Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, September 12

The 14th United Kingdom Sacred Harp Convention was called to order by Judy Whiting leading 50b. Rev. Paul Sanderson offered the opening prayer. Judy Whiting welcomed the class and led 34b.

Leaders: Helen Brown 171; Ian West 84; Hannah Land 30t; Ted Brown 72b; Maria Wallace 142; Sarah West 370; Carmel Wood 270; Sharon Langridge 99; Michael Walker 411; Anne Eringa 535; Sheila Girling Macadam 506; Phil Tyler 91; Edwin Macadam 300; Cath Tyler 47t; Ted Mercer 349; Linda Reed 287; Ruth Steggles 49b; Chuck Crawford 52t; Rachel Jordan 474; Steven Levine 164; Jacqui Selby MacLeod 131b; Nick Hall 494.

RECESS

Ian West called the class back together leading 32t. Leaders: Benny Ross 40; Steve Fletcher 504; Adrian Bolge 503; Pleasance Crawford 150; Dave Townsend 324; Mick Verrier 217; Aaron Kahn 209; Mandy Townsend 318; Sarah West 498; Chris Brown 501; Hannah Land 544; Judy Whiting 354t; Ted Brown 97; Helen Brown 507; Carmel Wood 306; Steven Levine 344; Maria Wallace 448t; Sharon Langridge 313b; Ted Mercer 187; Sheila Girling Macadam 442; Michael Walker 280; Anne Eringa 168; Rachel Jordan 192; Edwin Macadam 538; Helen Barber 64. Paul Sanderson offered the blessing for the noon meal.

LUNCH

Hannah Land called the class to order leading 457. Leaders: Chuck Crawford 225t; Judy Whiting 178; Phil Tyler 157; Ruth Steggles 454; Nick Hall 455; Cath Tyler 250; Benny Ross 330t; Jacqui Selby MacLeod 312b; Pleasance Crawford 505; Amanda Boughton 47b; Ian West 500; Linda Reed 268; Steve Fletcher 65; Dave Townsend 288.

RECESS

The class was brought back together by Carmel Wood leading 282. Leaders: Mick Verrier 383; Adrian Bolge 350; Mandy Townsend 203; Aaron Kahn 183; Sarah West 430; Ted Brown 176b; Hannah Land 145t; Steven Levine 28b; Helen Brown 422; Ted Mercer 86; Maria Wallace 38b; Michael Walker 213t; Sharon Langridge 35.

Chris Brown led 56t as the closing song. Paul Sanderson offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Sunday, September 13

The Sunday session of the United Kingdom Sacred Harp Convention was brought to order by Chris Brown leading 82t. Paul Sanderson offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Chris Brown 466; Helen Brown 492; Benny Ross 297; Judy Whiting 34b; Margaret Gillanders 542; Chuck Crawford 101t; Helen Barber 122; Anne Eringa 335; Edwin Macadam 472; Rachel Jordan 384; Phil Tyler 30b; Reda McIntosh 159; Sheila Girling Macadam 299; Ruth Steggles 294; Nick Hall 569b; Jacqui Selby MacLeod 47b; Cath Tyler 419; Ian West 101b; Pleasance Crawford 485; Linda Reed 479.

RECESS

Rachel Jordan called the class back to order leading 66. Leaders: Adrian Bolge 72b; Steve Fletcher 107; Emily Verrier 146; Dave Townsend 481; Carmel Wood 48b; Mick Verrier 163t; Alice Metherell 276; Mandy Townsend 532; Sarah West 432; Ted Brown 496.

Michael Walker conducted the memorial lesson and led 285t in memory of the following deceased: Jean Cousins—Lowestoft; Jeremy Hayter, Audrey Nathan, Johnny Collins, Simon—London; Margaret Clay—Stockport; David Williams—Keighley; Stanley Robertson—Aberdeen; Sylvia Catlow—Bury; Andy Gavin, Michael Hayter—Hemel Hempstead; Timothy Hayer—Amsterdam; Les—Foolow; David Little—Leicester; Jim Lewis—Bedford; Ron Lewis—Barnstaple; Malcolm Douglas—Sheffield; Sue Briggs—Nottingham; Ann Cox, Florence Mellor—Oldham; Jack Walne—Beaconsfield; Olga King—Solihull; Henry Allingham, Harry Patch, John Lowerson—Lewes; Gill Brunton—Newcastle; Stan Shaw—Bolton; Gladys Buchanan—Cheam; Deirdre Powell—Winchester; Beryl Satterthwaite, Michael Bickel—Chiselhurst; Alf Reeves Eastwood—Tatsfield; Trevor Sanderson—Ealing; Gwynneth Ford—Dunstable; Rose Adelaide Baker—Massachusetts; Marie Holloway—Maryland; James Oss—Indianapolis; John Etheridge—Florida; Denson Hinton—Alabama; Bill Reynolds—Tennessee.

Sharon Langridge spoke for the following sick and housebound; Gina le Faux, Cherri Graebe, Judy Chambless, Lynne Cousins, John Plunkett, Doreen Grime, Kathy Armstrong, Leo McGuigan, Erik Mogenson, David Dakin, Amanda, Alan Jackson, Paul Ruth, Robert Freestone, Rebecca Havard, Victoria Bolles, Alex Stabler, Christopher Wood, Simon Everson, John Davies, Bernard Collard, Joan Andrews, Mabs Pasquire, Andy, David Lee, Gillian Ford, Maureen Gamlin, and June Powell. She led 68b in their honor. Paul Sanderson offered prayer to close the memorial lesson.

Leaders: Steven Levine 29t; Hannah Land 56b; Ted Mercer 273; Maria Wallace 457; Benny Ross 441; Chuck Crawford 274t; Judy Whiting 328. Paul Sanderson offered thanks for the midday meal.

LUNCH

The afternoon session was brought to order by Ted Brown and Helen Brown leading 111b. Leaders: Phil Tyler 477; Margaret Gillanders 475; Jenny Reid 504; Michael Walker 134; Anne Eringa 277; Sharon Langridge 212; Rachel Jordan 189; Helen Barber 153; Nick Hall 464; Sheila Girling Macadam 142; Jacqui Selby MacLeod 512; Edwin Macadam 236; Pleasance Crawford 177; Ian West 102; Linda Reed 534; Adrian Bolge 156; Steve Fletcher 148.

There was a brief business meeting. It was agreed overwhelmingly that the date of the 2011 and subsequent conventions be moved to the third Sunday and Saturday before in September to avoid the current clash with the United Sacred Harp Musical Association Convention. Chris Brown, the 2009 co-chairman and Mick Verrier, the chairman for 2010, led 28t.

RECESS

Sarah West called the class back together leading 354b. Leaders: Dave Townsend 155; Cath Tyler 193; Aaron Kahn 284; Carmel Wood 490; Alice Metherell 209; Amanda Boughton 410t; Mandy Townsend 84; Jenny Reid 178; Chuck Crawford 147b; Helen Brown and Ted Brown 77t; Ted Mercer 515; Pleasance Crawford 521; Steven Levine 192.

Chris Brown and Judy Whiting led 323t as the closing song. Rev. Paul Sanderson offered the closing prayer.

Co-Chairpersons—Chris Brown and Judy Whiting; Secretary—Sharon Langridge