The Parson & the Songmen
The Reverend Sabine Baring Gould was an exceptional parson and squire from Devonshire, England.
He is probably best remembered as the composer of the hymn 'Onward Christian Soldiers'.
Born in Exeter in 1834, he died at his estate, Lewtrenchard Manor in West Devon, in 1924.
As 2024 is the centenary of his death it gives me the opportunity to spotlight what he considered to be the most important achievement of his life, that of collecting the old folk songs of Devonshire, and later Cornwall, as he termed it, 'from the mouths of the people'.
Join me as I tell stories about, and sing songs from, this far from ordinary Victorian country parson as he travelled by pony and trap across his native Devonshire seeking out songs that now form a major part of the English folk song tradition.
The Parson & the Songmen
20 Further Reading
This podcast is aimed at those of you who may wish to do some of your own research into the life and folk song collecting of the Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould.
You will have heard the titles of some books in the past episodes of this series, so to find out more about them then listen away!
Also below is a list of the texts that are referred to:
'Songs Of The West - Folk Songs of Devon And Cornwall Collected From The Mouths Of The People by S Baring-Gould MA, H Fleetwood Sheppard MA, and FW Bussell Mus Doc DD.
Published by Methuen & Co Ltd. 36 Essex St, W.C. London.
'Early Reminiscences 1834-1864' By S Baring-Gould
'Further Reminiscences 1864-1894' By S Baring-Gould
Both published by John Lane. The Bodley Head Ltd. Vigo St, London.
'Onward Christian Soldier - A Life Of Sabine Baring-Gould, Parson, Squire, Novelist, Antiquary 1834-1924' by Rev William Purcell.
Published by Longmans Green & Co Ltd. 6 & 7 Clifford St, London W1.
'Sabine Baring-Gould - Squarson Writer And Folklorist 1834-1924' by Bickford HC Dickenson. Published by David & Charles, Newton Abbot
'Half My Life - The Story Of Sabine Baring-Gould And Grace' by Keith Lister.
Published by Charnwood Publications, 13 Grove Rd, Horbury, Wakefield, West Yorks.
'As I Walked Out - Sabine Baring-Gould And The Search For The Folk Songs Of Devon And Cornwall' by Martin Graebe.
Published by Signal Books Ltd. 36 Minster Rd, Oxford.
Mike's website: mikebosworth.uk
Podcast producer: jontidball@hotmail.co.uk
Follow Mike on: https://www.facebook.com/people/The-Parson-and-the-Songmen/100093220748945/
Mike's YouTube page for Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould songs:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=thimblerigg+videos
Sabine Baring-Gould Centenary Celebration Group - 1924 to 2024: https://www.sbgcentenary.co.uk/
Simon Mayor, ace mandolinist: mandolin.co.uk
Mike O'Connor, musicologist and musician: http://www.lyngham.co.uk/
Barbara Griggs, Cornish-based Harpist: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Children-Arganteilin-Harp-Cornwall/dp/0954106857
Pete Coe, One Man Folk Industry: https://petecoe.co.uk/