GB 2603 Lloyd - LLOYD, Albert Lancaster (1908-1982)

Identity area

Reference code

GB 2603 Lloyd

Title

LLOYD, Albert Lancaster (1908-1982)

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.

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.

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Goldsmiths College, University of London

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

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area