Curly Headed Ploughboy (G/D) x 3 + 1 A part to finish
St Anne’s Reel (D) x 3 / The Tipsy Parson (D) x 3
Redwing (G) x 3 / Winster Gallop (G) x 3
Walter Bulwer’s No. 2 (G/D) x 3 / Walter Bulwer’s No. 1 (G/D) x 3
Three Around Three (G) x 3 / Flowers of Edinburgh (G) x 3
Maggie in the Wood (G) x 3 / Salmon Tails up the Water (G) x 3
Dorset Four Hand Reel (G) x 3 / Winster Gallop (G) x 3
Sean South (G) x 2 / Kelly the Boy from Killane (G) x 2 / Boys of Wexford (G) x 2 / Sean South (G) x 1
The Blaydon Races (G) x 3 / The Keel Row (G) x 3
Hunt the Squirrel (G) x 3 / Fox and Geese (G) x 3
Scan Tester’s Quadrille (D) x 3 / Clee Hill (D) x 3
Michael Turner’s Waltz (G) x 4
Cotillion (G) x 4
Egan’s Polka (D) x 3 / John Ryan’s Polka (D) x 3
Jack Robinson (G) x 3 / The Bourton Six (G) x 3
I Come from Alabama (G) x 2 / Camptown Races (G) x 2 / Marching Through Georgia (G) x 3
The Lambton Worm (G) x3 / Keep yer Feet Still Geordie Hinny (G) x3
Steamboat Hornpipe (G) x3
Last updated 25 October 2021
TFF evenings usually begin with a few tunes (based mainly on the Lewes Arms tune book). Of course, other tunes may be played, especially during the course of an evening, but we think a standard, shared repertoire is a great asset for encouraging beginners.
Tunes are played in session-friendly keys (i.e. G or D), mainly to accommodate melodeons. Although historically dances would have been confined to a single tune, it's now common practice when playing tunes in sessions to arrange them in sets.
Jimmy Allen (G) x 2 / Rakes of Mallow (G) x 2 / Huntsman’s Chorus (G) x 2 / Jimmy Allen (G) x1
Flowers of Ashgill (G) x 3 / The Man in the Moon (G) x 3
Uncle’s Jig (G/D) x 3 / Oyster Girl (G) x 3
Princess Royal (G) x 3 / Portsmouth (G) x 3
Planxty Irwin (D) x 3 / Fanny Power (G) x 3
Sussex Bonny Breast Knot (G) x 2 / Three Around Three (G) x 2 / Double Lead Through (G) x 2
Marmalade Polka (G) x 3 / Golden Slippers (G) x 3
Harper’s Frolic (D) x 3 / Bonny Kate (G) x 3
Cock of the North (G) x 3 / Wi’ a Hundred Pipers (G) x 3
Bonnie Dundee (G) x 3 / Westering Home (G) x 3
Brighton Camp (G) x 3 / Curly Headed Ploughboy (G/D) x 3 + 1 A part to finish
St Anne’s Reel (D) x 3 / The Tipsy Parson (D) x 3
Redwing (G) x 3 / Winster Gallop (G) x 3
Walter Bulwer’s No. 2 (G/D) x 3 / Walter Bulwer’s No. 1 (G/D) x 3
Three Around Three (G) x 3 / Flowers of Edinburgh (G) x 3
Maggie in the Wood (G) x 3 / Salmon Tails up the Water (G) x 3
Dorset Four Hand Reel (G) x 3 / Winster Gallop (G) x 3
Sean South (G) x 2 / Kelly the Boy from Killane (G) x 2 / Boys of Wexford (G) x 2 / Sean South (G) x 1
The Blaydon Races (G) x 3 / The Keel Row (G) x 3
Hunt the Squirrel (G) x 3 / Fox and Geese (G) x 3
Scan Tester’s Quadrille (D) x 3 / Clee Hill (D) x 3
Michael Turner’s Waltz (G) x 4
Cotillion (G) x 4
Egan’s Polka (D) x 3 / John Ryan’s Polka (D) x 3
Jack Robinson (G) x 3 / The Bourton Six (G) x 3
I Come from Alabama (G) x 2 / Camptown Races (G) x 2 / Marching Through Georgia (G) x 3
The Lambton Worm (G) x3 / Keep yer Feet Still Geordie Hinny (G) x3
Steamboat Hornpipe (G) x3
Last updated 25 October 2021
Archive
Terry King's history of Elsie's
Elsie's (the Queen's Arms at Cowden Pound) was an important venue for folk music and loomed large in the lives of many TTF participants.
Elsie's (the Queen's Arms at Cowden Pound) was an important venue for folk music and loomed large in the lives of many TTF participants.
| elsies.pdf |