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Forthcoming bookings
12 November 2022
The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library Conference 2022
"Once more to the mouths of the people’: Ralph Vaughan Williams and Folk Song "
The Carter and the Collectors
I will be presenting a short paper on Vaughan Williams' meeting with Henry Garman the agricultural labourer who supplied him with the song that later provided the basis for RVW's arrangement "Forest Green", for the carol O Little Town of Bethlehem in December 1903, with a little detail on some of RVW's early exploits in the realm of song collecting, the personal background of Henry, and the songs which he sang on his two meetings with RVW.
April 2023
Surrey History Centre, Woking, Surrey
I have been invited to present a talk on Lucy Broadwood and Folk song Collecting as part of a day's symposium on "Music In Surrey".
Date and further details yet to be confirmed.
Previous Bookings
2021
An article of mine, again entitled "The Carol, the Carter and the Collectors" about the history of the carol "O Little town of Bethlehem", Vaughan Williams, Rev John Broadwood and, in particular, the agricultural labourer Henry Garman was published in December in the national magazine "Living Tradition"
November 24th 2021
I presented my talk "The Carol, the Carter and the Collectors" as one of the Wednesday afternoon talks at Guildford Institute, Ward Street, Guildford
https://www.guildford-institute.org.uk/event/window-on-the-world-talk-the-carol-the-carter-and-the-collectors-t271-face-to-face-and-online/
November 30th 2021 : I provided my talk The Carol, the Carter and the Collectors to the Newdigate Local History Society in November of this year.
nlhs.org.uk/index.php/event/the-carol-the-carter-and-the-collectors-a-talk-by-irene-shettle/
2020
Not unnaturally, thanks to the appearance of Covid 19 and lockdowns very little happened during 2020, although I did prepare a shortened version of the talk about Henry Garman and "O Little Town of Bethlehem" which was given to the Traditional Song Forum via the medium of Zoom during the course of one of their now fortnightly meetings online.
2019
Saturday ,November 2nd 2019
The Carol, the Carter and the Collectors
Surrey History Centre, Woking Surrey
A talk on the history of Oh Little Town of Bethlehem, and Henry Garman, the singer who provided Vaughan Williams with the tune that he used for his arrangement of the carol.
17 - 24th August Whitby Folk Week
I presented my talk "The Fragrance of Country Melody" at Whitby Folk Week, and also appeared as a performer at several concerts during the week.
July 20,2019
Bradfield Traditional Music Weekend
High Bradfield/Dungworth , Sheffield
I presented my new talk "The Carol, the Carter and the Collectors" , a study of the journey of the carol "Oh Little Town of Bethlehem" from Philadelphia in the 1860s to the UK in the early 1900s,the song which gave rise to the tune that we know in the UK,and placing particular emphasis on the Surrey agricultural labourer, Henry Garman who was the singer who provided Vaughan Williams and the Rev John Broadwood with his renditions of that song,
25 February 2019:
My experiences with the BBC TV recording formed a rather good precursor to a talk that I gave to the Abbots Langley Local History Society about Lucy, her life and work, with special reference to some of the singers that she encountered in the Hertfordshire area, "The Lost Lady Found"
January 2019 : As a result of a chance contact I became involved with the recording of a BBC television programme, "Lucy Worsley's Christmas Carols" which was broadcast broadcast later in the year.
2018
October 2018
I presented a 5 minute talk about Lucy Broadwood and her links with Grainger, Vaughan Williams, Holst and other composers of the English classical movement as part of the concert given by The Collectors Group in Abbots Langley, Herts in October 2018.
July 2018
Bradfield Traditional Music Weekend
I presented my talk "The Fragrance of Country Melody" in Dungworth, near Sheffield, featuring the influential talk which Lucy Broadwood gave to the Musical Association in March 1905 on the collecting of English folksong.
April 2018
In 2017 I was interviewed by Mike Norris (former chairman of the English Folk Dance and Song Society) for inclusion of a piece about Lucy Broadwood, featuring some of the songs collected by her and for her,in his weekly programme "Classic Folk" on The Wireless ,a local radio station run by Age UK .
The programme was aired on 23 April 2018, and the first hour was comprised of various songs related to Lucy, including one from Ralph Jordan and myself, and about 10 minutes of chat about Lucy and her singers.The programme can still be accessed as a podcast on Mixcloud.
Classic Folk 23 April 2018 incorporating a special on Lucy Broadwood
2017
Saturday, 22 July 2017
St Mary Magdalene’s Church, High Street, Rusper, Horsham,West Sussex
RH12 4PX
An Evening of Folk Song and Dance in celebration of Lucy Broadwood
A special fundraising concert to be held in Rusper Church to raise funds to refurbish Lucy Broadwood's grave, and to celebrate the importance of her life and work.
(Apologies to Louise Holford-Walker for the typos in her name! )
2016
Bradfield Traditional Music Weekend
High Bradfield and Dungworth, Sheffield
July 14th-17th
I was an invited guest for this weekend of traditional music and song. Sadly, due to ill health I was unable to attend.
2015
22-28 August 2015
Whitby Folk Week
Song performance at various concerts and events throughout the week, and a presentation of a talk.
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Tuesday 15 September 2015.
Talk to the Send History Society
"The Lost Lady Found" at Ripley Village Hall
16 - 19 July 2015
Bradfield Traditional Music Weekend
High Bradfield, Sheffield
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August 30th 2014
Talk at East Anglia Traditional Music Day
Museum of East Anglian Life, Stowmarket
"The Lost Lady Found: The Life and work of Lucy Broadwood"
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Saturday 28th June 2014
Talk to the English Country Music Weekend, Winster, Derbyshire
" Lucy Broadwood: Song, singers, reminiscences and observations"
Part of the ECMW events.
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July 18th-20th
Bradfield Traditional Music Weekend 2014
Located in and around Dungworth, High Bradfield and Bradfield in the Peak District National Park just 6 miles or thereabouts from Sheffield. A weekend of participation rather than of concert performances.
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Thursday,August 7th 2014
Manor Pavilion
Sidmouth Folk Week 2014
A tribute concert in memory of Ralph Jordan
Ralph died at the beginning of this year after a protracted illness having had a career in folk music and an association with Sidmouth Folk Week spanning 30-40 years.This concert features some of his friends and collaborators over that period , including:
Paddington Pandemonic Express band
Crows (Mick Ryan, James Patterson, Dave Bordewey and John Dipper, standing in for Ralph)
Colin Thompson (representing the band Eric) with Tim Laycock
Housewives' Choice
James Patterson and John Dipper
The No Ronnies(Dan Quinn and Matt Quinn deputising for Ralph)
Tom and Barbara Brown
The Fraser Sisters
and me.
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April 29th: 8.00 pm
Talk at St Mary's Church, Quarry Street, Guildford,Surrey
"The Lost Lady Found:The Life and Work of Lucy Broadwood"
Proceeds in aid of the roof restoration for Holy Trinity Church (in the High Street, Guildford)
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Thursday 6th December 2013
"The Lost Lady Found" - talk to Farnham and District Museum Society
United Reform Church, South Street, Farnham, Surrey
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19th November 2013
"The Lost Lady Found"
A talk with songs on the life and work of Lucy Broadwood for
Ewhurst History Society.
The Baptist Church, The Street, Ewhurst,Surrey
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August 2013
Broadstairs Folk Week
Talk: The Lost Lady Found: Life and Work of Lucy Broadwood
(Also appearance at opening concert on the Friday afternoon)
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Tuesday 15th January 2013
Pop-up Poetry at the Bar des Arts, Guildford
Featured artist at the Pop Up Poetry evening in the Bar des Arts in Guildford.
Pop up Poetry is "a group of poets and poetry lovers who want to enjoy listening and reading their poems to Guildford audiences."
The evening combines poetry, song and performance and also an Open Mic slot.
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December 14th, 2012
Guildford Institute Members' Christmas Lunch
Lunchtime Christmas entertainment (Christmas songs)
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Thursday 1 November 2012
Launch of Ballads, Stories, Legends and Songs
An exhibition of artwork by Lawrence Heath
Lawrence Heath presents an exhibition of drawings illustrating over twenty ballads, stories, legends and song collected, in the main, in Surrey. Many of the illustrations are from Janet Dowling's forthcoming book "Surrey Folk Tales".
I was invited to sing one of the songs which Lawrence had illustrated at the private launch party at Guildford Institute.
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Friday 7 September 2012
"The Lost Lady Found : The Life and Work of Lucy Broadwood (1858 - 1929)
The talk was delivered as the first event of the Mole Valley District Heritage Weekend .
United Reform Church, 53 West Street, Dorking RH4 1BS
For more detailed information see the National Heritage Open Days website .
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Wednesday 7 March 2012
"The Lost Lady Found: The Life and Work of Lucy Broadwood (1858 - 1929)
A talk to members of the Guildford Institute as a part of the celebration of International Women's Day on March 8th.
Venue : Guildford Institute, Ward Street (off North Street), Guildford , Surrey
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Sunday 16 January 2011
Dursley Acoustic Music Nights
Listen and You Shall Hear
Dursley, Gloucestershire GL11 4JP
The evening consisted of a presentation of the show on the life and work of Lucy Broadwood, late Victorian folk song collector, researcher, composer and singer, illustrated with unaccompanied songs derived from the work of Lucy and one or two of her contemporaries. (Replacement for the previous booking in October with Ralph Jordan which had to be cancelled - on this occasion a solo performance)
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Thursday 17 March 2011
Stortfolk Music Club
Venue: British Legion, Windhill, Bishop's Stortford CM23 2NG
An evening of unaccompanied song (mainly traditional).
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Saturday 21 May 2011
Traditional Song Forum
Venue: Surrey History Centre, Goldsworth Park Road, Woking , Surrey
"The Lost Lady Found: The Life and Work of Lucy Broadwood (1858 - 1929)
Open to members of the public as well as to members of the Traditional Song Forum
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