Launched in 1899, the JFSS served as the primary medium for the publication of accurate folk song material for members of the Folk-Song Society, running until 1931 (vol. 8, part 35), when the Society amalgamated with the English Folk Dance Society to form the English Folk Dance and Song Society, and it was thus replaced by the latter's Journal. Although the JFSS included some important articles, the bulk of its content comprised songs collected by members and submitted for publication, with annotations provided by members of the journal's Board, including such experts as Cecil Sharp, Lucy Broadwood, Frank Kidson, and Anne Gilchrist, but there was little sustained argument or overall analysis. The tunes of the songs are printed ‘as collected’, but often in the earlier volumes only sample verses of the texts were given. The bulk of the songs published were English, but important contributions on Irish, Manx, and Scottish songs also appeared.
Bibliography
The full bibliography list is available here.
- E. A. White, An Index of English Songs Contributed to the JFSS (1951)
- Frederick Keel, JEFDSS 5:3 (1948), 111-26
