Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1953-[1982] (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
22 boxes and 7 shelves
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Born in London in 1908, Albert Lancaster (Bert) Lloyd was orphaned at an early age and spent his early years working on sheep stations in Australia and subsequently on Antartic whaling ships. Both these occupations were probably the catalyst for his interest in folk-song. Though Lloyd had no formal training as an ethnomusicologist, he built up a formidable personal knowledge of the world of folk-song in the British Isles and in eastern Europe. He combined a working career in journalism and broadcast with life as a folk performer, and also taught at Goldsmiths' College from 1971. Lloyd published The singing Englishman (Workers' Music Association) in 1944, and this work became the best introduction to folk-song before the later Folk song in England, written in 1967. The latter established him as the leading authority on his subject. Another strand of his work, that of work songs, is reflected in the collection of miners songs Come all ye bold miners published in 1952 and enlarged in 1978. Lloyd was also a founder member of Topic Records, and besides writing many sleeve notes also performed on many of the recordings. Bert Lloyd died in 1982.
Repository
Archival history
GB 2603 Lloyd 1953-[1982] Collection (fonds) 22 boxes and 7 shelves Lloyd , Albert Lancaster , 1908-1982 , folklorist
Born in London in 1908, Albert Lancaster (Bert) Lloyd was orphaned at an early age and spent his early years working on sheep stations in Australia and subsequently on Antartic whaling ships. Both these occupations were probably the catalyst for his interest in folk-song. Though Lloyd had no formal training as an ethnomusicologist, he built up a formidable personal knowledge of the world of folk-song in the British Isles and in eastern Europe. He combined a working career in journalism and broadcast with life as a folk performer, and also taught at Goldsmiths' College from 1971. Lloyd published The singing Englishman (Workers' Music Association) in 1944, and this work became the best introduction to folk-song before the later Folk song in England, written in 1967. The latter established him as the leading authority on his subject. Another strand of his work, that of work songs, is reflected in the collection of miners songs Come all ye bold miners published in 1952 and enlarged in 1978. Lloyd was also a founder member of Topic Records, and besides writing many sleeve notes also performed on many of the recordings. Bert Lloyd died in 1982.
Acquired from the family in 1982.
Papers of Albert Lancaster Lloyd, 1953-[1982], comprising materials relating to traditional folk music from around the world, especially Eastern Europe, notably newspaper cuttings, photographs, typescript notes, drafts of articles, diaries, notebooks, broadcast scripts and texts of lectures on subjects including:
English folk music, including erotic songs, ballads, carols, London songs, Morris dancers, North-East songs and poetry.
Romanian folk music, [1955-1973], including notes on subjects including costume, customs, instruments, proverbs, social life and topography, as well as a large number of photographs depicting native song and dance.
Hungarian folk music, [1946-1970s], including notes on subjects such as art, custom, dance, history and instruments.
Bulgarian folk music, [1954-1960s], including papers, correspondence and photographs on costume, dance, recorded music, and topography.
American folk music, [1949-1967], including materials on cowboys, blues and jazz, spirituals, work songs and vagrants.
Industrial song, [1950s-1970s], including miners, textile workers, political songs, and American work songs.
The collection also includes material on Chinese and Australian traditional music.
Bert Lloyd's system of filing material on a geographical basis has been followed. Roughly half the collection has been reboxed and renumbered.
By appointment. Contact the Deputy Librarian for details.
At the discretion of the Deputy Librarian.
English, Romanian, Hungarian, Bulgarian
A detailed finding aid exists for the part of the collection which has been reboxed. The remainder has a provisional list.
Goldsmiths' College Library holds the printed materials from the Lloyd Collection.
The sound recordings taken from the Lloyd Collection are now housed in the National Sound Archive, London.
Compiled by Sarah Aitchison as part of the RSLP AIM25 Project. Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. Feb 2002 Asia and the Pacific Australia Bulgaria China Cultural heritage Cultural systems Culture of work Customs and traditions East Asia Eastern Europe England Europe Folk literature Folklore Hungary Industry Intangible cultural heritage Literary forms and genres Literature Lloyd , Albert Lancaster , 1908-1982 , folklorist Manufacturing industry Mining Musical styles North America Oceania Oral tradition Poetry Proverbs Romania Textile industry Traditional cultures Traditional music UK USA Western Europe London
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Acquired from the family in 1982.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Papers of Albert Lancaster Lloyd, 1953-[1982], comprising materials relating to traditional folk music from around the world, especially Eastern Europe, notably newspaper cuttings, photographs, typescript notes, drafts of articles, diaries, notebooks, broadcast scripts and texts of lectures on subjects including:
English folk music, including erotic songs, ballads, carols, London songs, Morris dancers, North-East songs and poetry.
Romanian folk music, [1955-1973], including notes on subjects including costume, customs, instruments, proverbs, social life and topography, as well as a large number of photographs depicting native song and dance.
Hungarian folk music, [1946-1970s], including notes on subjects such as art, custom, dance, history and instruments.
Bulgarian folk music, [1954-1960s], including papers, correspondence and photographs on costume, dance, recorded music, and topography.
American folk music, [1949-1967], including materials on cowboys, blues and jazz, spirituals, work songs and vagrants.
Industrial song, [1950s-1970s], including miners, textile workers, political songs, and American work songs.
The collection also includes material on Chinese and Australian traditional music.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Bert Lloyd's system of filing material on a geographical basis has been followed. Roughly half the collection has been reboxed and renumbered.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
By appointment. Contact the Deputy Librarian for details.
Conditions governing reproduction
At the discretion of the Deputy Librarian.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English, Romanian, Hungarian, Bulgarian
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Goldsmiths' College Library holds the printed materials from the Lloyd Collection.
Finding aids
A detailed finding aid exists for the part of the collection which has been reboxed. The remainder has a provisional list.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
The sound recordings taken from the Lloyd Collection are now housed in the National Sound Archive, London.
Publication note
Notes area
Note
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
- Cultural heritage
- Cultural systems
- Cultural systems » Culture of work
- Intangible cultural heritage » Customs and traditions
- Literary forms and genres » Folk literature
- Intangible cultural heritage » Folklore
- Industry
- Intangible cultural heritage
- Literary forms and genres
- Literature
- Industry » Manufacturing industry
- Mining
- Musical styles
- Intangible cultural heritage » Oral tradition
- Literary forms and genres » Poetry
- Literary forms and genres » Folk literature » Proverbs
- Industry » Manufacturing industry » Textile industry
- Cultural systems » Traditional cultures
- Musical styles » Traditional music
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English