Maud Pauline Karpeles, 1885-1976
Maud Karpeles was the daughter of Joseph Nicolaus Karpeles, a tea-merchant who had been born in Hamburg, but settled in London and became a British citizen. Thanks to her father she was of independent means, which allowed her to devote her life to folk music. With her sister Helen, she became involved in the English folk dance revival led by Cecil Sharp; both were involved with the foundation of the English Folk Dance Society in 1911. During the First World War she accompanied Sharp on his song collecting trips to the Appalachians. She was more than just a secretary. She provided Sharp, who suffered from frequent and varied medical issues, with invaluable support, both at home and abroad, and also became effectively part of the Sharp family. She in return was a lifelong disciple of Sharp, defending his legacy and promoting his views.
She held roles both with the English Folk Dance Society and its successor, the English Folk Dance and Song Society. After the Second World War she played a key role in establishing and running the International Folk Music Council, and remained active in the folk music world right up to her death at the age of 90.
In her unpublished autobiography she wrote
During the early fifties I managed to spend a few days in folk song collecting on behalf of the B. B.C. Perhaps prospectory would be a better word because I obtained very little material, though it is just possible that I laid a few trails for future collectors.1
In the Spring of 1952 she undertook two collecting expeditions to Somerset and Devon – the first with Marie Slocombe, the BBC Sound Recordings Librarian, and the second with her nephew Peter Kennedy. They were actively following in the footsteps of Cecil Sharp, visiting descendants of singers from whom he had collected, to see if they still remembered the old songs:
Over and over again, those we visited admitted that they had not formerly taken much interest in the ‘old’ songs, but they now regretted this as they had come to realize that they were better than the new ones.2
Her experiences here may well have influenced remarks she made in her opening address at the 1954 Conference of the International Folk Music Council, held in Sao Paulo:
Half a century ago we in Europe were inclined to worship the god of progress. We were very pleased with ourselves and the advances we had made; and the millenium [sic] seemed to be just around the corner. But the events of the last years has brought disillusionment. We now realise that much of what we call progress was in fact merely a turning away from the old established ways of life, and that in seeking the paths that lead to material benefits we have lost many of the things that make life worth living.
I suppose there is no country in the world that has made more rapid progress in the material affairs of life than Brazil. Is this likewise going to lead to disillusionment? I believe not. Because here you have had the wisdom not to discard what I can only call the spiritual values which have been handed down to you by your forefathers, but you have cherished them and have woven them into the fabric of present day life.
This Folk Lore Congress which is being held in celebration of of [sic] fourth centenary of the foundation of the city of Sao Paulo is evidence of the importance you attach to maintaining the traditions of the people in which are enshrined fundamental beliefs that are common to all mankind.3
In the autumn of 1953 she embarked on a song collecting expedition in Kent. Details of this trip can be found in the VWML archive catalogue, under the heading “Folk Song Collecting Expedition Kent October 12th – 17th 1953” (MK/1/2/4907). This report tells us that Miss Karpeles stayed with Violet Rumney (a school friend), at Sissinghurst from October 12th to 17th and ventured out each day – Miss Rumney or her sister driving. Karpeles estimated that they covered about 400 miles during the week, making enquiries at the following villages:
- Headcorn
- Smarden
- Warehorne
- Ham Street
- Appledore
- Stone
- Rye Harbour
- Kenardington
- Sissinghurst
- Frittenden
- Cranbrook
- Goudhurst
- Binningden [sic – probably Benenden]
- Pluckley
- Harrietsham
- Snargate
- Brinzett [sic]
- Brookland
- New Romney (not exhaustively)
- Dungeness
- Lydd
- Ivychurch
- Bethersden
- High Halden
- Staplehurst
- Bethersden
- High Halden
- Staplehurst
- Beckley
- Bettenham
She wrote that she had recorded a version of ‘John Barleycorn’ from Dave Wicken (actually Dave Wickens), at Smarden. And five songs from Albert Beale at Kenardington – as she notes “son and brother of singers from whom Cecil Sharp noted songs” and, again, it seems likely that she had deliberately sought out any surviving relatives of Sharp’s “informants”.
The report continues
I interviewed some gipsies, name of Stanley, at Bettenham. They know a number of songs, but I could not ask them to sing as there had just been a death in the family. I arranged to pay them a visit later on.
I found a number of people who remembered hearing some of the songs, from parents, grandparents, or other old people in the neighbourhood, but they had not themselves learned them.
Contrary to expectation Romney Marsh seemed to be further away from the tradition than the “upland” regions. I suspect this is because they are too isolated.
I found a greater understanding of the type of song I required than is usually the case. This may be due to Frank Collinson’s Country Magazine contributions.
In her autobiography she wrote
I came across a delightful family of gypsies and later I introduced Peter Kennedy to them and he recorded a number of their songs. Whenever I have visited gypsies – be it in tents, caravans or houses – I have always enjoyed their company. They are sociable, friendly people and very often have a store of good folk tunes, though they are apt to mix up the words of the songs.4
She returned to Kent in January 1954, in the company of Peter Kennedy, and together they made recordings of Albert Beale and the gipsy Charlie Scamp.
Both Kennedy and Karpeles wrote reports on this trip. Her report stated that
Our main objective was Mrs Stanley (real name Mrs Bird)5, Bettenham, near Cranbrook, a gipsy whom I had met on my previous expedition. On our first visit [on 14th January] she was out, but we called again on the morning of the 15th. As I suspected, she has a big repertory of songs. Unfortunately she was suffering from laryngitis. She managed to sing us a few songs, but she was unable to hold the tune and I doubt if this was entirely due to her ailment. She gave us the names of several members of her family, including her brothers, Charles Scamp at Chartham Hatch, near Canterbury, and Oliver Scamp, between Rochester and Sittingbourne, both of whom have a big repertory of songs which they learned from their parents. The Scamps are a big Romany clan scattered all over Kent and most of them seem well-to-do.
We made great friends with Charles Scamp, at present a timber dealer, and his friendship will be an open sesame amongst other Romanies in the district. His brother Ted, the hero of a book by Croft Cooke (?), and he are interesting characters. Peter Kennedy recorded some conversation between them in ‘Romanish’.
Peter Kennedy recorded a number of songs from Charles. He has a fine voice and his style, though hardly ‘authentic’, is interesting. He has the florid gipsy way of singing, combined with a conscious voice production (self-trained, of course). He has modelled himself on Al Johnson [Al Jolson?]. He has a prodigious memory which includes songs of all kinds, but he knows a number of authentic folk songs. He has sung at the Palace Theatre, Ramsgate in a circus show. His brother Oliver has not taken up the new songs and his style of singing is much more straightforward than that of his brother. Unfortunately he is just recovering from bronchitis, so was unable to sing much and we made only one record. He has a good voice and probably even more songs than his brother. He is willing and anxious to give us his songs and I think he would be well worth another visit in a few weeks’ time. As it is only a short distance from London, probably recording sessions on a Saturday and Sunday, with one night away, would be sufficient.6
Sadly, neither Kennedy nor Karpeles appears to have returned to record Oliver Scamp, or his sister Mrs Bird. The report continues
We also visited Mr Albert Beale of Kenardington and re-recorded sone of the songs I had recorded on my last trip, together with three others – these of no repeat value.
On the outward journey we called at Greenwich to make enquiries about a chanteyman, Captain Richards, who used to work at the pier, but he had gone away without leaving an address.
We also stopped at St Mary Cray, where there is a very large gipsy camp. I made a few enquiries, but it would have taken too long to make a proper investigation.
In addition to the people mentioned above, we called on four other families, but for one reason or another got no songs from them.
When Karpeles writes of “recording” songs from singers such as Albert Beale and Dave Wickens it is not clear if she means making a sound recording, or writing down the words and tune. She certainly did make sound recordings of traditional singers, both in England and in North America. But in this case, neither recordings nor transcriptions of the Kentish singers appear to have survived.
- Maud Karpeles, Autobiography (unpublished, 1975, typescript copy held at the VWML), p229 ↩︎
- Maud Karpeles, Autobiography, p230 ↩︎
- Maud Karpeles, Autobiography, p258 ↩︎
- Maud Karpeles, Autobiography, pp230-231 ↩︎
- Probably Mary Bird, née Scamp, an elder sister of Phoebe Smith. ↩︎
- Maud Karpeles, Report on Collecting Expedition in Kent, January 14 – 17, 1954 (typescript copy held at the VWML) ↩︎