Part Seven

The Musical Heritage of the Carter Family

It was whilst Francis Luce was vicar at Harpford and Charles Salter was parish clerk that music in the church is first mentioned.  In 1779, 11/4d was paid ‘towards the singers’ which becomes a regular item in the church accounts.  A ‘base viol’ was bought in 1781 for £2.10.0d.

The Carter’s were very musical and it is they who formed the Harpford church band and choir. Joel Carter played the base viol, probably the same as that mentioned in parish records as purchased in 1781.  Two of Joel's sons, Joel Roger Carter, miller at Dotton, and the much younger Sydenham Carter, played violin.  A brother of Joel's played the clarinet.  The rest of the family formed the choir and in church they performed from the gallery.  It is just possible they might have looked something like the group depicted by Thomas Webster in his painting ‘The Village Choir’.  However unlike some other village musicians, according to contempories, the Carter’s “sang fine”.  Reference - Devon and Cornwall Notes and Queries Vol. IX 1917.

Painting “The Village Choir” by Thomas Webster. Original in the V&A Museum, London.

On 27th June 2003 the West Gallery Quire performed in Harpford church. In traditional dress and with traditional instruments their repertoire re-created some of the music that the Carter family would have been familiar with.

The Carter musicians were also referred to as the Carter Quadrille Band.  Well known in the locality they were called upon on social occasions such as weddings and other times of thanksgiving.  At Christmas they went around as the waites and apparently had a rare old time, often not getting home until morning.  They visited farms in the neighbourhood where they were welcomed with open arms and put on the free list.  Sydenham Carter's violin, which he made for himself, was at one time in the possession of Roger Carter of Pigeons, Woodbury Salterton.

Christmas waites were a familiar custom in many parts of the country.  Recalled by Thomas Hardy in his book ‘Under the Greenwood Tree’ and also by William Wordsworth in the following poem

Minstrels
by William Wordsworth

       The minstrels played their Christmas tune
       To night beneath my cottage eaves:
       While, smitten by a lofty moon,
       The encircling laurels, thick with leaves,
       Gave back a rich and dazzling sheen,
       That overpowered their natural green.

       Through hill and valley every breeze
       Had sunk to rest with folded wings:
       Keen was the air, but could not freeze,
       Nor check, the music of their strings:
       So stout and hardy were their band
       That scraped the chords with strenuous hand.

       And who but listened? – till was paid
       Respect to every inmate’s claim,
       The greeting given, the music played
       In honour of each household name,
       Duly pronounced with lusty call,
       And ‘Merry Christmas’ wished to all.

This is one of a series of related articles. Click forward or back to jump to the next.

Researched by Anne Speight,  © 2009

SOURCE MATERIAL

‘The Carter Family of Harpford’. Devon and Cornwall Notes and Queries Vol IX 1917                                                         
Village and Town Bands, Christopher Weir

NP-B-00007 Biography any