A Very Local Christmas

The final one of the series. Peter and Andrew look back on the carols and visit a sing between Christmas and new year.

With the 12 Days of Christmas started, Peter and Andy join the band on a traipse and go to the Cock Inn. Sean sees Humble Swain perform and adds his own angelic refrains. Merry Christmas!

In the week before Christmas, Peter and Andy visit several more pubs to sample the differences in their sings. We discuss each pub and what goes on there.

We welcome The Rev. Kate Bottley to A Very Local Christmas to discuss her involvement with Sheffield carols, the future of the tradition and the joy of Barbie Advent Calendars!

It’s Christmas Live in Stannington, followed by two bands playing local carols in two pubs. Lots of people, lots of animals, lots of beer. What could go wrong?

We head off to the Shoulder of Mutton to spend an enjoyable evening with Loxley Silver Band and chat to their chairman, Barry. Peter and Andy discuss the differences between different bands and their carols.

With Carol sings coming at you faster than ever, there are so many pubs to visit - each with its own unique feel. During this episode Sean samples the delights of the Blue Ball at Worrall and Peter is off to the George at Castleton.

We speak to Matt, who’s doing a ‘show and tell’ about some local carols he’s found on vinyl. And then we pop to the Crown and Glove to chat with Penny from the local choir. It’s all local. For local people. A very local Christmas.

The Glen Rock Carolers are back! Peter speaks to them about their preparations for the big day, preparations made for the cold and a special pub performance in an old mill where the original carolers worked. Discover more links between the Sheffield carols and the people of Glen Rock.

Bad weather hits Sheffield and Derbyshire. The annual Percy Pud race is thrown into doubt and it’s hard to get out and about carolling with heavy snow forecast. However, Peter and Andy have a visit to one pub and Andy is even planning on doing the run!

This episode we discuss the proposed community bid for to buy The Royal in Dungworth. Peter and Andy also head out to the Crown and Glove and The Beehive as December looms.

One of the classic Christmas songs from the pubs and with a huge history, we talk about The Mistletoe Bough with John Fowler and co-host Sean.

We’re chatting with John Fowler in this episode, known to many who sing the carols - especially in the Blue Ball. It’s a fascinating chat about the history of the carols and how he got involved. Andy heads up to the Three Merry Lads for a sing and a pint as well. And we welcome Sean, our co-host.

What a treat we have for you this episode as we delve into the story of how Yorkshire carols took on their own lease of life in the United States. We also take a trip to the Royal at Dungworth - a pub with a fine caroling tradition.

With the first pub sings behind us, we reflect on the first carols of the year and speak to Patrick from folk band The Foxglove Trio. In 2019 they put out a version of Stannington and we find out how it came about.

The carols are underway! We hear what the first few sings have been like and listen to more history of the carols with Prof Ian Russell.

Peter and Andy speak to Jon Foster, somebody who is highly involved in the running of a Sheffield church in a community where local carols are sung. Listen as we discuss a nativity involving real animals, chat about whether the pub sings are a religious experience and find out who was sacked from a nativity play. Jon is a highly active and well-thought of community member in Sheffield, and it'...

* This is a version of episode 1 without music so it can appear on all platforms. In the first episode of A Very Local Christmas, Peter and Andy chat to Professor Ian Russell about the origin of the pub sings. We discover how Christmas carols were mainly kept out of churches and explore the reasons they ended up in the pubs. You can also find out which pubs to head to if over the next week if you...

Sheffield at Christmas. It's so much more than traffic jams at Meadowhall. For on the north-western edge of the city you'll find a musical tradition to rival the best in the world. In the run up to Christmas, people gather in the pubs, drink local beer and sing local carols - ones you've probably never heard of before. Join writer Peter Naldrett and carol enthusiast Andrew Fox as they try their be...