Photographs by John Rose.
Visitors to Arundells enjoyed an afternoon of maritime music and storytelling on Sunday as the Wareham Whalers performed in the garden as part of our summer concert programme. After several days of hot weather, we were grateful for slightly cooler temperatures and some welcome cloud cover.
The Wareham Whalers presented a varied programme of traditional sea shanties and maritime songs, interwoven with fascinating stories from Britain’s seafaring past. Between songs, the group shared tales of sailors, whalers, pirates, naval traditions and long-standing maritime superstitions, bringing to life the world from which these songs emerged.
From stories of the whaling industry and life aboard merchant sailing ships to legends of ghostly vessels, shipwrecks and wandering albatrosses, the performance offered far more than music alone. The audience was treated to a rich mixture of humour, history and folklore, all delivered warmth and enthusiasm.
A particularly enjoyable aspect of the afternoon was the way the programme encouraged audience participation, with the audience joining in with choruses.
We are extremely grateful to the Wareham Whalers for providing such an entertaining afternoon and to all those who joined us. We look forward to welcoming the group back to Arundells in the future.
