Sabine Baring-Gould was an astonishingly prolific writer on a vast range of topics. Roger Bristow has been working on his bibliography for several years and the most recent version of his list of Baring-Gould’s own publications now includes more than 1,400 titles. If you are keen to obtain the fullest possible listing you should contact:
Dr Roger Bristow, Davidsland, Brendon Hill, Copplestone,
Folk song collections:
Songs of the West (with H Fleetwood Sheppard
The first collection of folk songs published by Baring-Gould selected from those collected from the mouths of the people of Devon and
A
Baring-Gould and Sheppard's second collection brought in songs from other parts of
English Minstrelsie (8 volumes)
A collection of English song which includes art and popular song as well as some folk songs. Wonderfully illustrated and with copious notes and essays, including one on folk song.
TC & JC Jack, 1895
English Folk Songs for Schools
Written with Cecil Sharp, a collection of songs intended to instil a love of English song in children. J Curwen, 1906
Books about Devon and
A Book of the West - Volume 1:
A mixture of geography, history and tall tales woven into an entertaining tour of
A Book of the West - Volume 2:
A similar mixture to the above, but dealing with Saints and Smugglers and other aspects of Cornish geography and folk history. Methuen & Co, 1899
A Book of
Similar in style to the Book of the West but focused on Dartmoor and covering S B-G’s archaeological adventures and theories in some detail. Methuen & Co, 1900
A remarkable collection of stories and historical sketches on a wide range of topics related to
Cornish Characters and Strange Events
As above, this time for
Devon (A
A conventional guide-book with occasional flashes of authentic Baring-Gould. Methuen & Co, 1907 (remained in print until 1949).
Other books I like:
Old Country Life
A picture of country life in the second half of the Last century through Baring-Gould's eyes. A very enjoyable book that includes chapters on folk song and on village music. Methuen & Co, 1889
An Old English Home
Describes the growth of English houses great and small and the families that lived in them. Methuen & Co, 1898
Biographies:
'Early Reminiscences' and 'Further Reminiscences' by Sabine Baring-Gould
Baring-Gould's two volumes of autobiography - the third was written but never published. These books tell us a lot and reveals very little. Both volumes are a 'good read' and there is an excellent chapter on Folk Song in 'Further Reminiscences.
'Sabine Baring-Gould' by Bickford HC Dickinson
As his Grandson you would expect
'Onward Christian Soldier' by W E Purcell
The first biography of Baring-Gould and contains a charming preface by John Betjeman who was a fan of Baring-Gould. Longmans, Green and Co,
‘Half My Life – The Story of Sabine Baring-Gould and Grace’ by Keith Lister
The most recent of the biographies with much new information about the ‘
'Now The Day Is Over' by Harold Kirk-Smith
This biography, published in 1997, does shed a little extra light on Baring-Gould, but does not make use of the more recently discovered material. Richard Kay.