Sound Recording, Suffolk

Description

Ben Ling, recorded at home in Blaxhall; talks about singing when younger, and learning to sing; singing at school, and during his time in the Army (in France, field artillery); farm work with his uncle; moving to Canada, employment on farms; family; jobs post-war and retirement; parents; working in London; uncle's singing; singing in the Ship Inn; changes in the Ship and other pubs; the organisation of the singing and Wicketts Richardson's role; his own repertoire of songs; step dancers and musicians; women in the pub, the Candlestick Dance and segregation; village activities - Quoit Dinner, Harvest Supper; favourite singers; decline of singing amongst younger people; changes in entertainment; education and night school; sing, say, or pay; comments on singers, favourite songs and singers' repertoires.


Female [? Mrs. Ling] talks about women's activities in the village, organising fund-raising concerts during the war, her involvement in committees; the Red Cross in wartime; son stationed in India; school, singing/performing sketches/plays and songs; father's accordion playing; attitude towards the pub, and other women going; drunkeness; hand bell ringers; carol singing; the Women's Institute; Men's Club Dinner; her own singing; entertaining the forces in the village; Ben Ling talks about fighting in the Ship, Gypsy Traveller communities, village entertainment; Mrs. Ling talks about nursing work in the village; both talk about Bessie Hammond; Mrs. Ling refers to the Women's Institute; Ben Ling sings 'The Song of the Thrush' [part]; cycling to pubs to sing; sings 'In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree'; Mrs. Ling comments on her husband's singing and repertoire, Bob Scarce and remembering songs, singing to her sons and their singing and work.


76 of 79.

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Notes on terminology and spellings

 

Please note that there may be differences in the terms used to describe the particular communities represented in this collection, many of which have changed over time and may continue to change.

 

At the time this catalogue was created there are many definitions that identify different cultural and ethnic groups with their varied histories, traditions and associations with a travelling life.

 

These can include but are not limited to  those that have been recognised in UK law as ethnic groups; English and Welsh (Romany) Gypsies, Irish and Scottish Travellers; and non-ethnic groups that consider themselves distinct even if these have not been recognised in UK law, e.g. New Travellers, Showmen and Bargees. Outside of the UK 'Gypsy' may also be considered offensive  and ‘Roma’ is often used instead as the universally preferred term although this term also represents a wide range of distinct groups, (e.g. Sinti, Manouche).

 

It is our intention to respectfully and (where possible) accurately refer to these different communities in the catalogue. For this reason we ask you to note the following with regards to the descriptions in this catalogue that have been based on these current definitions:

 

1)  As many of these definitions have only come into being since the collection was created/1st catalogued, please be aware that original descriptions may not accurately reflect the group to which it refers, (e.g. the word 'Gypsy,' may have been used to describe those now recognised as Irish Travellers/Roma).  Therefore it is worth searching under various terms, e.g. 'Romany' and 'Traveller,' to broaden the scope of search results as well as using the alternative historical spellings, 'Gipsy,' 'Gipsie,' or ‘Romani.’

2) Where no original description exists and it is not possible to properly identify a distinct group they will be described as "Gypsy Traveller" (within UK setting), "Roma" for those living/recently originating outside the UK or "Gypsy, Traveller, Roma " for origin/locations unknown. References to any non - ethnic groups will similarly be capitalised to respectfully acknowledge all groups.

Users are advised that content in this section may include accounts of discrimination and the expression of opinions and/or terminology that would now be considered unacceptable.

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Physical and technical conditions

9.5cm/sec. High recording level. Adjusted on AC copy.

Related material

Ginette Dunn's Ph.D. thesis (Leeds, 1977), 'Popular Singing Traditions in and Around Snape and Blaxhall' ( LAVC/SRP/1/009).


A photocopy of a review of the book, 'The Fellowship of Song'(London: Croom Helm, 1980), that Ginette Dunn published from her thesis is held in the Folklife File, LAVC/FLF/1/3/1 .

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