Charlotte Milligan Fox

Charlotte Milligan (17 March 1864 – 25 March 1916) was an Irish composer and music collector.[1][2][3]

Charlotte Milligan Fox
by Allison photographers (cropped)
Born
Charlotte Milligan

(1864-03-17)March 17, 1864
Omagh, County Tyrone
DiedMarch 25, 1916(1916-03-25) (aged 52)
London
Occupationcomposer, music collector

Life

Charlotte Milligan was born in Omagh, Co Tyrone on 17 March 1864 to Methodist parents, Seaton Milligan (1837–1916) and Charlotte Burns (1842–1916).[4] Fox was the eldest of eleven children, with nine surviving including Alice Milligan and Edith Wheeler. All nine children enrolled at Methodist College, Belfast which provided a privileged and exceptional education. She studied classical piano and composition at the Royal College of Music in London and the Conservatoires of Frankfurt and Milan.[5] In 1892 after her marriage to Charles Eliot Fox she settled in London. She founded the Irish Folk Song Society in London in 1904 acting as the society's honorary secretary. She was a musician in her own right and toured Ireland collecting folk songs and airs. Fox undertook a series of tours of Antrim between 1909 and 1910 with her sisters Edith Wheeler and Alice Milligan. The sisters recorded and transcribed songs by Irish singers, then publishing articles and musical scores in The Journal of Irish Folk Song.[6]

In 1910 Fox visited the east coast of America where the New York branch of the Irish Folk Song Society was formed. "The Bardic Recital" was produced on 16 March at the National Theatre, Washington. Fox collected and arranged the music for the play.[7]

Fox re-discovered Edward Bunting's papers, and under the provision of her will they came to Queen's University Belfast in 1916.[8] From these papers she wrote The Annals of the Irish Harpers. The publication of The Annals of the Irish Harpers stimulated a revival of interest in both the Irish harp and Edward Bunting. Alice Milligan nursed her sister prior to Fox's death in London on 25 March 1916. An obituary of Charlotte Milligan Fox is in The Irish Booklover (1916).[9][10] The Journal of the Irish Folk Song Society (1917) has a poem in remembrance of Charlotte Milligan Fox. The same issue has a memoir of Fox by Alice Milligan and an appreciation of Fox by Alfred Perceval Graves.

Composer

Fox composed music for Aine Ní Threasaigh.[11] Fox also composed an original orchestral score for The Last Feast of the Fianna by Alice Milligan.[12]

Irish Folk Song Society

In 1905 Fox co-founded with Alfred Perceval Graves the Irish Folk Song Society, an offshoot of Folk Song Society formed in 1898.[1] Its aim was to collect and publish Irish airs and ballads, in addition to holding lectures and concerts on the subject. In 1904 the President of the Society was the Earl of Shaftesbury and the Vice-Presidents included PW Joyce, Francis Joseph Bigger, WH Grattan Flood, Alfred Perceval Graves, Rev. Richard Henebry and Lady Waterford. Committee members included: Herbert Hughes and Mrs Edith Wheeler. The Officers for 1905 have a publication committee comprising Claude Aveling, Charlotte Milligan Fox, Herbert Hughes, Rev Michael Moloney and Dr John Todhunter as chairman. The rules of the Society are collected in volume 4 of the Journal of the Irish Folk Song Society. The subscription is 5 shillings payable every January and committee meetings are held at the Rooms of the Irish Literary Society in London.

Journal of the Irish Folk Song Society

Milligan Fox jointly edited, with Herbert Hughes, the early issues of the Journal of the Irish Folk Song Society. Charlotte Milligan Fox wrote many articles for each journal issue before she died:

  • In Vol 1 No. 1 of the Journal of the Irish Folk Song Society Fox contributed three airs: "A Kerry Caoine," "Lament of a Druid," and "Lament, on leaving Glendowan." [13] Fox notes that "A Kerry Caoine" was sung to her by PJ O'Shea of the Gaelic League. "Lament of a Druid" was piped to Fox by Piper Kelly. "Lament, on leaving Glendowan" was sung to her in Gaelic by James Martin of Tannawilly in Donegal.
  • In Vol 1 No. 2-3 of the Journal of the Irish Folk Song Society Fox contributed examples of Irish versions of ballads including "The Dark-Eyed Gipsy O!" "The Old Man in the Wood," "Barbara Allen," "The Squire of Edinboro Town," "The Baliff's Daughter" and "Lord Robinson's Only Child." Fox also contributed to the double issue a "Portrait of Ann Carter with a note," a version of the ballad "Flower of Magherally O" and the ballad "Johnny Doyle."
  • In Vol 2 Fox contributed a ballad "Moorlough Mary" and an air "Catherine Ogie." Fox received in the post a manuscript copy of "Moorlough Mary" from Francis Duggan of Altgoland, near Castlederg. This was in response to an inquiry Fox had placed in the Tyrone Constitution in 1904.
  • In Vol 3 Fox contributed a version of the ballad "Sailor's Farewell," a sheaf of Irish dance tunes and a version of the "Baliff's Daughter of Isling-town" which was collected in Ulster.
  • In Vol 4 Fox contributed ballads collected by her and Edith Wheeler: "The Deserter," "The Jolly Weaver," "The Inconstant Lover" and "Uncle Rat."
  • In Vol 5 Fox contributed airs and ballads collected by her and Edith Wheeler: "Lamentation on the Death of a Fox," "Johnnie Taylor," "Peep of the Day," "The Maids of the Mourne Shore," "Easter Snow," "The Blackbird" and another version of the same ballad. Included at the back of the journal is a review of Four Irish Songs collected and arranged by C. Milligan Fox.
  • In Vol 6 Fox contributed Gaelic Airs and Ballads selected from the Bunting Manuscripts by her and Alice Milligan. These Gaelic Airs and Ballads had both Irish and English words. Fox also contributed an obituary of Denis O'Sullivan, a member of the Irish Folk Song Committee. A notice for the Annual Concert of the Society is included at the back of the journal. Lady Maud Warrender sang "Ochannee" which was collected and arranged by Fox. Carmen Hill sang "The Heathery Hill" arranged and collected by Fox with words by Ethna Carbery. The Earl of Shaftesbury sang "Niamh" and "The Green Woods of Truagh" arranged by Fox.
  • In Vol 7 Fox contributed Gaelic Airs and Ballads selected from the Bunting Manuscripts by her and Alice Milligan. These Gaelic Airs and Ballads had both Irish and English words. Fox also contributed various reviews: Old Irish Folk Music and Songs by P W Joyce, O'Neill's Irish Music by Francis O'Neill. At the start of the volume is a reference list of available publications including "Vocal Arrangements" by Fox for the "Connacht Caoine.
  • In Vol 8 Fox contributed the following articles: "Twelve Ulster Folk Songs from the Neighbourhood of Coleraine," "Folk Song in County Tyrone," "Airs Taken Down in Co. Tyrone" which includes an account of Aine Ni Threasaigh and her brother Éamonn. Vol 8 also contains a review of Fox's Songs of the Irish Harpers. In addition this volume contains an announcement and programme of a bardic concert in Londonderry House on Park Lane on Friday 24 June 1910. At this event Cecilia Kemp sang the harper's song "The Gates of Dreamland" arranged by Fox, Harry Alexander sang the harper's songs "A Thousand Lays in a Thousand Days," "Men of Connaught," "The Red Haired Girl," "Pasteen Fionn," "The Thresher," "The Foggy Dew" and "Farewell, my Gentle Harp" all arranged by Fox. Fielding Roselle also sang "Lord Mayo," "Parting of Friends" and "Oh! Southern Breeze" arranged by Fox.
  • In Vol 9 Fox contributed an article on "Irish Songs in America."
  • In Vol 10 Fox contributed two articles "Concerning the William Elliott Hudson Collection of Irish Folk Songs" and "Eleven Irish Folk Songs From the Hudson Collection." Also contained in this volume is the text of a lecture "The Last of the Irish Minstrels" delivered by Fox at the Dublin Arts Club, 4 August 1911. In addition there is a review of Annals of the Irish Harpers by Fox.
  • In Vol 11 Fox contributed an article "Airs from the Hudson Manuscripts in the Boston Library, USA" as taken down by her. In addition there is the programme for an Irish Folk Song Concert. At this event Edith White and Fox sang variations and fugue upon an Irish them as collected by Fox and Lucie Johnstone sang "The Antrim Glen Song and "Ochanee" both collected by Fox. Owen Colyer sang "The Foggy Dew" and "An Pasthew Fionn" by Fox.
  • In Vol 12 Fox contributed articles on "Folk Song Collecting in Co Waterford" and "Waterford Airs and Songs." Fox also reviewed A Cycle of Old Irish Melodies by Arthur Whiting and Part II: Gems of Melody by Carl Hardebeck. Fox also wrote an obituary notice for Lord Crofton. Fox wrote an account of Robert Bheldon.[11]
  • In Vol 13 Fox contributed articles on "Ancient Musical Manuscripts at University Library, Cambridge" and "More Waterford Airs" as well as contributing a review of "The Philadelphia Feis" and providing a notice for the Irish Folk Song Society's Annual Concert. Isobel Purdon was to play a violin suite of Waterford airs arranged and collected by Fox.
  • In Vol 14 Fox provided a notice of an Irish Folk Song concert. Mrs Rossiter sang "Lilt" and "Bonnie Lassie Oh," two Waterford airs by Isobel Purdon and Fox. She also contributed a list of Patrick Gregory's Ulster Folk Songs sent by him to the Society and wrote an obituary for Mary Reavy, wife of Carl Hardebeck.
  • In Vol 15 Fox contributed an article "Concerning Miss Colthurst's Collection of Folk Songs" which Fox had taken down on a phonograph. Fox also contribute articles on "Irish Marches," "Irish War Songs of Alfred Perceval Graves" as well as a review of Feis Ceoil Collection of Irish Airs edited by Arthur Darley and PJ McCall, a review of Folk Songs by Mrs Herbert Lewis and a review of Melodies et Chansons Francaises by Lucien de Flagny.

Legacy

During 2010/2011 Ulster History Circle mounted plaques for famous Ulster figures. Charlotte Milligan Fox and Alice Milligan have a plaque mounted on Omagh Library, 1 Spillar's Place, Omagh, Co Tyrone.[14]

Published works
  • Songs of the Irish Harpers (1910)
  • Annals of the Irish Harper (1911)
  • Four Irish Songs (19--)[15]

References
  1. Williams, Fionnuala Carson (2009). "Fox, Charlotte Olivia (née Milligan)". In McGuire, James; Quinn, James (eds.). Dictionary of Irish Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  2. Devlin, Patrick. "Charlotte Milligan Fox (1864–1916)" (PDF). Hidden Gems. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  3. Newmann, Kate. "Charlotte Milligan Fox (1864–1916): Musician". www.newulsterbiography.co.uk. Retrieved 2019-01-23.
  4. Morris, Catherine (2013). Alice Milligan and the Irish Cultural Revival. Dublin: Four Courts Press. p. 24. ISBN 978-1-846-82422-7.
  5. Vallely, Fintan, ed. (2011). Companion to Irish Traditional Music. Cork University Press. p. 455. ISBN 978-1-859-18450-9.
  6. Morris, Catherine (2013). Alice Milligan and the Irish Cultural Revival. Dublin: Four Courts Press. p. 45. ISBN 978-1-846-82422-7.
  7. Fox, Charlotte Milligan (1910). Journal of the Irish Folk Song Society. 9: 26. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. Queen's University Belfast. "MS4 Bunting Collection" (PDF). Retrieved 2019-01-23.
  10. Archive, Irish Traditional Music (2019-01-23). "Features". ITMA. Retrieved 2019-01-23.
  11. "NÍ THREASAIGH, Áine". ainm.ie (in Irish). Retrieved 2019-01-23.
  12. Morris, Catherine (2013). Alice Milligan and the Irish Cultural Revival. Dublin: Four Courts Press. p. 244. ISBN 978-1-846-82422-7.
  13. Fox, Charlotte Milligan (1904). Journal of the Irish Folk Song Society. 1: 15–16. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  14. Ulster History Circle. "Ulster History Circle Annual Report 2010-2011" (PDF). Retrieved 2019-01-23.
  15. "Early Gaelic Harp Info: The Emporium: Charlotte Milligan Fox Books". www.earlygaelicharp.info. Retrieved 2019-01-23.
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