Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

Saturday, April 27

The East Midlands Sacred Harp Convention was called to order by Ian West leading 47t. Joe Vickers offered the opening prayer.

The following officers were elected or appointed to serve: Chairman—Ian West; Vice Chairman—Helen Brown; Secretaries—Margaret Gillanders and Rosalind Oldham; Arranging Committee—Judy Whiting, Chris Brown, Dave Richardson, and Sarah West.

Leaders: Helen Brown 52t; Margaret Gillanders 39t; Chris Brown 31t; Judy Whiting 159 (for Maria Wallace); Carmel Wood 268 (for Dave Elliott); Dave Richardson 32t; Ted Brown 303; Hannah Land 480; Rebecca Over 411 (CB); Mike Morrisroe 171; Sarah West 565; Joe Vickers 38t (CB); Mandy Townsend 203; Kuba Choinski 112; Steve Fletcher 452; Beth Dixon 277; Rosalind Oldham and Daniel Oldham 573 (CB); Sadhbh O’Flynn 77t; Ella Cumber 225t; Declan Synnott 344; Sarah Hill 536 (CB); Michael Walker 67.

RECESS

Dave Richardson called the class together leading 145t (in memory of Bud Oliver). Leaders: Ruth Steggles 378t; Geoff Grainger 178; Jenneith Codrington 300; Fynn Titford-Mock 185; Kate Kirwan 433; Alex Dixon 33b; Alison Zunklei 36b; Duane Nasis 98 (CB); Helen Brown 542; Chris Brown 229; Margaret Gillanders 564; Judy Whiting 492; Carmel Wood 430; Ted Brown 391; Rebecca Over 477 (CB); Sarah West 175; Joe Vickers 137 (CB); Mandy Townsend 318; Kuba Choinski 84; Steve Fletcher 196; Michael Walker 371. Hannah Land asked the blessing on the mid-day meal.

LUNCH

Fynn Titford-Mock re-convened the class by leading 85. Leaders: Beth Dixon 432; David Moore 361; Rosalind Oldham 575 (CB); Sadhbh O’Flynn and Mariano Anastassiades 240; Joe Jones 30t; Sarah Hill 548 (for Cath Tyler); Declan Synnott 440; Ella Cumber 527; Susannah Gill 472; Geoff Grainger 339; Ruth Steggles 454; Jenneith Codrington 351; Dave Townsend 378t; Kate Kirwan 442; Alex Dixon 455; Alison Zunklei 511t (CB); Mike Morrisroe 304; Duane Nasis 220; Anna Baldini, Connie Baldini, Sally Sumner, Lottie Sumner, and Emily Verrier 146; Matthew Parkinson 275t; Dara Desmond 53; Ian West 140 (CB); Helen Brown and Dara Desmond 365; Dave Richardson and Rosalind Oldham 488 (CB); Mandy Townsend 217.

RECESS

Ted Brown called the class back together by leading 111b. Leaders: Judy Whiting 466; Dave Townsend 362; Carmel Wood 425; David Moore 189; Rebecca Over 209 (CB); Chris Brown 541; Margaret Gillanders 556; Joe Vickers 29t; Sarah West 224; Kuba Choinski 393t (CB); Steve Fletcher 392 (CB); Michael Walker 303 (CB); Beth Dixon 421; Matthew Parkinson 179; Sarah Hill 177; Fynn Titford-Mock 207; Anna Baldini 276; Mike Morrisroe 327; Alison Zunklei 571 (CB); Hannah Land 454 (CB); Joe Jones 569b; Dara Desmond 489; Ian West and Helen Brown 56t. The closing prayer was offered by Gillian White.

Sunday, April 28

The Sunday session of the East Midlands Sacred Harp Convention was called to order by Ian West leading 313t. Michael Walker offered the opening prayer.

Leaders: Helen Brown 145t; Margaret Gillanders 150; Chris Brown 28t; Ruth Steggles 28b; Geoff Grainger 474; Judy Whiting 354t; Ted Brown 338; Nadine Wills 448b; Rosalind Oldham 66; Nick Hall 563 (CB); Sharon Langridge 503; Edwin Macadam 466; Helena Reynolds 504; Rachel Jordan 183; Andreas Manz 27; Sheila Girling Macadam 553; Kate Kirwan 89; Duane Nassis 95; Sadhbh O’Flynn 318 (CB); Susannah Gill 547; Alex Dixon 313b; Jenneith Codrington 39t; Carmel Wood 70b.

RECESS

Leaders: Ella Cumber 74b; Fynn Titford-Mock 165; Michael Walker 47t (CB) (for the Tyler family); Kuba Choinski 100 (CB) (for Gosia Perycz); Steve Fletcher 168; Toby Goss 178; Ruth Steggles 77b; Beth Dixon 475; Alison Zunklei 105; Rosalind Oldham 478 (CB); Susannah Gill 142; Andreas Manz 102; Sharon Langridge 481; Nadine Wills 376; Nick Hall 441; Joe Jones 350; Helen Reynolds 31t; Sarah West 286; Rebecca Over 567 (CB).

The memorial lesson was conducted by Ted Brown and Sadhbh O’Flynn. Ted Brown spoke for the sick and housebound, and led 566 for the following: Josie Hyde, Maria Wallace, Shirley Figura, Bea Gilmore, Alan Jackson, Joan Spence, Lois Benton, Ted Alderson, Kathy House, Don and Charlotte Walker, Alison Wright, Christina Atkinson, Hannah Dunleary, Barbara Wood, Dave Elliott, Cath Tyler, Jean Finnegan, David Buckley, Sile O’Flynn, and Leo Mattysek.

Sadhbh O’Flynn spoke for the following deceased, and led 227 in their memory: Brenda Grimshaw, Harold Newell, Myrtle Ann Beasley (AL), Bud Oliver (AL), Malcolm Robertson, Geordie Tyrrell, Rita Nolfenden, Jean Dean, Niall Henderson (Southern Ireland), Jack O’Flynn (Long Island), Maria Sobolewska (Poland), Alexsandra Perycz (Poland), Dianne Brisbourne, Alfred Wilcox, David Daykin, John Barry, Stephen Frostick, Reginald and Gladys Girling, Finbarr Kennedy (Southern Ireland), Mark Ferguson (Southern Ireland), Tommy Hasset (Southern Ireland). Helen Brown closed the memorial lesson with prayer.

Leaders: Mike Morrisroe 390; Dara Desmond 134; Edwin Macadam 315; Declan Synnott 288.

LUNCH

Sharon Langridge re-convened the class leading 274t. Leaders: Carmel Wood 377; Sheila Girling Macadam 500; Sarah West 196; Toby Goss 385t; Dara Desmond 269; Chris Brown 56b; Rachel Jordan 192; Helen Brown 426b; Scott Lewin 488b (587) (CB); Duane Nasis 383; Ian West 268b (CB); Andreas Manz 284; Kuba Choinski 500 (CB); Mike Morrisroe 397; Ted Brown 113; Ella Cumber 133 (CB); Sadhbh O’Flynn 332; Alison Zunklei 270; Helena Reynolds 276.

RECESS

Duane Nasis called the class back to order by leading 129. Leaders: Michael Walker 153; Beth Dixon 282; Joe Jones 65; Kate Kirwan 290 (CB); Nadine Wills 417 (CB); Alex Dixon 448t; Jenneith Codrington 63; Declan Synnott 384; Rebecca Over 545 (CB); Andreas Manz 411 (CB); Margaret Gillanders 546; Fynn Titford-Mock 98; Steve Fletcher 380; Mike Morrisroe and Carmel Wood 521; Ella Cumber 222; Helen Brown and Ted Brown 373.

Ian West and Helen Brown led 95b (CB) as the closing song. Gillian White offered the closing prayer, and the class was dismissed.

Chairman—Ian West; Vice Chairman—Helen Brown; Secretaries—Margaret Gillanders and Rosalind Oldham