1952

Peter Kennedy made eight field trips in 1952. Two handwritten notebooks with additional information for the trips to Northern Ireland and the Midlands are in his collection at the British Library. Click anywhere on the maps below to view the report for that trip.



Somerset and Devon

15th April – 17th April, 1952
29th April – 4th May, 1952
(Report by Maud Karpeles)

This report, written by Maud Karpeles, describes two short trips to Somerset and Devon to discover whether any songs collected by Cecil Sharp in the region were still being sung by relatives of the singers.

Devon and Dorset

Somerset and Devon

29th April – 4th May, 1952

Peter Kennedy and Maud Karpeles travelled to Somerset and Devon to collect songs that had been sung to Cecil Sharp in the region some decades earlier. Recorded on this trip were George Bunston, Bill Squire, Sid Richards, Frederick Crossman and Edwin Thomas. The Minehead Hobby Horse custom and talk about it was also recorded.

Somerset and Devon
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Suffolk and Somerset

14th May – 16th May, 1952

On this short trip Alec Bloomfield was recorded in Suffolk and Frederick Crossman in Somerset.

Suffolk and Somerset

Devon and Dorset

25th May – 30th May, 1952

Performers recorded in Devon and Dorset include Bob Cann, Bill Westaway, George Endacott, Dickie Lashbrook, William Rew, Herbert ‘Bunny’ Palmer, Charlie Wills, Walter Sweet and children’s games in Sidmouth.

Devon and Dorset
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Essex

7th June, 1952

At a gathering of morris men in Thaxted, Essex, recordings were made of the Cambridge Morris Men led by Russell Wortley.

Essex

Hereford and Gloucestershire

17th August – 24th August, 1952

In this report, Maud Karpeles describes travelling to Herefordshire and Gloucestershire with Patrick Shuldham Shaw to record performers including Peter Jones, John William Partridge, Mildred Partridge and William Payne. (Peter Kennedy was not present for this trip.)

Herefordshire and Gloucestershire
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Northern Ireland (preliminary)

17th June – 20th June, 1952

During this short trip to Belfast, Peter Kennedy made preliminary enquiries for a longer trip later in the month.

NI Prelim

Northern Ireland

28th June – 8th August, 1952

On this trip to Northern Ireland and across the border into Ireland, Peter Kennedy collaborated with Sean O’Boyle. Together they recorded performers including John Maguire, Charles Boyle, Frank and Francis McPeake, Tom Turkington, Sarah Makem, Johnny Pickering, Peter Reilly, Brigid and Paddy Tunney, Michael Gallagher, Kitty Gallagher, Margaret Barry and the McCuskers. Brief stops were also made in Wiltshire and Wales.

Northern Ireland 1952
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Suffolk

27th August, 1952

On this single day trip to Ipswich, Suffolk, Peter Kennedy recorded George Bloomfield.

Suffolk

Midlands

6th October – 7th November, 1952

On this trip around several counties in the Midlands, and in Suffolk, London and Dorset, Peter Kennedy recorded performers including Emily Bishop, Louisa Holmes, William Wells, Charlie Wills, Paddy Church, Michael Gorman and Fred Jordan.

Midlands 1952
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Sussex (first visit)

10th November – 12th November, 1952

In the first of two short trips to Sussex, recordings were made of gypsy singers near Laughton, including the Fullers, Alf Gutsell, Mrs Knight, and Jimmy and Sheila Smith.

Sussex

Sussex (second visit)

1st December – 3rd December, 1952

Mark Fuller and Luther Hills were recorded on this trip to East Dean in Sussex.

Sussex