James Beale was Cecil Sharp’s most important find when he made his visit to the Hamstreet area on 22nd and 23rd September 1908, providing eight songs for the collector.
Interviewed in 1983, his grandson Charles Beale said that, according to family tradition, James had been a “caravan-dweller” until settling at Hamstreet. This may well have been the case, although there’s nothing in the official records to confirm it.
The family came from Sussex. James’ father Thomas was baptised at Barcombe on 3rd May 1801. He was probably the “Thomas Beal” who married Hannah Saunders at Heathfield, Sussex in 1827; she died and was buried at Heathfield in October 1832. He was certainly a widower when he married Elizabeth Welfare – 21 years his junior – in her home town of Wivelsfield, on 14th November 1840.
James was baptised at Wivelsfield on 4th April 1841. A couple of months later, at the time of the 1841 census, the family was living at Cains Wood, Wivelsfield. James had one older brother, two older sisters, and two step-sisters. His father’s occupation was given as “Railway Lab”. There are two other men given this occupation on the same sheet of the census. Almost certainly these men were employed in the construction of the first railway line from London to Brighton, which was completed in September 1841, and ran close to Wivelsfield.
By 1851 the family had fallen on hard times: James and his parents were residing in Chailey Union House – i.e. the workhouse – at Ringmer. They were described as “Pauper ag lab”, “Pauper ag lab wife”, and “Union house child pauper”. Elizabeth Beale died in 1855, but it appears that Thomas may have survived until 1882 – still “Ag lab pauper”, and residing in the East Chiltington Workhouse.
The next record we have for James, however, is his marriage to 18-year old Charlotte Hall at St Mary the Virgin, Orlestone, on 28th July 1860. The groom, his father, and the bride’s father are all described as labourers. At the time of the 1861 census they were living at Ham Street – address not specified. Ten years later they’re still in Ham Street, and now have 6 children under 10 years of age: William, Charles, Febee, Sarah, Alice, and Henry. James had been listed as agricultural labourer in 1861, but now appears to described as “Fruiterer” (the census enumerator’s handwriting is far from clear).
Still listed as a labourer, and living in Ham Street in 1881, James now has another two children, Sarah Ann and James. Two more would follow before the 1891 census, Thomas and Frederick. In 1901 the family’s address is given as Ruckinge Road, Ham Street, and James’ occupation is listed as “Wood Dealer Timber D (Own account)”. Two years later, the 1903 Kelly’s Directory of Kent lists him as “poulterer”. In truth, he probably turned his hand to a variety of work to earn some cash. Indeed, when taken to court in 1889 by Robert Relf, a coachbuilder from Ashford – presumably to settle unpaid debts – he was described as “higgler, Hamstreet”1 (a higgler is “An itinerant dealer; esp. a carrier or a huckster who buys up poultry and dairy produce, and supplies in exchange petty commodities from the shops in town” – Oxford English Dictionary).
James’ wife Charlotte died in 1905. At the next census, in 1911, now aged 70, he was living with his son Henry at Cyprus House, Ham Street. Both James and Henry are listed as “General dealer”. He died later that year, and was buried at St Mary the Virgin, Orlestone on 17th October 1911.
Cecil Sharp collected three songs from James’ daughter Alice Harden on 11th October 1911. We don’t know the circumstances of this visit, but it must have very nearly coincided with James’ death, and this may well explain why Alice had come to Ham Street from her home at Tonge, near Sittingbourne.
In the 1950s, Peter Kennedy and Maud Karpeles, consciously following in Cecil Sharp’s footsteps, recorded a number of songs from James’ son Albert Beale.
Henry Greengrass was born on 20th January 1859, and baptised at St James’, Dover, on 12th June. His father, Charles, had been born in Stowmarket, Suffolk. He worked as a Whitesmith, defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as “A person who makes articles from tin-plated iron or from tin or other white metal. Also: a person who makes iron tools with a sharp edge, or other iron articles with a polished surface”. Henry’s mother Lydia, née Laws, was a native of Folkestone.
In 1861 they were living at Marine Walk Street, Hythe. Henry was the youngest child; his brother and four sisters were still living in the parental home. By 1871 they had moved to Chapel Street, Hythe, and Henry – still at school at this point – now had a younger brother.
I’ve been unable to trace Henry in the 1881 or 1891 censuses. Possibly he was the Henry Greengrass charged by the Hythe Borough Police in November 1892 of “serving a man in a drunken state”. The case was reported in the Folkestone Express, Sandgate, Shorncliffe & Hythe Advertiser, 19th November 1892, where he was described as “late occupant of the Cinque Ports Inn, High Street” – he having already been discharged from his position by the owner of the pub, Mr. Mackeson.
At the time of the 1901 census he was living at 33 St Johns Street, Folkestone, the home of his younger brother Thomas and his family. Henry’s occupation at that time was lamplighter. The previous year the local paper reported that he had been appointed a fireman in the Fire Brigade.1
He was still living with his brother in 1911, being described as “General labourer”. In 1921 he was working as a carpenter for the Corporation Of Folkestone, and boarding at 35 Bradstone Road, Folkestone. At some point before the outbreak of war he moved to Bonnington: the September 1939 Register showed him as being retired, and living at Mount Pleasant, Aldington, in the home of William and Maud Cuttress. His death was recorded in the last quarter of 1949.
Francis Collinson collected three street cries, from him, and a fragment of a longer song. He did not record the date when he collected the songs, but they were published in the Journal of the English Folk Dance & Song Society 1944.
William Newport was baptised at St Mary’s, Hinxhill on 13th November 1892. His mother, Marry Ann, née Jordan, came from Wye, his father John from Hastingleigh. The family was probably living at Hinxhill Green when William was born, but by 1901 had moved to Forge Lane, Boughton Aluph. At the time of the 1911 census they were living at Baytree Cottage, Boughton Aluph. John Newport had previously been described in census records as agricultural labourer or farm waggoner, but his occupation was now given as what appears to be “woodreive” – presumably woodreeve, someone responsible for the stewardship of a wood. William, aged 18, was working as a “Groom domestic”.
He married Eveline Annie Turner at All Saints, Boughton Aluph on 16th May 1920, and they continued to live in the village. In 1921 they were living at Kingswood Hill, Boughton Aluph and William was working as a private chauffeur for Mr E. Simmons. This was Ernest Simmons, Retired Master Mariner, who had married the previous year and settled in the village, living there until his death in 1951. It may well be that William Newport continued to work for Mr Simmons; certainly, in 1939 he was listed as “Chauffeur Gardener” – and also “ARP Warden”. By this time the Newports had a couple of children, and were living at Quinneys, still in Boughton Aluph.
William Newport died at the age of 65, in 1958. An obituary in Kentish Express, 23rd May 1958 provided some additional details about his life:
Ashes Scattered On Cricket Pitch
After cremation at Charing on Tuesday, the ashes of Mr. William Newport, 65, of 32, Little Chequers, Wye, were scattered on the cricket pitch at Boughton Lees, the ground which he helped to restore after the last war.
Mr. Newport, who died last Friday, was born in Boughton Lees and at the age of 18 worked as a groom at Fairlawn, the home of Mr. Ernest Simmons. In the 1914-1918 war he served with the motor transport unit and drove Gen. Allenby in Jerusalem.
In the last war he was a corporal in the Home Guard and called the fire brigade when Boughton Aluph church tower was set alight by incendiary bombs. He went to live in Wye when his health failed in 1956.1
Mr Newport was clearly a listener to Country Magazine on the BBC Home Service, because on 15th June 1952 he wrote to Francis Collinson
Dear Sir I am an interested listener to your Sunday morning broadcast of old songs, so I am sending you these two, that my father used to sing he used to sing quite a few of them but these are the two that come to mind most readily one of them I cannot quite complete at the moment, but perhaps my sister will when I see her again, I am afraid I cannot set them to music, though I could hum them to anyone,
Yours truly W. Newport
P.S. When I come to write them out I find it is not so easy to know when a line starts or finishes but will do my best WN
P.P.S I am spelling them as my father used to sing
The two songs included were ‘True Blue’ and ‘The Thresher Man’.
Collinson must subsequently have paid William Newport a visit, because he noted down both tune and words for ‘True Blue’, and two other songs, ‘Jack Tar’ and ‘Sailor cut down in his prime’. Curiously, he doesn’t seem to have taken down a tune for ‘The Thresher Man’.
On 12th November 1952, Mr Newport sent the words for one more song, with an accompanying letter:
Words of ‘Home Rule Song’ Dear Sir At last I am sending you the “Home Rule” song for which you have the tune, I am sending it to the B.B.C. as I have mislaid your address
This was close to the end of Country Magazine, which ceased to broadcast at the end of the year.
William Newport died at the age of 65, in 1958.
John Newport, 1858-1833
William gave his father, John, as the source of his songs. He was baptised at St Mary the Virgin, Hastingleigh, on 21st February 1858, the son of John, an agricultural labourer, originally from Petham, and Esther née Holliday. The family lived at Kingsmill Town, Hastingleigh, but by 1871 had moved to Bridge Street, Wye. John, the youngest, was by then 13 years old, and already working – like his father, two brothers and a sister – as an agricultural labourer.
He married Mary Ann Jordan on 12th June 1878, at Wye. At the time of the 1881 census they were living at Withersdane, with one child. By 1891 they had one son and three daughters, and were living at Ouseley, Hinxhill Green; John’s occupation was “Farm waggoner”. William, born in 1892, was their last child and, as we have seen, by 1901 the family had moved to Boughton Aluph.
The 1921 census finds John Newport living – without any other family members –at 2 Cliffsea Villas, Roebuck Terrace, Herne Bay, employed as a labourer by R Budd Builder. His death was recorded in the Blean district in the final quarter of 1933.
Francis Collinson collected one song – a rather fragmentary version of ‘I’m a man that’s done wrong to my parents’ – from Bill Rolph at St. Nicholas at Wade in Thanet on 19th May 1948. This was just a few weeks before the BBC radio programme Country Magazine was broadcast from the Bell Inn, St. Nicholas at Wade on 13th June 1948.
I’ve been unable positively to identify this singer. Possibly – just possibly – he was Frederick William Rolf (or Rolfe), 1888-1981, who lived at Monkton, just a couple of miles from St Nicholas at Wade. Born at Boughton Aluph, near Ashford, he was still living with his parents at the time of the 1911 census, working as a grocer’s assistant. When he married in May that year, his occupation was given as Milkman. By 1921 he and his family had moved to Thanet – the census gives their address as 3 Parsonage Cottages, Monkton, St Nicholas At Wade & Sarre – and he was working as “Cowman-on-farm” for H.T. Willett, Monkton Parsonage. He was still living in Monkton when his eldest son – also Frederick – got married in 1942, and his death in 1981 was registered in the Thanet district.
On 25th June 1942 Francis Collinson collected two songs – ‘Buttercup Joe’ and ‘The Cricketer’ – from Tim Fidler, landlord of The George at Bethersden. He may have been known as Tim but was in fact registered at birth as Reginald Harry Fidler. He was baptised at St John the Baptist, Mersham on 9th July 1899. His parents were Annie, née Plascott, originally from Exbury in Hampshire; and William Joseph Fidler, born at Wickham, Berkshire, but now working as a game keeper, and living at Quarrington Cottage, Mersham. From 1908 onwards, William Fidler was licensee of The Black Horse at Pluckley, where he remained until his death in January 1932 (his son, William Frank Fidler, succeeded him as landlord, but sadly he too died, in April of the same year).
When Tim Fidler married in April 1933, his bride was Elsie Mary Philpott, whose father, William Philpott, the landlord of The George Inn. Mr Philpott died in June 1933 and it would appear that his son-in-law took over as landlord, and remained at the pub until the 1960s (when his wife Elsie died in April 1963, the notice in the Maidstone Telegraph gave her address as The George). Tim Fidler died on 5th April 1966; his address was given as 6 St Peter’s Cottages, Bethersden, so we can assume that he had retired at some point following his wife’s death.
Francis Collinson collected one song at St. Nicholas at Wade, Thanet, on 19th May 1948. This was just a few weeks before the BBC radio programme Country Magazine was broadcast from the Bell Inn, St. Nicholas at Wade on 13th June 1948.
It has not so far been possible to identify a Bill or William Epps living in St. Nicholas at that time.
William Henry Crampton was born on 22nd May 1870, and baptised at the Church of St.Michael, Smarden, on 3rd July 1870. His parents were William, a brickmaker, who had been born at Headcorn, and Ellen née Gurr, originally from East Sutton. In 1871 the family were recorded as living at Coopers Cottage, Smarden; 10 years later, they were at Perren Cottage, Smarden. By 1891, now aged 20, William had left home and was out at work, as a waggoner’s mate at Bardleden Farm, just outside the village. At the time of the 1901 census William was once again living with his family, at Berry Court Farm, Smarden. His father was no longer listed as a brickmaker, but as “farmer”; William’s occupation was given as “farmer’s son”.
He married his cousin Kate Town in 1907, and the couple had a son and a daughter, Stanley and Winifred. They continued to live in Smarden: in 1911 they were living at Beggars Bridge, and William was listed as “Waggoner on farm”; in 1921 they were living on the Pluckley Road, and William was employed as a farm labourer by Mr J Buckman Farmer, Biddenden Green (just outside the village, on the Pluckley Road). The 1939 Register shows William, Kate and Stanley at 2 East End Cottage, High Street, Biddenden Green; William is listed simply as “General Labourer”. His obituary in the Kentish Express stated that he had worked on Mr Buckman’s farm for 32 years, until just a few years before his death, while Francis Collinson said that Mr Crampton had worked in agriculture “Until he was nearly 70”. This suggests that he started working on the Buckman farm in around 1908.
When Collinson took down a version of the popular song ‘The Blackbird’ in October 1943, he noted that it came “from William Crampton (my gardener)”. But it seems that, prior to working for Collinson, 6 miles away at Old Surrenden, he had already done gardening work for radio producer Francis Dillon, who had a house at Smarden. According to George Frampton1 “The story goes that, one day, Dillon heard his gardener, who was outside at work,singing The Blackbird. Collinson was summoned, and the idea of using a singer on Country Magazine was quickly established”. Like the story of Cecil Sharp discovering English folk song after hearing the Somerset gardener John England, this may be a romanticised version of events. Based on the dates given in his MSS, the earliest that we know Francis Collinson noted down any of Mr Crampton’s songs was October 1942, some months after the BBC had begun broadcasting Country Magazine, but that’s not to say that he hadn’t previously heard him singing. And Collinson’s song collecting does seem only to have begun in earnest in 1942.
Mr Crampton died in January 1945. A brief obituary in the Kentish Express, Friday 12th January 1945, ran as follows:
FOLK SINGER.—Mr. William Crampton, of East Cottage, whose funeral took place on Saturday, used to sing folk songs in a traditional style. He was 75 and had been a member of the A.O.F. many years. Up to a few years ago he had worked on Mr. G. Buckman’s farm for 32 years. Among those at the funeral were his widow, Mr. and Mrs. S. Crampton (son and daughter-in-law), Mrs. Moore (daughter), Mr. and Mrs. H. Jarvis, Mrs. Drury (cousin), Miss Ward, Mrs. and Miss Buckman, Mr. E. Ledger, Mrs. Underdown and Mrs. Barnes.
The Maidstone Telegraph, 19th January 1945 reported that the previous Sunday’s Country Magazine programme had featured Smarden’s village grocer, Mr. William Grant, and that “There was also a tribute to Mr. WIlliam Crampton, from the same village, who died recently. William was a fine old type of agricultural labourer, and a grand singer of folk songs”.
The report continued:
A FINE MAN
The tribute to Mr. Crampton, of Smarden, was paid by Mr. Frank Collinson, who said: – “I intended to butt in before when Mr. Grant was speaking. He comes from Smarden, and both Smarden and English folk song have recently suffered a great loss in the death of William Crampton. “He was one of the few surviving singing men of England. He had a beautiful style, a fine command of the traditional decoration and a great range of the old songs. We have used several of his in “Country Magazine.” “Moreover, he was in himself a fine man. Until he was nearly 70 he was an agricultural worker, a lifetime spent in making that landscape as dear to you, Mr. Arlott, and all English countrymen. “He said to me a month or so ago that he had always managed to give satisfaction in this world and he hoped he’d be able to do the same in the next.” One of Mr. Crampton’s songs, “The Oyster Girl,” was then rendered by the sextet and John Irwin. It was stated, that the song was obtained from Mrs. Baker, of Evelyn Road, Maidstone, who learnt it from her father. Mr. John Arlott was the compere.
It seems likely that William Crampton had a wider repertoire of songs than those that appear in Collinson’s MSS – they contain no reference to him singing ‘The Oyster Girl’, for instance. The local history scrapbooks compiled by Smarden Women’s Institute include music and words for ‘The Blackbird’ from William Crampton, with this note:
Mr. W. Crampton was wagoner for many years to Mr. G. Buckman. He had thirty songs or more and played the accordion as accompaniment. His son Stanley remembers them, and sings them to the accordion; his children know them too.
There are regular mentions in local newspapers in the 1930s of Mr Crampton playing his accordion at Old Friends’ Teas in Smarden. For example on 1st January 1931
During the evening a first-rate programme of songs was given by Miss Gould (Maidstone), Mr. Purcell Mudstone), Mrs. E. Ridley, Mr W. Hills, Mr. W. Palmar, Mr. H. Wood, Messrs. Batt’s Glee party and Mr. C. G. S. Freeland. Mr. Turvey gave some very humorous sketches, and Mr. W. Crampton entertained the company with accordian solos. Miss Gould and Miss M. Buckman presided at the piano.2
Again, on New Year’s Day 1932, Mr W. Crampton was one of those who provided the entertainment, alongside “Messrs. Batt and Millen Bros. (glees)”3 while one year later
Songs were given by Mr. Turvey, of Ashford; Mr. and Mrs. F. Buss, of Maidstone, gave a mandoline recital and songs; Messrs. Batt Bros. gave glees; and Mesdames Ridley and Small and Mr. Purcell, of Maidstone, gave songs, and there were recitations by Miss Evans and Mr. Fretter. Old Folks’ Songs were given by Mr J.H. Buckhurst, of Biddenden, and Mr. W. Crampton entertained with his accordion. The musical accompaniments were taken in turn by Mrs. Buss, Mrs. Ashbee and Miss A. Cornes.4
And in January 1934, when “About 75 old people were entertained in the Schools”, he was one of those who provided the entertainment.5
Stanley Crampton, 1907-1991
The note in the Smarden Women’s Institute scrapbook regarding Stanley singing his father’s songs, and playing the accordion, is the only record we have of his musical activities (other than an enthusiastic account in the Kentish Express of his part in a dramatic and musical entertainment presented by Smarden School in April 1922). He was born 10th June 1907, and was still living with his parents in September 1939. His occupation at that time was farm labourer.
He married Kathleen Mary Addy in 1940, and it would appear that the newly-weds took in a number of evacuees during the War. An article in the Kentish Express of 19th June 1981 reported that the couple had stayed in touch with one of these evacuees, Iris Watson, who was 11 years old when she came to Smarden, and “never forgot the kindness of her “Aunt Mary” in the Kentish village so remote from her Catford home” – indeed, Iris and her husband spent their honeymoon with the Cramptons.
The article also states that Stanley “worked at the brickyard and farmed for 37 years”. Stanley Crampton’s death was registered in the Ashford district in October 1991.
There are two additional songs which do not appear in Collinson’s MSS, but which are ascribed to William Crampton in copies of Collinson’s books, annotated by his friend Pat Shaw, now held by the VWML:
Tarry Trousers (Roud 427) – from Collinson & Dillon, Folk Songs from Country Magazine
Bold Fisherman (Roud 291) – from Collinson & Dillon, Songs from the Countryside
Jesse Barrow was baptised on 20th January 1839 at St Nicholas, Otham. His father John was a labourer, while his mother, from nearby Boughton Monchelsea, had the rather wonderful maiden name of Mercy Tree. Over the coming decades the family lived at various addresses in Otham Street, Otham. In 1841, Jesse was the second youngest of 8 children in the family home; by 1851 he had another brother, but otherwise it was just Jesse and one older sister who remained with their parents. Jesse was already working as an agricultural labourer at the age of 12.
I have failed to locate Jesse in the 1861 census, although his parents were still living in Otham Street. In 1871 he was back in the family home, at No 3 Madam Taylor’s Cottages, Otham Street. That property, dating from the mid- to late 16th century is now Grade II listed, and a single dwelling; in 1871 it was still three separate cottages.
On 14th February 1874, at St Nicholas’ church, Jesse married Ann Sell. Both were recorded as “of this parish”, although Ann had been born at Harrietsham. The 1881 census has them living at Street Cottage, Otham with one son and one daughter. By 1891 they have another son and another daughter, and are living at Anstens Cottage, Sutton Road, Otham. 10 years on, only their youngest child, Alice is still living at home, now at Primrose Cottages, Otham Street. In previous censuses Jesse had always been listed as agricultural labourer or farm labourer. The 1901 census is more specific, giving his occupation as “Pruner on farm and Ag L”. In 1911 – still living at Primrose Cottage – he’s listed as “Farm labourer – Hop and fruit”.
Marian Arkwright noted down two songs from him on 18th May 1916, when he would have been 77 years old. He died at the age of 79, and was buried at St Nicholas, Otham on 14th October 1918.
Harry Barling was born on 31st October 1866, and baptised on 30th December at St Mary Magdalene, Ruckinge. His father, Francis – Frank – Barling (1818-1899) was recorded as “labourer” on the baptism record, although at the next census he was listed as a carrier, and by 1881 was “Innkeeper & carrier”. Frank’s brother William was the father of the Charles Barling whom Cecil Sharp encountered at Ruckinge in 1908. Harry’s mother was Mary Ann née Lonkhurst (1822-1906). Her eldest brother William was the father of Clark Lonkhurst, another of Sharp’s 1908 informants. In other words, Harry was a first cousin to both Charles Barling and Clark Lonkhurst.
In 1871 the family – Frank, Mary, and six children, of whom Harry was the youngest – were living at Ruckinge Corner, Ruckinge. By 1881 Frank was running the Good Intent at Aldington Frith. Besides Harry, two other sons and a daughter were living there, plus three grandchildren. The census also recorded the presence of a cook, and one lodger.
Harry married Susannah Butcher at St Martin’s, Aldington, on 5th April 1890. In the census the following year they are listed as Henry and Susan, living with Harry’s parents at Rose Cottage, Frith Road, Aldington. Frank is no longer a landlord, but is listed as “Farmer carrier”. Susannah died and was buried at Aldington on 15th March 1897, but in those few years of marriage she had given birth to at least four children.
On 9th June 1900 Harry, now 32, married again, once more at St Martin’s, Aldington. His bride was Althemia Kate Barth, 21, whose family were from Brook. Over the next two deacdes, she gave birth to a further seven children. The 1901 census shows the family living at Bourne House, Aldington. The household included the four surviving sons from Harry’s first marriage, Harry’s grandmother, Mary Barling, and a 6 month old baby, Hector Cronje Barling. On the 1900 marriage certificate, and in the 1901 census, Harry’s occupation is given as Carrier; he is also listed as such in the 1903 Kelly’s Directory. In 1911, the growing family were living at Rock Cottages, Aldington, and Harry is described as “General workman labourer”. In 1921 they are at the same address, but now Harry is working as “Engineers Labourer” for W & E Earl Ltd., haulage contractors based in Aldington.
The 1939 Register shows Harry and Kate living at 110 Gladstone Road, South Willesborough. His occupation is given as “Carpenter (Retired)”. Also in the house are two of their children Ciss (Cecily) and Merry (Althemia May). Both are listed under the surname Barling, but in both cases this has then been crossed out – Ciss is shown as Samson, and Merry as Smith. These changes are a result of the Register being updated during the war, as it was used to maintain National Registration records (and after 1948 by the NHS, so that actually updates continued to be made until 1991). Ciss married Edward G Samson at Hendon in Middlesex in 1944, while Althemia married John H Smith in Surrey, 1942.
Harry Barling would have been living at Gladstone Road when visited by Francis Collinson in December 1942, and he remained there for the rest of his life. He met a rather tragic end, as reported in the Kentish Express, Friday 19th September 1947:
HIS LAST CYCLE RIDE
Eighty-years-old Mr. Harry 1381 Barling, a retired master carpenter, of 110. Gladstone-rd., South Willesborough, enjoyed nothing better than cycling and travelled all over Kent.
On Sunday morning he was on his usual trip to visit sons at Sevington and Smeeth. Turning from Kingsford Street, Mersham, on to the main Folkestone road he failed to see a motor cyclist and both machines collided. Mr. Barling received multiple injuries and died a few hours later in Willesborough hospital.
In a statement to the police the motor cyclist, Mr. Philip John Bowles of Station-rd., Folkestone. who was detained in hospital with severe concussion, said he was travelling at about 40 m.p.h. when suddenly a cyclist came out of a turning ahead. It happened so quickly he had no chance of avoiding an accident.
A verdict of misadventure was recorded at the inquest on Tuesday.
For 45 years a member of the Aldington Brass Band, Mr. Barling was bandmaster when he gave up in 1930. Twice married, he had 12 children—five from the first marriage and five daughters and two sons from the second—all of whom survive him.
Although he only provided Collinson with two songs, music had played a significant part in Harry Barling’s life as he, his brothers, and his sons were all members of Aldington Brass Band. The Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald, 13th December 1930 reported on the band’s annual general meeting which had taken place at the Walnut Tree, Aldington, stating that “Mr H. Barling, who for 45 years has been a bandmaster, will be the recipient of a present at a smoking concert to be held on the Saturday after Christmas, at the band’s headquarters”. 3 weeks later, on 3rd January 1931, the Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald reported on that event:
District News.
ALDINGTON.
PRESENTATION TO MR. H. BARLING
A smoking concert organised by the members of the Brass Band, was held in the large club room of the “Walnut Tree,” Aldington, on Saturday last, when a presentation was made to Mr. H. Barling. The chair was taken by the Rector, the Rev. G. S. Long (President), who was supported by Mr. J. R. Anderson (Vice-President), Mr. H. Barling ( late Bandmaster), Mr. George Barling, Mr. C. Butcher, Mr. C. Milton, Mr S. Stone, Mr. C. Miles, Mrs. G. Barling, Mr. John Barling (Hon Secretary), Mr. E. E. Lees (Treasurer ) and Mr. R. H. Heap, A.T.C.L. (conductor).
During the evening the toasts of “The Band” and “The President, ” were drunk. The Rector proposed the Band, and Mr. Heap replied. The toast of the President, proposed by Mr. John Barling. was accorded musical honours.
Mr. J. R. Anderson, proposing the toast of the late Bandmaster, Mr. H. Barling, referred to Mr. Barling’s 45 years with the band as their bandmaster, and to the fact that there were seven sons still members of the band. The toast was accorded musical honours. Mr. Anderson then presented to Mr. Barling a handsome clock with the best wishes of the band for a very peaceful life in his retirement. The clock was inscribed as follows
“To Mr. H. Barling from The Aldington Brass Band. 45 years’ faithful services as Conductor and Bandmaster”.
Mr. Barling, in reply, thanked the members for the beautiful present. He gave some interesting details of his early experiences with the band, and made special mention of the founders and those who formed the first band – many of whom had passed away. He mentioned his brother, who was sitting on his right, and who was even an older bandsman than himself. They had, he said, on different occasions, played in every village for miles around, and he recalled a visit they had made to the Casino, Boulogne (in conjunction with the Hythe band) when the representatives of the Cinque Ports had visited Boulogne. In conclusion he wished the band every success, and asked the members to support their officers loyally and well.
Cheers were given for the officers.
The following artistes took part in the concert : Messrs. J. Barling, John Barling (Hon.Secretary), Jim Barling, F. C. Barling, H. Barling, G. Barling, Holt, Lancaster, Charles Butcher (a former member of the Folkestone Police Force), P. Hooker, C. Milton, Griffiths and Farley. Mr. R. H. Heap was at the piano.
At the conclusion the Rector led the company in the singing of “Auld Laug Syne,” and the National Anthem.
A longer piece about Harry Barling appeared elsewhere in the same edition of the newspaper, largely in his own words, and including a photo of Harry and his seven sons, all in bandsmen’s uniform:
BORN WITH MUSIC IN HIS EARS.
ALDINGTON FAMILY OF INSTRUMENTALISTS.
Presentation to Mr. H. Barling.
FATHER AND SEVEN SONS IN BAND
For forty-three years M r. H. Barling, of Aldington, has been a member of the Aldington Brass Band, and now at the age of 64, he has retired from his position of leader of the band, a position which he has held for twenty-two years.
A presentation was made to Mr. Barling last week by his many well wishers in Aldington, of a suitably inscribed clock.
That he was sorry to retire after all these years of music was revealed when he told his story to a “Folkestone Herald” representative. His passion for music is great, and in his own words, “Once music gets hold of you it will never let you go.”
“l can see the scene as plainly as if it was happening now,” said Mr. Barling, recounting his early days in music. “Around the table in a little room were my elder brothers and some visitors. They used to come to our place and practice for some festival at the Church. I can see the ‘cello, the flutes and the violins playing anthems and hymns, and to me it was really and truly charming.”
“I was born to the sound of music in my ears, and almost with an instrument in my mouth. I was one of a family of twelve and all my brothers played musical instruments. My father was a vocalist. We were then living at the ‘Good Intent,’ Aldington.
“SUCH A ROW”
It was a great struggle for me to learn to play any instrument because of the noise a brass instrument makes. I was not more than six or seven years old when one of my brothers bought me a cornet. We kicked up such a row that my mother threw my instrument out of the window into the field. I finished my scales and exercises away from the house.
“By much hard practising I gradually learnt to play and it was my love for music that kept me at it. When I was about 20, in the year 1887, a band was started in Aldington, and as it was the Jubilee Year of Queen Victoria, we called it the Jubilee Band. The present Aldington Band is really the Jubilee Band which was started 43 years ago.
“There were about 12 members when the band was formed but the strength has ebbed and flowed during the succeeding years; I can remember when we had as many as 25.”
BAND LEADER.
“In 1908 I was made leader of the band, which is equivalent to bandmaster of a military band. I do not like the term ‘Bandmaster’ to be used in connection with a civilian band, it is for professional bands only and not amateur ones. My predecessor as leader of the band was Mr. W. Nye and he was one who helped to form it.
“Our engagements extended over a very wide radius. The band attended most social functions that were held in all the villages around. A two days’ visit to France was organised by the Aldington Band the third year after it was formed. In Boulogne we were asked by the authorities to play at the Casino and there we received a very cordial reception. We have also visited France on other occasions with the Hythe Band.”
Asked if the band ever entered musical festivals or competitions Mr. Barling said that they did not believe in that sort of thing. It was too much like professional football. It was all right for bands other than amateur.
SEVEN MUSICAL SONS.
Mr. Barling has seven sons who are all members of the band. He enumerated them as follows: Claude (clarionette), Ernest (cornet), Sidney (trombone), Jack (trombone), Frank (side drum), Leslie (euphonium) and Jim (E flat tenor).
Mr. Barling said that Frank, who was in the Territorials before the war, was among the first batch of soldiers to cross the water after the outbreak of war. Throughout the whole of the war he was a bugler in his regiment.
Mr. Barling himself played a euphonium, but he can play any instrument in the band.
Hesitatingly, I put the Question to the man who possessed such a musical soul, “What is your opinion of jazz bands ?” and I received the expected answer. Twisting his face up as though he was eating a sour orange he snapped “I should be sorry to tell you. A jazz band is really only the drummer, if he is a success the band is a success.”
His irritable look vanished and a dreamy far away expression took its place. “It is the old music that I love. Music that is able to bring tears to one’s eyes. It is the beauty of music to be able to bring agreeable sound to other people’s ears.”
Mr. George Barling, a brother of Mr. H. Barling still plays a cornet in the Aldington Band. He is over 70 years of age, and played his part in the organisation of the band in 1887. Another brother travelled all over the world as an instrumentalist in an operatic company.
Mr. H. Barling attributes much of his success as an instrumentalist to a brother-in-law, for many years a bandsman, who is now aged 91. He instilled into the young mind that love of good music which is the hall-mark of the true instrumentalist.
As I left the cottage Mr. Barling pointed to two violins, which belonged to his grandchildren, and his look conveyed that… the family meant to pass on their love of music from generation to generation.
In an earlier article (somewhat bizarrely syndicated in the Belfast News-Letter, 18th August 1928), Mr Barling provided more background on the formation of the band, suggesting that before the formal existence of a band, he and his brothers went out playing at Christmas time:
Mr. Harry Barling and his seven sons are all members of Aldington (Kent) Brass Band and they have a total 0f 213 years’ service—surely a record for any single family. “We are just eight bandsmen who play for the love of music,” Mr. Barling said modestly to a reporter yesterday. “I was born in to music. I had three elder brothers who were bandsmen, and before I was old enough to go to school I became fascinated by their play.
“One of them bought me a cornet which I used to blow vigorously, and as a tiny lad I could get my notes. I was 16 when my brothers and I got together one Christmas and followed up our success as ‘waits’ by forming the Aldington Band in 1887. For many years the band has been twenty strong. After I was married and my boys came along they were drawn into the band—they were born into it just as I was. We play for harmony and there’s one thing I can tell you, this syncopation business is killing it. A little is all right, but it goes too far.”
Mr. Barling has 46 years’ service and he now plays the euphonium. One son has 30 years’ service, one 27 years, and another 26. His brother, who played bass in the original band, is now 90.
Other press cuttings from the era attest to the fact that the band did indeed play a wide range of engagements. They include: a farewell concert for the local doctor, Dr F.S. Hinde at the Walnut Tree (Kentish Express, 8th May 1920); Elham Flower Show (Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald, 1st August 1914); the Willesborough Allotment Holders’ Association annual show, where they “provided capital music for dancing” (Kentish Express, 18th August 1923); and Dymchurch Fete, where there was a “Race for bandsmen (playing their instruments)” and – perhaps unsurprisingly – the first three places were all taken by members of the Barling family! (Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate & Cheriton Herald, 29th August 1931).
Aldington Band, Armistice Day 1922. A note on back says “This was taken on Armistice Day 1922. ex servicemen mens parade, headed by the Aldington band”. The band appears to be outside the Walnut Tree at Aldington.
English Dance & Song 35:2 (1973) contained a song submitted by John Brune, supposedly collected from Abram Cooper in West Kent. No further details of the singer were given, but he may well have been a traveller – Brune certainly collected some songs from travellers.
