Bluegrass Picking in Worcestershire

Wharf Picking Weekend

I had just bought my Recording King banjo and was ready to get picking. I discovered that there was a Bluegrass weekend camp not too far from were I live, so I decided to attend.  It was held in a pub called The Wharf Inn on the banks of the River Severn in Worcestershire. I paid my camping fees and entered the pub. There were small groups in every corner of the room chatting or playing, and so I gravitated to a circle of musicians who sounded particularly melodic.

"May I listen" I enquired
A guitarist answered "Better if you join in, get your instrument"
I replied "I have a banjo in the car but I cannot play it yet"
The guitarist said "I like the word yet"
The Banjo Player said "It will ruin your life"

No one in that circle knew me and although I could not play a musical instrument I was made to feel welcome. Their kindness was to extend to the whole weekend. The banjo player was called Martin Blake who later become my tutor. The guitarist was Dave Norton who became a friend. Although I did not realise it at the time I had joined a community, a musical family, before I could even play!

A group of Bluegrass musicians from Wales picking at the Wharf

The following year the Wharf Picking Weekend moved from Holt Fleet near Ombersley to the Stoke Prior Social Club near Bromsgrove, where it has been held ever since. It had swapped the River Severn for the Worcestershire and Birmingham Canal - both attractive locations.  The music and the general bon ami, however, remained the same.

Martin Blake leading a Banjo Workshop, me in the white hat, photo courtesy of truenorthmusic.co.uk 

The Worcestershire and Birmingham Canal, the Boat and Railway Inn on the right

The Stoke Prior Social Club is still the location for this picking weekend and this year the dates are 15-17 May. There is plenty of room for camping and as usual there will be workshops and evening concerts.

The full address of the location is:

Stoke Prior Social Club
Weston Hall Road
Stoke Prior
Bromsgrove
B60 AL

For further details email Francis at wharfbluegrass@btinternet.com or phone 7807358504

See you there!

The Autobiographical Bit

In 1977 I took up my new appointment as a lecturer in Information Technology in London. This was a promotion and so for the first time in my life I was able to take out a mortgage to buy a house. London prices were far beyond the means of Frankie and I and so we looked to suburbia. I discovered a new build house on an estate in West Sussex and put down a deposit. When the house was complete we all moved from Mortlake - where we were renting - to the village of Crawley Down. Natasha was 3 years and Laura was a baby.

Natasha and Frankie at our first house in Crawley Down

Natasha and Laura in the garden built by my me and my Father-in-law