Unhalfbricking

After learning that Rev Bersweden was going to be in charge of St Mary's church in Wimbledon, I did some nosing around in Wikipedia to try to find out a little more about it, and browsed through some of the exterior and interior images available. And a rather fine building it is. But further down the image gallery, one picture looked vaguely familiar . . .

If you'd been interested in the folk-rock scene in the late 60s and early 70s you might have recognised it too. Back then a group called Fairport Convention almost single-handedly invented the folk-rock genre. Their seminal third LP was called "Unhalfbricking", and its cover photograph featured the group in a garden in Wimbledon. In the foreground stood the rather awkward-looking parents (whose garden it may have been?) of the group's singer, the late Sandy Denny. And just beyond that enviably spacious garden: St Mary’s church!

None of this will mean much to most readers. But after 50 years’ existence (and many personnel changes) Fairport Convention are still touring; still loved by their mostly ageing fanbase; and still hosting a weekend festival every August in Cropredy, Oxfordshire. Where at least four Whiteparish folk can usually be found every year—including the website team. Fairport usually play a tour gig at Salisbury’s City Hall or some other local venue every year. Why not check them out?!

dh