FTX 428 - SOUTH DOWNS
& THE WEALD - SONGS RECORDED IN SUSSEX AND
KENT
A selection of songs recorded by Peter Kennedy 1952-63. The
Two-part singing tradition of the Copper family at Rottingdean had already been
encountered and was being broadcast, when in 1952 he came across blackmith,
Luther Hills, at East Dean. He and his friend, Mark Fuller also indulged in
two-part singing but, perhaps because of the professionalism of the Coppers,
they became shy about fully harmonising in front of the microphone. Albert Beale,
at Kenardrington, whose father had sung to Cecil Sharp in 1908 was visited with
his aunt, Maud Karpeles, and sang again, the songs sung to Sharp 46 years earlier.
Then in 1963, the coxswain of the lifeboat at Hastings, Jack Edmunds, gathered
in some of the local fishermen, Charlie Geering (84) and Joe "Prooshy" Spicer
who sang "Heave on the trawl, boys". Inland there were outstanding performers
like Tom Potter of Hawkhurst, Kent as well as Bill Botting and Harry Upton of
Balcombe, Sussex, Our two opening songs came from Jack Cheeseman in 1960 whose
father had owned some large hopyards at Westerham, Kent.
POWDER MONKEY JIM -
THE COUNTRY CARRIER - THE FROG SONG - THE MOON SHINES BRIGHT - VILLIKINS (WILLIAM
AND DINAH) - THE LIMERICK DITTY - KITTY WELLS - THE YOUNG CAVALIER - THE SEEDS
OF LOVE - LEFT HOLDING THE BABY IN A RAILWAY CARRIAGE - WHEN JONES'S ALE WAS
NEW - STATIONED AT LOW FELL (First World War) - THERE GOES OLD TOM - WHEEL THE
PERAMBULATOR, TOM - Talk about Horsmonden Fair; Old-time Waltz - RAGS AND BONES
- Talk about Christmas - OLD JOE THE BOAT IS GOING OVER - THE BROOM DANCE (The
Keel Row) - WHILE SHEPHERDS WATCHED - OLD & NEW - THE BASKET OF OYSTERS - .
HEAVE ON THE TRAWL - THE DRUNKEN SAILOR - JERUSALEM CUCKOO - . A WOMAN'S WORK
IS NEVER DONE - THE WRECK OF THE NORTH FLEET - CANADEE - I - O or THE WEARING
OF THE BLUE - Talk the Sussex Downs STILL I LUVS HIM - DAME DURDEN - THE FOGGY
DEW - BRISK AND BONNY LAD - SPORTSMEN AROUSE
