The Essex Researchers
Read further about the research and publications made by Sue Cubbin, David Occomore and Philip Heath-Coleman around the folksong collected in Essex by Dr Ralph Vaughan Williams.
The Essex Collections
December 3rd, 1903 was the date Vaughan Williams officially collected his first folksong. It took place in Ingrave, Essex and a Mr Charles Potiphar who at that time was noted by the composer to be in his 70s, living in a cottage on Middle Road (Rectory Lane), Ingrave, sung to the young composer. That first song was Bushes & Briars.
Vaughan Williams notated 23 songs on that first day from 5 singers as well as some children in Ingrave. He returned to Essex in February 1904 and during that spring returned several times to collect – often revisiting singers from previous visits. Vaughan Williams made a brief visit in October and then made his final collection in Essex in February 1906 in Herongate where he visited Mr Bell who sung several songs for him.
115 folksongs were notated from around 20 singers mostly between December 1903 and October 1904 and he visited 7 separate places in the county. Below is the list of these places with details of which songs were sung, when and by whom which you can access via the location links below.
Within the links below there are a few selected folksongs which lead you to more detailed information sometimes including a link to printed music, sometimes to a performance and sometimes with further details about the location of the specific manuscripts at the Vaughan Williams’ Memorial Library.
Potiphar’s Apprentices played a selection of these Essex collected tunes at the launch of the Vaughan Williams’ Folk project and you can read about this event and view this whole performance HERE.
Potiphars Apprentices have also produced 3 CDs of their performances of several of the folksongs collected in Essex by Ralph Vaughan Williams – visit their website with details of these CDs. There are also sound files within this page.
Billericay Union (Workhouse)
Back to the Vaughan Williams’ Manuscripts Page
Back to the Vaughan Williams’ Folk main page
