On the 9^th July 1942, Francis Collinson noted two songs from a Fred Mannering at Bethersden, and one from a James Mannering. It has not so far been possible to identify Fred Mannering with certainty. However the most likely candidate seems to be

Frederick Charles Mannering, 1901-?

Born in 1901, he was the son of Henry James Mannering, a farm labourer, and Sarah Jane née Buss. In 1901 the family was living in The Street, Bethersden, and in 1911 at Wilk’s Cottages, Bethersden. Frederick is not listed in or around Bethersden in 1921 or 1939, but his parents are – in 1939 they were living at Prospect Cottages, Bethersden. In the 1881 and 1901 censuses Henry James Mannering is listed just as James Mannering. Perhaps he generally went by the name of James (or more likely Jim). And it’s possible that when Collinson visited the Mannerings in 1942, their son Fred happened to be at home as well.

Of course it is also possible that the singer wasn’t actually called Fred at all – it might just have been a nickname (in the same way as another Bethersden singer, Tim Fidler, had actually been baptised Reginald Harry Fidler). But, based on information in the 1939 Register, the only other male Mannerings living in the village were Frederick Mannering’s brothers – and it seems extremely unlikely that, with a brother called Fred, either of them would have acquired Fred as a nickname.

Songs

• Paddy Stole the Rope (Roud 2037)
• Will the Weaver (Roud 432)

On the 9^th July 1942, Francis Collinson noted two songs from a Fred Mannering at Bethersden, and one from a James Mannering. It is not possible to be 100% certain of either singer’s identity, but the most likely person is

Henry James Mannering, 1866-1954

He was baptised at the church of St Stephen, Lympne with West Hythe, on 14^th January 1866. His residence was recorded as Marwood – presumably Marwood Farm, which is between Bonnington and Lympne. His father George was a labourer, and his mother was Ann née Hawkett. In 1871 the family were living at Mannering Green Lane, Bethersden. 10 years later they were at Snoadhill, Bethersden and Henry James’s first name is recorded simply as James. He was 15, and working as “Ag lab (indoor serv)”.

He was married to Sarah Jane Buss in 1887, and at the next census, in 1891, they were living at Grove Court Cottages, Dowe Street, Pluckley, with a son, Louis. By 1911 they had another four sons: Percy, Frederick, Raymond and Oliver. Although most census records give his name as Henry James, in 1901 he was listed as James, and it seems probable that this (or more likely Jim) is the name he was known by.

James and Sarah remained in Bethersden: in 1901 they were at The Street, 1911 Wilk’s Cottages, 1921 at 4 St Peters Row, and 1939 at Prospect Cottages. James’ occupation is shown as agricultural labourer (or some variation thereof) in all of these censuses, up until 1939 when he is recorded as “General Labourer Retired”.

He died in 1954.

Songs

• Captain Webb (Roud 21872)

Reginald Harry ‘Tim’ Fidler, 1899-1966.

On 25^th 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 9^th 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 5^th 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.

Songs

• Buttercup Joe (Roud 1635)
• The Cricketer (Roud 21876)

Edward Briggs, 1872-1955

Ted Briggs was one of a number of singers from whom Francis Collinson collected a single song. Born on 27^th July 1872 and baptised on 29^th September 1872, he appears to have lived in Bethersden practically his entire life. His parents were James, an agricultural labourer, and Mary née Woodcock, both natives of Bethersden. At the age of 8, the 1881 Census listed Edward as a scholar, living with his Aunt and Uncle Elizabeth and James Dunster, in The Street, Bethersden. In 1891 he was a grocer’s assistant for Jabez T Joy, grocer and farmer, at Knoxbridge, Frittenden. In 1894 he married Alice Adesa (or Avisa) Oliver, and the two subsequent censuses showed them living in The Street, with two sons. The younger son, George, was still living with his parents in 1921, at Elizabeth House, The Street. Ted is listed in these census records as agricultural labourer or general farm labourer – or, in 1911, as “Worker on farm sometimes with portable steam saw”.

In September 1939, he was living with his wife Alice at 10 Council Houses, Bethersden, and listed as a casual labourer. A short obituary in the Kentish Express, 11^th November 1955 stated that he had been a road foreman for West Ashford Council before his retirement, around 18 years previously. He was buried in the churchyard of Bethersden parish church on 5^th November 1955.

Songs

• Kitty Gray (Roud 3692)