The Parson & the Songmen

By: Mike Bosworth
  • Summary

  • The Reverend Sabine Baring Gould was an exceptional parson and squire from Devonshire, England.
    He is probably best remembered as the composer of the hymn 'Onward Christian Soldiers'.
    Born in Exeter in 1834, he died at his estate, Lewtrenchard Manor in West Devon, in 1924.
    As 2024 is the centenary of his death it gives me the opportunity to spotlight what he considered to be the most important achievement of his life, that of collecting the old folk songs of Devonshire, and later Cornwall, as he termed it, 'from the mouths of the people'.
    Join me as I tell stories about, and sing songs from, this far from ordinary Victorian country parson as he travelled by pony and trap across his native Devonshire seeking out songs that now form a major part of the English folk song tradition.

    © 2024 The Parson & the Songmen
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Episodes
  • S2 8 The Parson's Apprentice
    Aug 27 2024

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    In the very early 1900s someone 'knocked on the door' of Lew Trenchard Manor to ask The Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould for advice as to how to go about collecting folk songs. This gentleman was taken under the Parson's wing, and later would become the most famous and well remembered folk song collector in this country. His name is Cecil Sharp.

    Support the Show.

    Please contact me at theparsonandthesongmen@outlook.com if you have any questions about the podcast series, the songs featured, or about The Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould in general!

    Also, please email or use the facebook page (below) if you would be interested in booking me for a gig telling the story of Sabine's song collecting and singing some of the songs he collected.

    Many Thanks to Jon Tidball who is the podcast series producer - jontidball@hotmail.co.uk.

    Please follow the facebook page for these podcasts - The Parson and the Songmen
    https://www.facebook.com/people/The-Parson-and-the-Songmen/100093220748945/

    Also thimblerigg videos on YouTube for more songs collected by The Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould
    https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=thimblerigg+videos

    Check out the website for the Sabine Baring-Gould Centenary Celebration Group - 1924 to 2024 for more information, history, upcoming events, links and friends connected to the Reverend. https://www.sbgcentenary.co.uk/

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    16 mins
  • S2 7 Drinking Songs Are Not Folk Songs... Discuss.
    Aug 13 2024

    Send us a Text Message.

    In this episode we explore the origins of two songs from Cornish songmen which have a common theme... drink! These were destined for Sabine's 'Songs Of The West', but were dropped by another well-known folk song collector who had been given editorial duties. His reason?
    Songs about drinking are not folk songs....

    Support the Show.

    Please contact me at theparsonandthesongmen@outlook.com if you have any questions about the podcast series, the songs featured, or about The Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould in general!

    Also, please email or use the facebook page (below) if you would be interested in booking me for a gig telling the story of Sabine's song collecting and singing some of the songs he collected.

    Many Thanks to Jon Tidball who is the podcast series producer - jontidball@hotmail.co.uk.

    Please follow the facebook page for these podcasts - The Parson and the Songmen
    https://www.facebook.com/people/The-Parson-and-the-Songmen/100093220748945/

    Also thimblerigg videos on YouTube for more songs collected by The Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould
    https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=thimblerigg+videos

    Check out the website for the Sabine Baring-Gould Centenary Celebration Group - 1924 to 2024 for more information, history, upcoming events, links and friends connected to the Reverend. https://www.sbgcentenary.co.uk/

    Show more Show less
    16 mins
  • S2 6 Mr Edmund Fry: Thatcher, Singer, Songman.
    Jul 23 2024

    Send us a Text Message.

    This episode brings you the story of Edmund Fry, who moved from Cornwall to Lydford in Devon, just six miles from Sabine Baring-Gould's home. Edmund provided Sabine with several songs that he may never have collected on his song collecting trips into Cornwall, including one of his personal favourites, and rather a notorious one to boot!

    Support the Show.

    Please contact me at theparsonandthesongmen@outlook.com if you have any questions about the podcast series, the songs featured, or about The Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould in general!

    Also, please email or use the facebook page (below) if you would be interested in booking me for a gig telling the story of Sabine's song collecting and singing some of the songs he collected.

    Many Thanks to Jon Tidball who is the podcast series producer - jontidball@hotmail.co.uk.

    Please follow the facebook page for these podcasts - The Parson and the Songmen
    https://www.facebook.com/people/The-Parson-and-the-Songmen/100093220748945/

    Also thimblerigg videos on YouTube for more songs collected by The Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould
    https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=thimblerigg+videos

    Check out the website for the Sabine Baring-Gould Centenary Celebration Group - 1924 to 2024 for more information, history, upcoming events, links and friends connected to the Reverend. https://www.sbgcentenary.co.uk/

    Show more Show less
    17 mins

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