Biography Update
End of an Era date amended 11th January 2017
On 1st of July 2015, life changed for me, becoming a widow was something
that I had lived with the prospect of for a much longer time than I ever
thought I would. I am not dwelling on the reason for this now, as that is a
complete book in itself and one day I just might get around to writing on this
subject!
Now that my time is my own I
am doing more of the things that I have had to squeeze in before, as time and energy
was previously an issue. I fill my days with music learning new songs and at
last finding the time to learn how to play the whistle, properly. I am
fortunate to have a friend who is a talented musician to teach me.
I am still living at Glanaderhig,
in a new lovely house, but I am planning a move to Listowel sometime in the
future, maybe in the next year. I will
be sorry to leave Glanaderhig as I really love to be living out in the country,
but one has to be sensible when pondering a minimum of a fifteen mile round
trip every time I go out.
My music takes me to Listowel
regularly as a Volunteer entertainer.
Music is a great therapy.
Biography
Hazel,
Born in 1950 in Portsmouth Hampshire England [Westfield rd eastney].My
father {W.S.Lawes} was in the Royal Navy until I was 12 years old,
and during his early navy career he was a member of the R.N. amateur
dramatic society and was in many productions. He had a good singing
voice and had his own little fan club right up to his eightieth year.
My mother {maiden name Edna Coward} won a scholarship for singing
but sadly at fifteen caught rheumatic fever and lost her voice. My
sister Elaine was born in 1953.
I was in performance school {preschool four years of age} which involved
Tap, Ballet, and Singing. I was also going to piano lessons and seemed
to be getting along fine. Then at 7 years we went to Malta {Dads commission}
a break from all the classes as mum could not find any such teachers
in Malta.
We were back from Malta early due to my mothers mental illness {which
sadly she had to fight all her life}
I went back to piano lessons but not for long, but I never stopped
singing, learning chart hits as well as the country songs dad would
sing in the pubs. Up to leaving school us sisters would get up on
stage and sing duets at the C I U and R.N. clubs.
Sometime around 1957? before we went to Malta we visited Ireland and
stayed with someone dad had met during the war {Gory} rings a bell,
us girls used to call him “Jimmy Edwards” because of his
red beard, We were all made very welcome. Dad had previously visited
Ireland in 1947. One day I might find the time to research the family
history that once came out in conversation, could be on both sides.
Singing was the one thing that could always distract from what ever
the day would bring. When I left school and palled up with Gill dancing
was all the craze.

I met my husband Chriss whilst
on holiday with Gill in Ruislip N. London. Chriss had an interest
in Folk Music and we joined the Swindon Folk Club. Ted & Ivy Poole
ran this club for 40 years. It was here that I was overheard singing
the choruses by Mervin Penny who has remained a very dear friend since
those days, gave me a song book and said learn a song for next week,
which I did and the rest is history.
We were founder members of the Highworth Folk Club which is still
going strong I believe to day.
Every spring many of the Swindon
folk members and extended family! would travel to the Bampton Morris
weekend many a good time had by all with the dancing singing and the
pram race.
Since then [1971] I have sung at Folk Festivals such as Dartmoor,
Cambridge, Sidmouth, Mells Irish festival Somereset, Newton Abbott
and Cornwall where we moved to in 1977 and many a pub session in The
Wellington Inn Boscastle and the Trawarmett Inn plus numerous pubs
along the way.
In 1987 at Lowender Peran we met a party from the Listowel Area hence
how we ended up arriving in Listowel in 1988 whilst on holiday in
our camper, traveling all over Ireland.
From 1988 Ireland has been our chosen holiday destination.
In 1991 we were at Sligo for
the Fleadh Ceoil we spent most of the time in [Tommy Regans Bar] being
made very welcome by Dennis the landlord at that time, {a hole in
the glass sir} Chriss my husband was playing Tea chest base in those
days’
In 1996 we bought our cottage
in Glanaderhig Lyreacrompane near Listowel since this time we have
spent all our holidays based in Co Kerry we finally moved here permanently
in 2004.

I was first asked if I was going
to record, way back in 1975, well its’ taken a while but life
just happens so hopefully its better late than never.
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