News 2019

Stephen Brearley passed peacefully on the 7th September, aged 80 years. Cherished and much loved by all the family, wife Jean, father of Wendy and Ruth, son in law Dez, granddaughter Daisy. Loving sister Rosalie, niece Rachael, nephew Reuben and brother in law Robert.

Sadly, due to current circumstances a private family funeral will take place on 23rd September.

Donations may be sent direct to Weston Park Cancer Research.

Published in The Star on September 14th, 2020. Stephen led the carols at The Plough, Low Bradfield.

It is my very sad duty to report the passing of Pat Malham, founder of this website, on August 7th 2020. Pat was a wonderful friend to the carols, not only in compiling listings of the sings for many years, well before this site existed, but in singing throughout Sheffield and Derbyshire.

Pat was a lovely, generous man. I recall my first carol sing in 2005 at Lodge Moor, not knowing any of the carols, and it was Pat who guided me through that session, pointing me to the appropriate pages in the Red Book. He did more than anyone to help me become part of the tradition, helping me with the carols at first, and later giving me a lot of lifts to and from carol sings. He mentioned one day in the car that he wanted a website to put his listings rather than relying on other sites, and as I had some knowledge, I offered to start this site.

I shall miss Pat very much, and I'm sure that many others will too, from the carolling tradition and more widely. My condolences to all his family.

We have lost one of our stalwarts of tradition. Joe Brindley has died. He was a wonderful supporter of the Eyam carols and other vital activities in his native Glossop. He will be greatly missed.

Des Childs, who led the carols at the Black Bull, Ecclesfield for around 20 years up to 2016, passed away on Thursday night (April 16th).

Des was the son-in-law of Ike Baxter who had started the Black Bull sings in around 1950. Des, along with the Baxter family, was also very involved with Whitley Hall Cricket Club.

He leaves a wife Christine and family. He will be sadly missed.

It is with deep regret that we report the death on November 1st 2019 of Sean Jennings who, for many years, had been at the heart of the local carol scene in Hathersage. Sean had gone into hospital for treatment for a heart complaint but unfortunately suffered a fatal relapse. He was cremated at Chesterfield on Friday 22 November, followed by a farewell service at Hathersage Parish Church at 12.30pm. He is sadly missed.