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Worse than waiting for a certificate!

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  • Worse than waiting for a certificate!

    Amongst some family photos, last weekend I spotted my father's printed copy of the words of a hymn used at my parents' wedding. It notes that he had written a tune for it for the occasion (I had known about this) called "Burnt Roof" (in acknowledgment that the ceremony was taking place in the roofless St Laurence's, Foleshill, in the October of 1941 - which was after it had lost its roof to a WW2 firebomb). My father had mentioned this tune occasionally, but we'd never had a copy. He was musical, but never seemed to use conventional music notation, so it was doubtful that it could have survived in hard copy; he died in 1980, and I don't think he really remembered the tune even in the 1970s. The document also noted that the organist, with the unusual surname GAZEY had written a descant.

    I couldn't resist the temptation, and started playing around with BMD and census records on Ancestry - mainly BMD, of course. The combinations of initials and surname were sufficiently rare - coupled with the midlands location - to enable me to construct a plausible tree, down to quite recent names. I did some googling, and realised that I was in a position to contact his niece, and then another site had a PM system that would allow me to contact someone who must be his daughter.

    I sent messages to both, explaining my quest, and that I was hoping that a musician - and subsequently his family - would have retained something in which he had had such a personal stake (writing the descant). In which case, please could I have a copy? The niece was kind enough to reply and give me direct-contact info for his daughter. There had been family issues which complicated the picture, but his daughter was kind enough to reply, too. Sadly, she had very little of her father's effects, and thought that his music portfolio had probably been lost.

    Then I had a fresh message this afternoon from his daughter...
    <... snip ...> Point is I had a brainwave concerning some essays I still have of my father's, and tucked in with them is a small music book. I have definitely found a reference to the hymn you are seeking, and the accompanying small piece of music might be the descant. Give me your postal address and I'll forward a photocopy. I'm not that clever at scanning.
    And she added a chunk of info from the document she'd found which makes it very clear that this is, at least, the descant for the relevant hymn.

    Needless to say, I replied with all my contact info as soon as I spotted her incoming email. Now I have to wait and see what comes! She has been kind and generous enough to give up her time to have a look through her father's papers for me, and is offering to make a copy of what I'm after and post it to me. How can I stay patient?!

    Christine
    Researching: BENNETT (Leics/Birmingham-ish) - incl. Leonard BENNETT in Detroit & Florida ; WARR/WOR, STRATFORD & GARDNER/GARNAR (Oxon); CHRISTMAS, RUSSELL, PAFOOT/PAFFORD (Hants); BIGWOOD, HAYLER/HAILOR (Sussex); LANCASTER (Beds, Berks, Wilts) - plus - COCKS (Spitalfields, Liverpool, Plymouth); RUSE/ROWSE, TREMEER, WADLIN(G)/WADLETON (Devonport, E Cornwall); GOULD (S Devon); CHAPMAN, HALL/HOLE, HORN (N Devon); BARRON, SCANTLEBURY (Mevagissey)...

  • #2
    That's great Christine, I can see why something like that would mean a lot to you, and how kind of your contact to keep you in mind and to have made further efforts on your behalf.

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Jill on the A272 View Post
      That's great Christine, I can see why something like that would mean a lot to you, and how kind of your contact to keep you in mind and to have made further efforts on your behalf.
      Absolutely! I really hadn't expected her to start hunting through papers like that - I had assumed that there was nothing to search. But while one half of my brain is agreeing with what you've said, the other half is saying "Why isn't it here already?"!

      Christine
      Researching: BENNETT (Leics/Birmingham-ish) - incl. Leonard BENNETT in Detroit & Florida ; WARR/WOR, STRATFORD & GARDNER/GARNAR (Oxon); CHRISTMAS, RUSSELL, PAFOOT/PAFFORD (Hants); BIGWOOD, HAYLER/HAILOR (Sussex); LANCASTER (Beds, Berks, Wilts) - plus - COCKS (Spitalfields, Liverpool, Plymouth); RUSE/ROWSE, TREMEER, WADLIN(G)/WADLETON (Devonport, E Cornwall); GOULD (S Devon); CHAPMAN, HALL/HOLE, HORN (N Devon); BARRON, SCANTLEBURY (Mevagissey)...

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      • #4
        I would be stalking the postie too and then feelking cheated when it hadn't arrived even though I knew I needed to be patient.How lucky for you that this person has been so kind.

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        • #5
          Hopes racked up another notch!

          I received an email this morning...

          <... snip...> I just have two pages that are relevant in Daddy's work book and I intended to send them both. The music is properly written out, is labelled Burnt Roof, and I believe it is exactly what you are seeking. As there are two treble clef bars, it must be both the main tune and the descant. Not being musical it took me a little while to realise that. <... snip ...>
          In fact we have now spoken on the phone, and the envelope goes into the post this afternoon. How long will it take to get here, do you think? .*noise of champed bits echoes around*

          Christine
          Researching: BENNETT (Leics/Birmingham-ish) - incl. Leonard BENNETT in Detroit & Florida ; WARR/WOR, STRATFORD & GARDNER/GARNAR (Oxon); CHRISTMAS, RUSSELL, PAFOOT/PAFFORD (Hants); BIGWOOD, HAYLER/HAILOR (Sussex); LANCASTER (Beds, Berks, Wilts) - plus - COCKS (Spitalfields, Liverpool, Plymouth); RUSE/ROWSE, TREMEER, WADLIN(G)/WADLETON (Devonport, E Cornwall); GOULD (S Devon); CHAPMAN, HALL/HOLE, HORN (N Devon); BARRON, SCANTLEBURY (Mevagissey)...

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          • #6
            Christine

            That's lovely I'm so pleased for you!
            ~ with love from Little Nell~
            Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

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            • #7
              How exciting, let us know when it arrives

              Linda

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              • #8
                How exciting, the worst part is always the wait.

                It would be lovely to hear the Hymn....Have you any thoughts about putting it on you tube music

                Tralena

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Tralena View Post
                  How exciting, the worst part is always the wait.

                  It would be lovely to hear the Hymn....Have you any thoughts about putting it on you tube music

                  Tralena
                  At the moment, I'm just trying not to be too confident that it really is the right thing - or, rather, the whole of it. It's nearly 70 years since it was composed - and nearly that since it was last used, so far as I know.

                  My first ambition - if it really is the tune, and we can work out what the harmonies were supposed to be - is to convince my niece that she wants to swap this hymn in for one of the existing set for her wedding next June. Since it's her event - and her fiancé's - it's certainly not something to be forced on her! But it would be nice to think of it being used again in its intended context of a wedding... For the ecumenically-minded Christians amongst us, it would also be special in combining a Methodist hymn, with a tune composed by a C of E clergyman (one originally baptised into the Congregational Church - which is now integrated into the URC), with a descant composed by a Methodist musician, in the context of a Roman Catholic wedding ceremony! (Sorry I can't think of a way of weaving in a Baptist or Orthodox connection.)

                  Christine

                  ...Come on, Postie!
                  Researching: BENNETT (Leics/Birmingham-ish) - incl. Leonard BENNETT in Detroit & Florida ; WARR/WOR, STRATFORD & GARDNER/GARNAR (Oxon); CHRISTMAS, RUSSELL, PAFOOT/PAFFORD (Hants); BIGWOOD, HAYLER/HAILOR (Sussex); LANCASTER (Beds, Berks, Wilts) - plus - COCKS (Spitalfields, Liverpool, Plymouth); RUSE/ROWSE, TREMEER, WADLIN(G)/WADLETON (Devonport, E Cornwall); GOULD (S Devon); CHAPMAN, HALL/HOLE, HORN (N Devon); BARRON, SCANTLEBURY (Mevagissey)...

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                  • #10
                    What a lovely thought......

                    Oh I do hope your niece and her fiancé can incorporate the Hymn in to their wedding, with so many sectors of the faith involved, it can only be a good omen.

                    It would be unique to their special day, a piece of family history (and weddings are all about family) and I bet your Dad would be honoured.

                    If its just not possible for the bride and Groom to fit it in, may be another family member could use it in a blessing.

                    I'm a sentimental fool and I believe in fate.....I know I would have used it.

                    Tralena

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                    • #11
                      Well...

                      We were woken this morning by a doorbell-ring at 7:30. It was the Special Delivery postman... WITH THE ENVELOPE!

                      I hadn't realised what a strong reaction I would have. Fortunately, my husband was prepared for a breakfast of "burnt Weetabix" (it wasn't that bad - just that the tea was a bit cold!).

                      The music is complete: four-part harmonisation to the tune, plus the descant. And there's a copy of the words with the musical dynamic markings (i.e. loud/soft, etc) to accompany it!

                      It just seems extraordinary to have found the music after almost 70 years, when so many things could have meant it would have been lost/destroyed.

                      And utmost thanks to the daughter for [a] looking for the music [b] getting copies made [c] posting them to me and [d] choosing to post them Special Delivery so that I didn't have to wait.

                      Christine
                      Last edited by Christine in Herts; 28-01-10, 14:17.
                      Researching: BENNETT (Leics/Birmingham-ish) - incl. Leonard BENNETT in Detroit & Florida ; WARR/WOR, STRATFORD & GARDNER/GARNAR (Oxon); CHRISTMAS, RUSSELL, PAFOOT/PAFFORD (Hants); BIGWOOD, HAYLER/HAILOR (Sussex); LANCASTER (Beds, Berks, Wilts) - plus - COCKS (Spitalfields, Liverpool, Plymouth); RUSE/ROWSE, TREMEER, WADLIN(G)/WADLETON (Devonport, E Cornwall); GOULD (S Devon); CHAPMAN, HALL/HOLE, HORN (N Devon); BARRON, SCANTLEBURY (Mevagissey)...

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                      • #12
                        What a wonderful result.
                        I'm really pleased for you and how great that your contact took so much trouble with your request.

                        How long until you hear the actual music?

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                        • #13
                          Fantastic Christine, have you played it yet?
                          Vivienne passed away July 2013

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                          • #14
                            How amazing! What a tear jerker that is going to be when you hear it! Tracking it down was so clever of you too! Have you thought of working for "Heir Hunters"?

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                            • #15
                              I ought to be able to play it myself, but I don't think I can play it smoothly enough to get the feel of it properly. I think I might try asking our organist if he'll play it over for me... That's either a visit tonight, if he and his family are "at home to visitors", or wait until tomorrow evening's choir practice.

                              As for being clever,
                              the surname GAZEY is rare enough [a] to be pretty easy to follow, and [b] to have some people online researching it, who are googleable. I had his initials, too, as well as where he lived in the 1940s, so it was fairly straightforward.

                              Christine
                              Researching: BENNETT (Leics/Birmingham-ish) - incl. Leonard BENNETT in Detroit & Florida ; WARR/WOR, STRATFORD & GARDNER/GARNAR (Oxon); CHRISTMAS, RUSSELL, PAFOOT/PAFFORD (Hants); BIGWOOD, HAYLER/HAILOR (Sussex); LANCASTER (Beds, Berks, Wilts) - plus - COCKS (Spitalfields, Liverpool, Plymouth); RUSE/ROWSE, TREMEER, WADLIN(G)/WADLETON (Devonport, E Cornwall); GOULD (S Devon); CHAPMAN, HALL/HOLE, HORN (N Devon); BARRON, SCANTLEBURY (Mevagissey)...

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                              • #16
                                Just out of interest, what words is it set to or what will it fit?
                                Uncle John - Passed away March 2020

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                                • #17
                                  The hymn is No 774 in the old Methodist Hymn Book: "O God of Love, to Thee we bow,". In the MHB, it's set to "Saffron Walden", so the metre is 8.8.8.6.

                                  The words are by William Vaughan Jenkins 1868 - 1920. (It says.)

                                  It's actually a very lovely hymn - I'm surprised it hasn't appeared in more hymn-books, especially given that some of the ones that have "taken" have not necessarily been of the best quality (however much fun to sing!).

                                  Christine
                                  Researching: BENNETT (Leics/Birmingham-ish) - incl. Leonard BENNETT in Detroit & Florida ; WARR/WOR, STRATFORD & GARDNER/GARNAR (Oxon); CHRISTMAS, RUSSELL, PAFOOT/PAFFORD (Hants); BIGWOOD, HAYLER/HAILOR (Sussex); LANCASTER (Beds, Berks, Wilts) - plus - COCKS (Spitalfields, Liverpool, Plymouth); RUSE/ROWSE, TREMEER, WADLIN(G)/WADLETON (Devonport, E Cornwall); GOULD (S Devon); CHAPMAN, HALL/HOLE, HORN (N Devon); BARRON, SCANTLEBURY (Mevagissey)...

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                                  • #18
                                    How wonderful for you. Hope you can get someone to play it for you soon.
                                    Kit

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                                    • #19
                                      How fantastic

                                      Thanks for letting us know

                                      Linda

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                                      • #20
                                        *Reaches for MHB*

                                        The words are bit sentimental for my taste! We had 777 (O Perfect Love) at our wedding. Re-reading it 40-odd years later it's also a bit sentimental!
                                        Uncle John - Passed away March 2020

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