Chris Jones - Living History, Singer, Songwriter, Storyteller

Chris Jones is a qualified teacher and former lecturer in agriculture being involved with the part time training schemes as well as being in charge of adult education courses.

Originally from Birmingham, he is settled in Northumberland and has become involved in a wide range of activities. With living history group 'Rent a Peasant' he has retained his interest in agriculture but with added historical content as Romans, Vikings, Saxons, Tudors and Victorians. The group regularly goes into schools as well as appearing at various historical venues where Chris often takes charge of the children's games from the past; fun for all the family with no batteries included. In the Victorian era they have taken the opportunity to include another love, that of folk music where Chris plays the portable harmonium on one of Mr Kipling's latest poems.

In a previous existence Chris has been involved with a variety of folk clubs leading to exposure to artistes such as Vin Garbutt, Martin Carthy, Jeremy Taylor, Martyn Wynham-Read, Swan Arcade, Fred Wedlock, Matt Armour and in Canada, Stan Rogers..to name but a few of the guilty. He accompanies himself for songs ancient and modern on a range of instruments with a handful of unaccompanied songs.

Story Telling is another addition to his repertoire together with other anecdotes and comment. He is also a writer of several songs in the folk idiom such as the ' Loss of the Solomon Browne' about the Penlee lifeboat disaster and lately, 'Fires of Hell' written in the middle of the Foot and Mouth epidemic with which he has won prizes and has been used as a sound bite o both local and national radio.

For further information contact him on 01434 681068 Or write to him at 'Penrhyn' Wall. Hexham. Northmberland. NE46 4ED