HAM/05/37/09	Letter from H.E.D Hammond to Lucy Broadwood (16 Oct 1905) accompanying songs sent, plus details of singers	HAM-05-366.gif HAM-05-367.gif HAM-05-368.gif HAM-05-369.gif HAM-05-370.gif HAM-05-364.gif HAM-05-365.gif
The Vicarage
E. Clevedon,
Somt.
Oct 16. 1905,
[crossed out, to the left of the above, is The Blue Vinny, Puddletown, Dorsetshire.]
Dear Miss Broadwood,
I am sending you today 10 carols and 65 songs which my brother and I have collected in Dorsetshire.
There are about 90 more songs to follow.
I do not know whether the carols are of any real value or not. If they are, I think more might be got.
One carol is from Baker of Bere Regis, a carter, age about 45, but I expect Baker got it from one Clark who
.... next page
learnt his songs in Sussex. The tune however resembles that of no 72 of this collection.
The other nine I got from Scott of Pulham, aged 80 or thereabouts. Scott was one of a band of carol singers in the days when such bands did a fortnight's carol singing at the neighbouring farm houses &c, and collected sometimes "as much as £8." All I can say about Scott's carols id the the music is at any rate vigorous, and that the words con't seem to be of great age or conspicuous merit.
The singers of the songs are Geo Roper, age over 80, inmate of Blandford Workhouse, a noted singer in his day in Charlton Marshall close to Blandford. He
.... next page on the same frame
learnt his songs from his parents and old men in Charlton Marshall.
Wm. Bartlett, age 83, inmate of Wimbourne Workhouse, who was never in his life 'further than Salisbury' and was chiefly engaged as a carter in the Piddle country and in Bridport. He must have been a great singer.
John Ball, age 83, of the River Almshouse Blandford, asthmatic,m and almost past singing, born in Blandford and a genuine Dorset man.
Rob. Shepherd ex Metrop Policeman, native of Child Oakford [sic], who sang us "Rose in June" a very common tune in Dorset.
Mrs Edmond, A Sturminster woman living in Child Oakford [sic], who sang 'My bonny Irish boy'
Miss Brown of Lydlinch who contributed versions of 'Lord Rendel' and 'The Sprig of Thyme', the latter through Miss Forse the local schoolmistress.
Henry Adams, age 50 odd years, of Sturminster Newton, labourer.
Geo. Moore age ? 65? of Hazelbury Bryan an ex-cattle drover, born at Droop, son of a publican, and himself without doubt a sinner {sic], who had travelled in his early days between Sturminster and Priddy in the Mendips.
I know that we are sending you a good many versions and variants of tunes already known.
.... next page
We want however to show the types of song to be found in Dorsetshire.
As far as modal tunes go, and possibly in all respects you will, I think, find the last 90 songs more interesting than the first batch.
We shall send them to you in a few days.
Please keep everything that is of any use. We want nothing returned of this collection, as we have the originals of words and music.
With regard to the Somerset collection I think I have most of the words and the tunes from 71-79.
I should like to have a copy of the rest of the tunes and words,
.... next page
but perhaps I had better write to you later on about the matter, when I have been able to get at my MSS.
I shall be glad to hear from you, when you have had time to look at the songs we are now sending, whether you have found anything interesting among them.
I am
Yours very truly
HED Hammond

When revising my tunes, I found I had made several mistakes in copying them.
If you detect any more, or any thing doubtful in any tune, will you kindly let me know so that I may refer to my jottings.