Minutes of Sacred Harp Singings

The 23rd Oxford All-Day Singing was held on Saturday before the fourth Sunday in June. Sheila Girling Macadam called the class to order at 10:30 a.m. leading 34b. Andrew Clark offered the opening prayer. The following officers were elected or appointed to serve: Chairman—Sheila Girling Macadam; Treasurer—Werner Ullah; Secretaries—Edwin Macadam and Nick Hall; Arranging Committee—Sheila Girling Macadam and Emma Rock; Pitchers—Rachel Jordan, Toby Goss, Steve Brett, and Sam Turner; Chaplains—Andrew Clark and Chris Coombs.

Leaders: Edwin Macadam 47t; Toby Goss 38t; Emma Rock 335; Wendy Stone 49b; Brenda Harvey 89; David Garman 217; Nigel Bowley 29b; Sam Turner 59; Michelle Rice 101b; Werner Ullah 49t; Neil Horlock 324; Joyce Smith 144; Andrew Clark 31t; Rachel Jordan 52t.

RECESS

Nigel Bowley brought the class back to order leading 159. Leaders: Nick Hall 105; Andrew Clark 162; Dilwyn Scott 40; Bridget McVennon-Morgan 192; George Simms 515; Steve Brett 492; Robin Bisson 171; Wendy Stone 318; Werner Ullah 313b; David Garman 133; Toby Goss 198; Sam Turner 297; Sheila Girling Macadam 562; Neil Horlock 504; Brenda Harvey 99; Rachel Jordan 546.

RECESS

Emma Rock brought the class back to the third session leading 29t. Leaders: Robin Bisson 350; Michelle Rice 201; George Simms 510.

Chris Coombs conducted a combined sick and housebound and memorial lesson. For the former, he drew on his personal experience of loneliness during the pandemic lockdown. We were asked to think of the following people: Alastair Sayles, John Carty, Lydia Lewallen, Susanna Martin, Lisa Hall, Jordan Hall, and Anne Bird. Chris continued with focusing on remembering those we no longer see. In treasuring the contribution they had made to our lives, he asked us to consider the words of Sir Terry Pratchett in his book Going Postal: ‘A man’s not dead whilst his name is still spoken’. We were asked to continue to speak the names of the following deceased: Giles Cooper-Hall, Ian Wallace, Peter Grant, Brian Mitchell, Rebecca Over, Pat Sexton, Sylvia Delaney, James Neame, Monica Botting, Will Smith, and Mark Bagshaw—United Kingdom; Tony Barrand, Margaret Dale Barrand, and Larry Gordon—Vermont, USA. Chris led 103 for those on both lists, and Andrew Clark closed the memorial with prayer.

Singing resumed with Edwin Macadam leading the song on page 566. Leaders: Andrew Clark 569b; Joyce Smith 271t; Bridget McVennon-Morgan 183; Nigel Bowley 466; Wendy Stone 481; Sam Turner 360. Edwin Macadam offered thanks for the mid-day meal.

LUNCH

The first afternoon session commenced with Sheila Girling Macadam leading 39t. Leaders: Dilwyn Scott 268; Brenda Harvey 155; Toby Goss 163b; Neil Horlock 400; Werner Ullah 503; Emma Rock 564; David Garman 277; Joyce Smith 320; Robin Bisson 163t; Nick Hall 153; Bridget McVennon-Morgan 213t; George Simms 486; Rachel Jordan 269; Steve Brett 394; Werner Ullah 278t; Sheila Girling Macadam 500; Edwin Macadam 236.

RECESS

The final session commenced with Wendy Stone leading 178. Leaders: Michelle Rice 421; David Garman 128; Nick Hall 475; Sam Turner 189; Andrew Clark 347; Toby Goss 472; Nigel Bowley 565; Robin Bisson 280; George Simms 344; Brenda Harvey 497; Rachel Jordan 528; Joyce Smith 384; Steve Brett 445; Bridget McVennon-Morgan 131b; Emma Rock 285t.

The Secretaries reported twenty-eight singers had registered from the UK, and eighty songs had been led by nineteen leaders. The Treasurer reported all the day’s expenses had been met. Announcements were made. Sheila Girling Macadam and Edwin Macadam thanked all the officers, committees and anyone who helped in any way to make this singing a success. It was agreed the 24th Oxford All-Day Singing should be held at the Botley Women’s Institute Hall on Saturday 24 June 2023.

Sheila Girling Macadam and Edwin Macadam led 474 as the closing song. Andrew Clark offered the closing prayer, after which the class was dismissed.

Chairman—Sheila Girling Macadam; Treasurer—Werner Ullah; Secretaries—Edwin Macadam and Nick Hall