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 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 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.
She returned to Kent in January 1954, in the company of her nephew Peter Kennedy, and together they made recordings of Albert Beale and the gipsy Charlie Scamp.