Poole, Charles

Gender: Male

A singer only referred to as ‘C D S’, probably Cecil Sharp’s wife, Constance Dorothea Sharp, sang As I Sat On A Sunny Bank to Cecil Sharp possibly in October 1911. Cecil Sharp stated that this was as sung by Charles Poole of Sinwell, Wotton Under Edge in 1882.

The only families living in Sinwell called Poole in the1881 census were those of William Poole and his brother. Frederick Poole, who were born in South Cerney. There was no Charles Poole in their family of the right age, only an uncle who died as a child.

Cecil Sharp’s wife Constance Dorothea was living in Hastings in 1881 and in Clevedon in 1891. She may have learned this song from Charles Poole in either of these places.

Notes by Carol Davies July 2015