South Brent

Some of the singers may have been known to Sabine already, like James Parsons, who gave up the most songs in the closing months of 1888, living up to his inherited title of The Singing Machine.

My story now continues as we find Sabine making one excursion away from his local area in that autumn of 1888, as he travels round the lower edge of Dartmoor to discover two songmen in the village of South Brent on the southern side of Dartmoor.

What follows must be from one of the letters Sabine received from his request in the Western Morning News, asking readers if they knew any of the old folk songs.

It is from a passage in Further Reminiscences where Sabine wrote that a Mr Spence Bate, who lived in the village of South Bremt, had written telling him of John Helmore and Robert Hard, both notable songmen living in his village.

Would Mr Baringald and Mr Shepherd like to pay him a visit to gather up some of the music from the two singers? So without delay, off go the two Parsons to South Brent to stay with Mr Bate.

In the depth of winter, and it was bitter cold, wrote Sabine.

Mr Bate had organised the evening of Sabine and Shepherd's arrival for the two singers to sing their songs.

Once again, another mix-up by Sabine as to who sang the song that night.