Talk about John Marsh; composer and diarist

At our October meet, Starcross History group was taken back to the 18^th and 19^th centuries, as Kenton’s Ian Graham-Jones presented an illustrated account, with music, of John Marsh’s visits to Devon. Starcross’s Jon Nichol read extracts from the diaries in the voice of the curmudgeonly John Marsh; (1752 - 1828) diarist, composer, writer and father of 6. 

“ …[St Nicholas Church] Sidmouth… 2 psalms and an anthem sung by a coarse sett of singers accompanied] as coarsely by some noisy and untenable clarinets etc. ”

“St Sidwell’s in the suburbs, [of Exeter] a handsome church lately rebuilt with a good organ badly played. ”

An expedition to Mamhead, Oxton and Powderham describes the Reverend Swete’s Oxton House as  “a pleasant cottage”. The return journey was through Starcross to Dawlish.

Ian Graham-Jones has some John Marsh scores for sale, and the deciphered diary extracts which refer to Devon, in a bound cover.