Vaughan Williams Memorial Library facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Vaughan Williams Memorial Library |
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| Cecil Sharp House in Regent's Park, London, home to the English Folk Dance and Song Society | |
| Coordinates | 51°32′17″N 0°08′57″W / 51.5381°N 0.1493°W |
The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library (often called VWML) is a special library and archive in London, England. It belongs to the English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS). You can find it inside Cecil Sharp House, which is the main building for the EFDSS.
This library is like a treasure chest of information about traditional British folk music and dance. It has many different types of items. You can find books, magazines, and recordings of music and videos. There are also old photos, sound recordings, and handwritten notes. These notes were made by people who collected folk songs and dances long ago. Experts say the VWML is the most important place in the country for these materials.
The library is named after Ralph Vaughan Williams. He was a famous composer and also collected folk music. He was also a past president of the EFDSS. He passed away in 1958. Before it was named after him, it was called the Cecil Sharp Library. This was because Cecil Sharp's own books made up most of the first collection.
Over the years, the library has grown a lot. It now includes books, recordings, and handwritten papers from many other folklorists and collectors. Some of these include Lucy Broadwood, Janet Blunt, Anne Gilchrist, and George Butterworth. The library also has copies of papers from Sabine Baring-Gould and James Madison Carpenter. You can also find old recordings made by Percy Grainger and the BBC Folk Music Archive.
Contents
What Can You Find at the VWML?
The VWML covers many interesting topics related to folk traditions.
Folk Songs and Music
- Folk/traditional/popular song: These are songs passed down through generations.
- Child Ballads: These are very old traditional songs.
- Broadside ballads: These were songs printed on large sheets of paper.
- Industrial/occupational songs: Songs about work and jobs.
- Sea songs/shanties: Songs sung by sailors.
- Singing games: Games that involve singing.
- Nursery rhymes: Simple rhymes for children.
- Street cries: Calls made by street sellers.
- Carols/hymns: Traditional religious songs.
- Rounds/glees/part songs: Songs sung in parts.
- Music hall: A type of popular entertainment.
Folk Dances
- Ritual/ceremonial dance: Dances used in special events.
- Morris dance/sword dance: Traditional English folk dances.
Exploring the VWML Online
You don't always have to visit the library in person! The VWML has a great online archive.
When Did the Online Archive Start?
The online part of the VWML, called VWML Online, started in May 2006. This made it easier for people all over the world to explore its collections.
What Can You Find Online?
- Indexes to collections: These are lists that help you find items in the library's handwritten collections.
- Mummers' plays index: A list of traditional folk plays.
- Roud Folk Song and Broadside Indexes: These are the biggest lists of folk songs and broadside ballads in English.
- Leslie Shepard's book collection: A special collection of books given by a famous folk music expert.
The "Take 6 Archive"
You can also find the papers of six important UK folk song collectors online. This is called the "Take 6 archive." It includes their indexes and over 22,000 images of collected materials. More than 5,000 of these are songs!
Cecil Sharp's Diaries and Photos
You can even view Cecil Sharp's diaries from his trips to the Appalachian mountains between 1915 and 1918. These are available as handwritten notes and typed versions. There are also over 300 photos from his collection. Most of these photos are of the people who shared their music with him in North America and England.
