The Barrow Poets

The Barrow Poets started out selling poems from barrows in the late 1950s, then moved into performing in pubs. Their first record, was recorded at the home of Manx poet William Bealby-Wright and violinist Susan Baker. They fixed up mikes and egg-boxes and recorded a number of poems and pieces of music. “Harley (Usill of Argo records) said that if the result was of professional standard it might be released on Argo. It was.” At the time they were doing pub performances under Plays and Poetry in Pubs, a brewers’ funded outfit which had some connection with the Arts Council. They advertised and performed in bars. Sales of The Barrow Poets’ records were never high. They sold them at gigs and they were in some shops. But the records got lots of work elsewhere. They were at our best as a live performing group.