Lewes Local Group Report – Mondays August 18th, September 15th, October 20th 2025

In August there were fifteen singers (including a welcome return visit from four Worthing singers who used to come regularly before we had to change the meeting night and had made a special trip to go through the songs for upcoming Lewes Priory event), and we sang 19 songs. In September we had 7 singers and 17 songs. The October session was almost cancelled as storm conditions with heavy rain and wind had been predicted, and I was getting over the tail end of an illness with very little voice. In the event the weather improved during the day, and I croaked my way through the session with 8 singers and 20 songs. 

  

In total there were 16 different singers but not everybody could make all the sessions and several more were ill, on holiday or at competing musical groups including Early Music and Morris sessions. I send out the list of suggested songs for each session, as well as for upcoming events, and when not able to get to Lewes our singers are good at practising alone or in small groups at home. 

  

Some of the songs were sung in more than one session, particularly when preparing for events or trying out harmonies, and we covered the following: 

  

• Current seasonal: "All Among the Barley", "Fields Lie Silent"," Lammas Carol", "One for the Rook", "Poor Froze Out Gardeners", "Seasons Turn", "Where Stormy Winds Do Blow"
• Remembrance: "Home Lads Home", "Ladies go Dancing at Whitsun", "My Boy Jack"
• Christmas: Ditchling Carol, Field Mouse Carol, Friendly Beasts,
• Wassailing: "Apple Tree Wassailing Song", "Wassail the Silver Apple"
• Sea: "Brave Eleven", "Constant Lovers",
• General: "Ale Glorious Ale", "Brisk Young Plough Boy", "Country Life", "Ebernoe Horn Fair", "East Sussex Drinking Song", "Farmer’s Toast", "Fields Lie Silent", "Ha’nacker Mill", "Hard Times of Old England", "Jolly Woodcutter", "Lark in the Morning" (Coppers version), "Life of a Man", "Magpie", "Michaelmas" (Amaryllis Gunn’s updated words), "Nightingale", "Old Adam", "On Sussex Hills", "Our Captain Cried All Hands”, "Parting Song", "Pleasant and Delightful", "Rosebuds in June", "Run of the Downs", "Smuggler’s Song", "Song of the Sussex Downsman", "Summer is a-Coming in Again", "Sussex Wedding Song", "Thousands or More", "Twanky Dillo", "West Sussex Drinking Song"

The next session is on Monday 17^th November and we hope to see as many singers as possible, new members always welcome at any time. 

  

Then in December we will be meeting as usual on the third week Monday 15^th December when we will start our session in our upstairs room before going downstairs to lead some carol singing in the pub (exact timings to be decided) so hopefully most of us will be there to swell the festive sound to the rafters. 

  

Tina 

Worthing Local Group Report - Thursday November 6th 2025

To start the evening Emily chose a couple of songs from those suggested by Alan for the "Weald and Downland Advent Market" event (where we will be singing on November 23rd.).  So we warmed up with "The Woodcutters Song" then "The Holly and the Ivy"- before a pause to welcome and introduce Mick Bolton, the organiser of a 'Pub Carols' session in Worthing on December 15th.   He briefed everyone about the plans he has for the carols (at the Richard Cobden pub), and for a preparation session on November 10th (at St Andrew's Church Hall) - both are open to anyone interested, as far as space allows!  For our interest, and accompanied by his melodeon, he then sang for us - "Rolling Downwards" a carol from the Baptist tradition in the U.S.A.  Other more familiar carols, and some unfamiliar to us as a group, also featured on his song sheets and will be used at the Pub Carols.  

Mick stayed until our half-time break - singing with us the "Falmer Carol" (all but the third verse, as suggested by Alan) - and, led by Amaryllis, her arrangement of the "Friendly Beasts" - with bells (jingled by Henny) added to the "dooby dos" between verses.  "The Fields Lie Silent" set a peaceful winter scene before "Pentonville" took us back to familiar carols - and to a refreshment break. 

During the break, information was shared by Emily (on behalf of Leigh and Shirley) about a talk Chris Hare will be giving in December, on the life of Sussex folk-song collector Lucy Broadwood. (Please see the "News" and "Miscellaneous" pages of this Blog for more details.)  

Our singing resumed with "The Field Mice Carol" - with harmony arrangements on the last two lines of the verses, suggested and led by Alan. (Recordings of these can be found with the song on this Blog.)  "Sweet Bells", "The CoppersChristmas Song" and "When It's Christmas Time" all followed - and, with time pressing towards and beyond 9.30 pm, we managed to fit in "The Angel Gabriel" and "Masters in the Hall" (at a brisk pace) to finish.  Thanks again to Emily. Alan, Amaryllis and Mick, and all our singers, for another enjoyable and productive evening.  

New Post on our "Miscellaneous" Page

Check out the page for details of a talk historian Chris Hare is giving in December about folk song collecting in Sussex. 

An Addition to Try - A New Verse for the Worthing Grower

Barbara has offered us an additional verse to her song, "The Worthing Grower". 

You can find the updated lyrics here, and on the Main Page using this Link, and on the "Songs Created by Us"  page. 

An Addition to Try - A Low Harmony for the Field Mice Carol

Alan has offered a low harmony at the end of the verses of the Field Mice Carol.  You can find a recording on the Main Page using this Link

Another Entry on our Miscellaneous page - added today

If you enjoyed the first series of the "Song Detectorists" - you can hear more from them on Radio 3 all this week.  Check our Misc. page for details.

Chichester Local Group Report - Thursday October 16th 2025

15 singers attended the Chichester Inn SDFS singing session led by Alan.  
 
Before singing, there was consideration of whether or not the Chichester SDFS would like to get involved again in the 2026 Chichester Fringe event.  Alan indicated that he was not keen to lead this as it could end up being a very similar format to the one he put together for last year and thought that if someone else were prepared to take it on, he/she would come up with a different approach.  Steve A bravely said that he would like to design a suitable programme based around songs collected by a local Midhurst collector that he has been studying and would deal with the organizational stuff.  He would not however, like to do this as soon as 2026 but prefer to put this together for 2027.  Alan and all present agreed this concept and that it would be best to leave this for another year to allow time to learn new material.  Alan was happy to teach new material including tunes and lead during the actual event.
 
Reverting back to the evenings’ practice, Alan said he wanted to try out material that might be suitable to sing at the Weald & Downland Advent Market where the group was scheduled in November (23rd).  (Henny distributed wrist bands for the event at this point).  Following this Alan led the group through various potential Christmas/Winter songs.
 
"The Falmer Carol" gave a reasonable start, with the decision to leave out verse 3 (Then Towards) so it was not too long.  "Fields Lie Silent" proved as popular as ever with the group and this was followed by the song "When It’s Christmas Time", originally introduced by the Lewis group, which wasn’t quite so well known and sounded better sung briskly.  Amarylis had requested "The Friendly Beasts" be included in the W&D event. All agreed that a jazzy approach helped with this particular slightly unusual offering!  It became evident that some in the group didn’t really know Alan’s next suggestion of "The Ditchling Carol", so it would probably not be included in the set list.  
 
In the second half of the session, everyone confidently started with "Pentonville" and "Sweet Bells" with absolutely no need for words for either familiar carol!  "Masters In This Hall" followed, again best sung at pace and possibly with the help of a drum beat.  All remembered "Where Stormy Winds Do Blow" – a winter song - followed by "The Woodcutter".  At Lyn’s suggestion, the evening finished with the popular "Fieldmouse Carol" and Alan introduced the idea of a bit of harmony for the men in the chorus which he said he hoped could be practiced further at the next SDFS session.  (He promised to send this change to Steve for the Blog and hope that it could be learned at Worthing next Month.)
 
That brought the evening to a close and all agreed they were looking forward to meeting up for a curry as a pre-Christmas celebration before the November meeting in Chichester.  A big thank you to Chris and Lyn for suggesting and co-ordinating.
 
 
Anne Sartain

A Song To Try - Updated Version of Friendly Beasts

Amaryllis has offered the addition of some 'dooby doos' and clicks in the intervals between the verses of The Friendly Beasts (*) to go with the calypso/ jazz style of this song.

You'll find the updated lyrics here

*Song originally offered by Amaryllis last year (see post of 7th October)

Worthing Local Group Report - Thursday October 2nd 2025

Singers assembled at the Barn early for the SDFS Annual General Meeting - before our usual singing session. There had been a number of apologies - including Emily who was very sorry not to be there, but needs at home prevented her from joining us.  The meeting comprised singers from all three of our Local Groups - and it proved to be a busy one, with various topics up for discussion in addition to the usual annual reports and elections.  Thank you to everyone for their contributions. 

After a break, our singing started a bit later than estimated, but we still had time enough for Alan and Amaryllis to turn our attention towards songs for the winter and festive season. 

With plans in mind for our performance at the Weald and Downland Museum's Advent Market on November 23rd, Alan led us for "Falmer Carol"; "When It's Christmas Time"; "Field Mouse Carol"; "Pentonville" and, by popular demand, "Sweet Chiming Bells".  None have been sung by us as a group since this time last year, but they were revived with relative ease, especially the last two favourites.  Alan's survey of singers present demonstrated that not all knew "Season's Turn"- nor did they have the lyrics available. (They are on the SDFS Blog).  So we did not sing it, but added it to the 'need to learn' list - for more use next year we hope.  He then sang for us "Sing We the Virgin", which was appreciated, but generally not favoured as an addition to our performance songs at this time.  

Amaryllis took the reins for "Friendly Beasts", set to her new calypso style tune, with all singers together highlighting the "I" start to each verse.  Whilst singing, the rhythm led some to add 'dooby doos' in the intervals between the verses - resulting in a slightly jazz feel to the song as well.  This was liked and taken up for all to do together - using a finger click immediately following each one (Doo,click - Bdoo, click - Bdoo,click - Bdoo,click).  (This has now been added to the "Other Songs to Try" page on our Blog).  

Our singing for the evening concluded with "The Woodcutters Song", with Amaryllis leading and keeping up a brisk and bright pace with the warming vigour of a winter walk!  And on that posiitive note we headed home on a not at all chilly early autumn evening - with more winter and festive songs to look forward to at our November session.  Thanks all.   

H

Chichester Local Group Report - Thursday September 18th 2025

11 singers attended the Chichester Inn kindly led by Dave G on this occasion.
 
At Dave’s request, Henny updated the group on forthcoming events – cancellation of Petworth in view of bad timing and confirmation that the Weald & Downland event was still scheduled and essential wrist bands would be issued in due course.
 
Following this, the group of eleven launched into the first of eleven songs!  "Country Life" was the usual good opening number with advice from Dave to keep it sprightly but ensure words could still be heard.  Ale Good Ale was a rousing follow up before moving on to practice a couple of the newer additions to the repertoire – "England For Me" where it was generally agreed that removing the verse referring to Cornwall made it more relevant to Sussex and evened up the verses at the end, this was followed by "Come Stranger Come Friend" tried in various keys.  More work was probably required to get these “performance ready”.  Back to the familiar with "Jim the Carter Lad" with advice from Dave to keep it light!  "On Sussex Hills" came next, sung with usual gusto and the first half concluded with "To Be a Farmer’s Boy".  With several suggestions on word emphasis and that the last line be omitted, Dave commented that he was pleasantly surprised how well everyone knew this and brought the first half to a finish. 
 
Before the start of the second half, Dave sang a sample of Dave Webber’s "Lady of Autumn" song, with the thought that this was particularly suitable for late Autumn.  The group liked it and he undertook to get words and demo to Steve W for inclusion on he “Songs to Try” blog.
 
In view of Armistice Day coming up, Dave selected a couple of suitable songs:-
"Follow Me Home" with men and women joining in separately, following some clarification of lines it went well.  "Home Lads Home" came next in a similar theme with the group remembering to lower the volume in the more poignant verses.  
 
At Alan’s request, the group practiced Amaryllis’s version of "Tommy" which was likely to be sung at the upcoming Arundel Orchard performance.  
 
Reverting to a song not often tried, Dave led the group through the Coppers "Birds on the Spray".  To Assist Steve W played Tina’s version of the song which can be found on the SDFS blog. Finally the evening was concluded with the men taking the lead on "Hard Times of Old England" and all singing a rousing "Pleasant and Delightful".
 
Everyone thanked Dave for his efforts on putting together an interesting evening and leading the group efficiently through it, not an easy task!
 
 
Anne Sartain