The BTMC came about because a local folk group called Brummagem used the  upstairs room at the  Prince of Wales in Cambridge Street for practicing. Following on from the practice they used to hold an informal "session" in the downstairs bar, which eventually morphed into the BTMC. Before the club officially opened, various friends and local folk club singers were approached, to get the club off the ground.

The BTMC's opening night was  on October 27th 1974 with Bob & Chris Lapworth, Dave James and Les Noden, at St Pauls Tavern, Ludgate Hill Hockley and it moved fairly quickly (Nov 10th 1974) to the Prince of Wales Cambridge Street, which became a venue that was used by many different clubs over the years. Dave and Bob's idea was to create a club that had a more relaxed atmosphere, where people could sing from where they were sitting, rather than getting up on stage  - which was  the way many others  were run at the time. They also arranged for people to come along and give talks on various folk related topics, some of which can be seen on the leaflets  in this article. The BTMC, as it became to be known, together with the Grey Cock, also ran a series of very successful ceilidhs at various venues  round Birmingham. The club also tried to attract members and singers, by going and singing at Womens Institutes etc., which managed to bring a number of new people into the club that may not have known anything about folk  music before.

George Frampton Recordings From The Prince of Wales In 1976.
Many thanks to George Frampton for supplying the recordings.

Brummagem

Traditional Singing from Birmingham

Rufford Park

• Brummagem | Traditional Singing From Birmingham | 01 | Rufford Park
• Brummagem | Traditional Singing From Birmingham | 02 | Now Is The Month Of Maying
• Brummagem | Traditional Singing From Birmingham | 03 | A Week Before Easter
• Martyn Briggs | Traditional Singing From Birmingham | 04 | The Flat Headed Miner
• Martyn Briggs | Traditional Singing From Birmingham | 05 | The Maid On THe Shore
• Jood Evans-York | Traditional Singing From Birmingham | 06 | Cock Robin
• Brummagem | Traditional Singing From Birmingham | 07 | Adam & Eve
• Les Noden | Traditional Singing From Birmingham | 08 | West Coast Of Clare
• Sean Myles | Traditional Singing From Birmingham | 09 | Cuckoos Nest
• Brummagem | Traditional Singing From Birmingham | 16 | Brigg Fair
• Dave Hunt | Traditional Singing From Birmingham | 17 | The Tinkers Courtship
• Dave Harborne | Traditional Singing From Birmingham | 18 | Its A Great Big Shame
• Dave Harborne | Traditional Singing From Birmingham | 19 | The Old Armchair
• Brummagem | Traditional Singing From Birmingham | 20 | Roll Alabama Roll & Homeward Bound
• Chris Lapworth | Traditional Singing From Birmingham | 21 | One Night As I Lay In My Bed
• Ray Cope | Traditional Singing From Birmingham | 22 | Once A Sportsman Went A Hunting
• Dave Hope | Traditional Singing From Birmingham | 23 | One Man Shall Mow Down My Meadow
• Ray Cope | Traditional Singing From Birmingham | 24 | Lambton Worm
• Brummagem | Traditional Singing From Birmingham | 25 | Sussex May Song