Local Group Report – Chichester – Thursday 17th October 2019

Due to some prior apologies for absence from a number of our regular singers we didn’t really know quite what to expect, but in the event eleven of us, plus Stanley the dog, braved heavy rain to come out to the Chichester Inn to enjoy a very pleasant evening, singing around the big table. We were happy to welcome back new member Julia who brought her father Barry with her and they both joined in eagerly with the singing. Also present were a couple sitting apart and enjoying an evening meal. They told us that they had come over from Felpham especially to hear us sing. We hope they liked what they heard!

We decided to start with the songs planned for our performances at the Weald & Downland Living Museum’s “Fire & Light” event on Sunday 3rd November and a good choice it was too, as they were all songs which we love and know very well. So in the first half we sang Oak, Ash & Thorn, The Woodcutter’s Song, The Bee-Boy’s Song, The Turnip Hoer, Where Stormy Winds Do Blow, Ale Glorious Ale, and Poor Froze-out Gardeners. The singing sounded perfect to me, although we did miss hearing those beautiful harmonies from our talented harmony singers!

In the second half we tackled two rounds: Hey Ho Winter’s Snow and I heard a Bird sing in the Dark of December. Then we thought we had better get to grips with The Coppers’ “Winter” Song and The Fields lie Silent. The latter song rather fell apart as we seemed to have several different printed versions. We must make sure that we stick to the “revised 23rd August 2018” edition that is on the website!

As we inevitably like to try out new songs at Chichester, Dave introduced us to The Rigs of the Time a song he had heard at Whitby Folk Week this year. It’s a song from the Napoleonic period, complaining about the tricks that traders use to swindle poor folk. We sang it through a couple of times and it seemed to be very well received.

Finally we ended the evening at 10.00pm by singing Brisk Young Ploughboy, an excellent choice requested by one of our singers. Thanks to all who came along to make this a very sociable and enjoyable evening. Next month we will meet again in the Chichester Inn on Thursday 21st December. If you like a good sing, then do come and join us there. You’ll be made most welcome!

Local Group Report – Lewes – Tuesday 15th October 2019

Seventeen singers arrived at The John Harvey Tavern and sang through 18 songs. Tina was just recovering from a week of a sore throat and no voice, but still managed to direct us through the song list for the Weald & Downland “Fire and Light” experience on 3rd November. We started with a rousing West Susex Drinking Song – all four verses – then it was time for Oak, Ash and Thorn, The Woodcutter’s Song, Bee Boy’s Song, Life of a Man, Turnip Hoer, Where Stormy Winds Do Blow, Poor Froze-Out Gardeners, Ale Glorious Ale, On Sussex Hills, Copper’s (Winter) Christmas Song, the rounds Hey Ho Winter Snow and Child of Light, and Fields Lie Silent. Tina also suggested While Shepherds Watched (Pentonville tune), Sweet Chiming Bells and Seasons Turn so our two new recruits got a hefty selection of our winter repertoire before closing the evening with Thousands or More. Thank you Tina for your sterling leadership through a noisy evening; we appreciate your valiant efforts.

Rehearsals for the Brighton Pub Carols start on Tuesday 12th November so the Lewes Group will meet on Wednesday 20th November and Wednesday 18th December to accommodate the Brighton participants.

Local Group Report – Worthing – Wednesday 2nd October 2019

Our singing began rather late at 8.30pm following an over-run SDFS AGM to accommodate some useful feedback and discussions about our events, possible extra sessions to work on our performance skills, and mention of our WInter Revels booked for 25th January next year (tickets now available via the SDFS email address). After a refreshment break to revive us Pleasant and Delightful launched us into song and thereafter the evening focussed on the changing seasons and our next events. In an autumn mood we worked on and enjoyed Where Stormy Winds Do Blow; Poor Froze-out Gardeners; The Fields Lie Silent; All Among the Barley; The Coppers' ‘Winter’ (inserted instead of ‘Christmas') Song and The Woodcutter's Song. Looking further into winter we sang the lovely rounds, Hey Ho Winter Snow and Child of Light, before concluding on a Christmas note with the Sussex Mummers Carol and the Pentonville version of While Shepherds Watched. So ended a productive evening which welcomed four new singers to our fold. We look forward to meeting again at our next Worthing session on 6th November, if not before at the Weald and Downland Museum event on Sunday 3rd November (see the Diary Page and Latest News notices on this website).

SDFS at W&DLM Historic Life Weekend: Fire & Light

Update 29th October 2019: Please note the time of our first performance has been changed to 11.45am to allow time for more people to arrive.

Update 29th October 2019: Please wear your lanyard, if you have one, and warm clothing, a light-shower day is predicted, so we will either sing inside or outside North Cray (first red-washed house as you enter the market square).

As there will be as many singers as at the Christmas Market, please follow Emily's requests to form a compact semi-circular group focussed on her, so we can present the songs at their best.

Your name will be on a list for free entry, please gather at North Cray at least 15 minutes before each performance start time.

The two approximately 35-minute performance times have been agreed at 11.00am 11.45am and 1.30pm either side of lunch, the day's programme is on the organiser's website (link below).

You will note smuggling is mentioned at the Toll House so we might add Kipling's A Smuggler's Song to the sets.

John C.

Sunday 3rd November 2019
Weald & Downland Living Museum, Singleton, PO18 0EU

This is a new event this year under the Historic Life theme, demonstrating the considerable contrasts of how in the past the majority of the populace had to prepare for the darker, hungrier cold months both in gathering adequate fuel stocks and providing various forms of light from the rendering of natural products.

Organiser's website

The programme for the weekend will not be finalised until a couple of weeks before the event and our song set times and other details will will be posted here.

Set List - kindly provided by Amaryllis

1. Oak, Ash & Thorn : E
2. The Woodcutter’s Song : B
3. The Bee-Boy’s Song : E – A
4. The Turnip Hoer : B
5. Where Stormy Winds Do Blow : A
6. Ale, Glorious Ale : E
7. Poor Froze-out Gardeners : Db
8. Hey Ho Winter’s Snow : round
9. On Sussex Hills : A
10. Life of a Man : B
11. The Fields Lie Silent : F
12. The Coppers’ Christmas Song* : B

* Last Verse – replace the word CHRISTMAS with WINTER.

John C.

Singing at Fernhurst Furnace, Sunday 15th September 2019

Have you forgotten those hot sunny days of summer? They are well past now, but we can still remember the brilliant day we had singing on the Sunday at the annual Fernhurst Furnace open weekend, a unique, historical event at the site of the old Tudor iron-works, that once made cannons for King Henry VIII’s navy.

We were over 30 strong, dressed in appropriately rustic gear, and we sang two very enthusiastic sets of songs. Firstly we sang outside the beer tent in the woods, where we were warmly applauded by the queue of folk lining up to buy their lunch at the lamb roast stall. The second set we performed in the main field in the full glare of the afternoon sun, which proved almost too hot for some of the ladies who had to retreat to the shade of the cake stall!

There was ample opportunity for us to peruse the various woodland craft activities, watch the falconry displays and marvel at the re-enactment manoeuvres performed by the members of Sir Marmaduke Rawdon's Regiment of Foote in the main arena.

This was our second year singing at the event and we hope it will not be our last. Thanks to Dave for his announcements, to Alan for conducting us and to everyone who came to sing in the choir.