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Dave Godin Collection


dedji1955

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After Daves death it was rumoured that his vast collection of Soul related artifacts and memorabilia was left to a Manchester Library and whilst I checked with some I never located his collection

 

After a recent Article in the Guardian which was featured on SS I contacted Chethams Library

Whilst they make it clear they have what remains I am amazed that a lot of Daves collection appears to have been destroyed

 

Dear Phil, Thanks for your message. Whilst the Mail online article is correct in saying that we holds some of Dave Godin’s papers it’s not quite as straightforward as it appeared. After Dave Godin’s death a friend of the Library who knew him arranged for us to receive a small collection of papers belonging to Dave before they were thrown away. I took some items from the Godin household after his death in 2007. This was in response to a friend of mine who knew Godin, who was concerned that this material would simply be thrown away. When the half a dozen boxes arrived it was clear that very little remained of Godin's archive. His music had been dispersed and most of the photographs and letters had been removed; quite a few of them apeared on ebay soon after. Most of the stuff relating to his involvement with Tamla Motown has gone (we know that there was a fairly lengthy correspondence with Berry Gordy) and there's hardly anything about Northern Soul. Instead there are some things about his work at the Anvil Cinema and also about his interest in film and film censorship. We have looked to depositing this in an archive that can properly look after this better than us but so far without luck. You are welcome to visit the Library to look through the boxes but I should say that those who have gone through the collection have always ended up disappointed that there is so little relating to Dave’s chief interest in soul music. All the best, Michael

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That's amazing. He must have had tons of stuff. Records, correspondence, Christmas cards from Bessie Banks... How was it that all this stuff was 'spirited away' before being hand over to the library in question, if those were his wishes? I imagine most of this stuff is now in "permanent loan collections". How sad. 

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thanks Phil for passing on your follow  up

 

was that the extent of the 'northern' collection that was reported in the papers or was there mention of anything else there?

 

Mike I've sent them a further email asking the same question and to make arrangements to view it..

I will let you know their response

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This is the catalogue of what Chethams have in the Dave Godin Collection.. Anyone wishing to view it will need to contact the library in advance

 
Dave Godin papers (summary list)
Box 1. (Labelled Film 1)
Folder 1 Folder labelled Forbidden film.
 Comprises mainly black and white film stills
Folder 2 Labelled Photocopying.
 Mainly film stills, photocopies of articles re censorship.
Folder 3 Labelled Film
 Papers, correspondence, re Anvil Cinema Sheffield Season of
Anti- Fascist themed films to coincide with Anne Frank in the world
exhibition at the Graves Art Gallery Sheffield 1987
Folder 4 Labelled Beecool Film Project Special Stills
Scrapbook (lacking front cover)
 Newspaper cuttings on film censorship 1973
Remainder of box comprises loose material along the lines of the above, i.e.
correspondence, film stills, cuttings re censorship, together with Anvil Cinema
programmes, etc.
Box 2. (Labelled Film 2 and Anvil)
Files 1 & 2 Cuttings of film reviews, magazines etc., and reports re censorship
Folder 3 Labelled Anvil
 Papers, council memoranda re Anvil Cinema 1987-
Folder 4 Labelled Anvil
 Programmes, publicity material, photographs, esp. re closure of Anvil
 cinema 1990
Folder 5 Labelled Forbidden Film
 Photostats, press books etc.
Remainder of box loose material re above themes, including press books, publicity
material, correspondence, cutting esp. censorship. Includes some letters to Godin from
British Board of Film Censors Secretaries — Stephen Murphy and James Ferman, and
also typescripts of articles/reports by DG on history of film censorship in UKBox 3
Folder 1 Labelled Rathaus articles
 Copies of articles by DG on Karol Rathaus and correspondence re
 article for v. 4 of International Dictionary of Films and Filmakers for
St James Press.
Folder 2 Labelled Fedor Ozep
 Articles on Ozep by DG, copies of letters by DG and some to him
 including copy of one from director Michael Powell, papers re
Campaign for abolition of Film Censorship for Adults (CAFCA), Film stills
 Brothers Karamazov (1931), letters from British Board of Film
Censors Secretaries — Stephen Murphy and James Ferman.
Folder 3 Labelled The Hidden Cinema Film Censorship
 (Photocopy of book of that title by James C. Robertson (1989)
Folder 4 Letters, articles by D.G. background information, press releases re Ozep
 and Rathaus
File 5 Cuttings, articles mainly on censorship
File 6 Labelled Mrs Ozep
 Cuttings correspondence re Soviet cinema
Remainder of box as above — mainly Ozep
Box 4
File 1 Labelled General Politics
 Cuttings re censorship, application for post of Cinema Manager Irish
 Film Institute (1992), Memorandum & articles of Association
 Right on Records 1975
File 2 Labelled Esperanto
 Magazine, cuttings, letters in Esperanto
File 3 Labelled Brigid Brophy
 Small collection of letters, postcards from Brigid Brophy, also copies of
 letters to her from DG (1975-76)
 
File 4 Labelled Sheffield Misc.
 Mainly newspaper cuttings on and by DG, also closure of Anvil Cinema
File 5 Labelled Misc.
 Newspaper cuttings, articles re healing, circumcision etc.
File 6 Labelled Freedom
 Freedom : Anarchist Weekly 1966-72 (incomplete)File 7 Labelled Freedom
 Freedom : Anarchist Weekly 1972-73 (incomplete)
File 8 Labelled Politics
 Copies of Freedom, and other anarchist magazines and newsletters, some
 correspondence and articles by DG
File 9 Labelled SAM
 Articles by DG and mailing list for SAM
File 10 Labelled To be sorted
 Letters from John Scudamore, articles, extracts re sexual health, copies of
 Blues and Soul, articles by DG from Soul Music Magazine, some letters
 to and from Brigid Brophy (1974), article by BB on censorship.
File 11 Labelled Important mixed documents (top films etc.)
 Correspondence with Zenith North TV re TV programmes, publicity
 material soul acts, press cuttings.
File 12 Labelled Gilo Pontecorvo
 Correspondence, cuttings articles, magazines.
File 13 Labelled Misc.
 Miscellaneous article, magazines
Loose folders
.1 Includes papers, article by DG for BBC production The Day that
changed my life, including six page account by DG
5.2 Labelled Personal papers, cuttings
 Cuttings of articles By DG for the Star (2000)
5.3 Labelled Writing oddments
 Copies of articles by DG including some music articles
5.4 Copies of articles by DG including some music articles
5.5 Labelled Sheffield Press cuttings
 Newspaper cuttings, copies of articles by DG, papers re Anvil and
 Sheffield Council
5.6 Labelled Censorship photos
 Film stills
5.7 Labelled Censorship Film material
 Publicity material, magazines
5.8 Labelled Anvil material 3 folders: Press clippings (Mounted originals); Anvil material; Anvil Press
 cuttings book
5.9 Folder of letters re closure of Anvil cinema
5.10 File of copies of Get on the Right track (Ace records 1995-99) and Anvil
 cinema promotional material
 
Black A4 magazine folder
 Containing newspaper and magazine cuttings, magazines
Grey A4 magazine folder
 Containing magazines, some anarchist, some cinema
Carrier bag
 Right track magazines, Ace catalogues, promotional material for Deep
 Soul Treasures v. 3, etc.
Small box
 Postcards, birthday cards, invitations etc. sent to DG , mostly 1990s,
 2000s (some from Martha Reeves, Brigid Brophy)
Cardboard box 1
 Anvil cinema programmes, some correspondence, Private Eye mags, etc.
Cardboard box 2
1. Scrapbook of cuttings re Anvil cinema, 1981-83
2. Album of autographs (DG’s retirement)
3. Scrapbook of cuttings of letters to press by DG re censorship, 1974-79
4. Folder marked Top copies - letters and drafts of articles in DG’s hand
5. Scrapbook of cuttings of letters to press by DG, 1988-90
6. Scrapbook of cuttings on Pontecorvo
Remainder of box, letters, postcards, photocopies, magazine articles by DG, includes
Oz School kids issue, Motownopoly game
Other material
1. Framed picture of assorted badges
2. Framed picture of assorted postcards, photographs (2)
3. Framed Anvil cinema poster
4. Assorted rolled posters, pictures
5. Bag of personal effects, spectacles, ashtrays, etc.
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This is the catalogue of what Chethams have in the Dave Godin Collection.. Anyone wishing to view it will need to contact the library in advance

 
Dave Godin papers (summary list)
Box 1. (Labelled Film 1)
Folder 1 Folder labelled Forbidden film.
 Comprises mainly black and white film stills
Folder 2 Labelled Photocopying.
 Mainly film stills, photocopies of articles re censorship.
Folder 3 Labelled Film
 Papers, correspondence, re Anvil Cinema Sheffield Season of
Anti- Fascist themed films to coincide with Anne Frank in the world
exhibition at the Graves Art Gallery Sheffield 1987
Folder 4 Labelled Beecool Film Project Special Stills
Scrapbook (lacking front cover)
 Newspaper cuttings on film censorship 1973
Remainder of box comprises loose material along the lines of the above, i.e.
correspondence, film stills, cuttings re censorship, together with Anvil Cinema
programmes, etc.
Box 2. (Labelled Film 2 and Anvil)
Files 1 & 2 Cuttings of film reviews, magazines etc., and reports re censorship
Folder 3 Labelled Anvil
 Papers, council memoranda re Anvil Cinema 1987-
Folder 4 Labelled Anvil
 Programmes, publicity material, photographs, esp. re closure of Anvil
 cinema 1990
Folder 5 Labelled Forbidden Film
 Photostats, press books etc.
Remainder of box loose material re above themes, including press books, publicity
material, correspondence, cutting esp. censorship. Includes some letters to Godin from
British Board of Film Censors Secretaries — Stephen Murphy and James Ferman, and
also typescripts of articles/reports by DG on history of film censorship in UKBox 3
Folder 1 Labelled Rathaus articles
 Copies of articles by DG on Karol Rathaus and correspondence re
 article for v. 4 of International Dictionary of Films and Filmakers for
St James Press.
Folder 2 Labelled Fedor Ozep
 Articles on Ozep by DG, copies of letters by DG and some to him
 including copy of one from director Michael Powell, papers re
Campaign for abolition of Film Censorship for Adults (CAFCA), Film stills
 Brothers Karamazov (1931), letters from British Board of Film
Censors Secretaries — Stephen Murphy and James Ferman.
Folder 3 Labelled The Hidden Cinema Film Censorship
 (Photocopy of book of that title by James C. Robertson (1989)
Folder 4 Letters, articles by D.G. background information, press releases re Ozep
 and Rathaus
File 5 Cuttings, articles mainly on censorship
File 6 Labelled Mrs Ozep
 Cuttings correspondence re Soviet cinema
Remainder of box as above — mainly Ozep
Box 4
File 1 Labelled General Politics
 Cuttings re censorship, application for post of Cinema Manager Irish
 Film Institute (1992), Memorandum & articles of Association
 Right on Records 1975
File 2 Labelled Esperanto
 Magazine, cuttings, letters in Esperanto
File 3 Labelled Brigid Brophy
 Small collection of letters, postcards from Brigid Brophy, also copies of
 letters to her from DG (1975-76)
 
File 4 Labelled Sheffield Misc.
 Mainly newspaper cuttings on and by DG, also closure of Anvil Cinema
File 5 Labelled Misc.
 Newspaper cuttings, articles re healing, circumcision etc.
File 6 Labelled Freedom
 Freedom : Anarchist Weekly 1966-72 (incomplete)File 7 Labelled Freedom
 Freedom : Anarchist Weekly 1972-73 (incomplete)
File 8 Labelled Politics
 Copies of Freedom, and other anarchist magazines and newsletters, some
 correspondence and articles by DG
File 9 Labelled SAM
 Articles by DG and mailing list for SAM
File 10 Labelled To be sorted
 Letters from John Scudamore, articles, extracts re sexual health, copies of
 Blues and Soul, articles by DG from Soul Music Magazine, some letters
 to and from Brigid Brophy (1974), article by BB on censorship.
File 11 Labelled Important mixed documents (top films etc.)
 Correspondence with Zenith North TV re TV programmes, publicity
 material soul acts, press cuttings.
File 12 Labelled Gilo Pontecorvo
 Correspondence, cuttings articles, magazines.
File 13 Labelled Misc.
 Miscellaneous article, magazines
Loose folders
.1 Includes papers, article by DG for BBC production The Day that
changed my life, including six page account by DG
5.2 Labelled Personal papers, cuttings
 Cuttings of articles By DG for the Star (2000)
5.3 Labelled Writing oddments
 Copies of articles by DG including some music articles
5.4 Copies of articles by DG including some music articles
5.5 Labelled Sheffield Press cuttings
 Newspaper cuttings, copies of articles by DG, papers re Anvil and
 Sheffield Council
5.6 Labelled Censorship photos
 Film stills
5.7 Labelled Censorship Film material
 Publicity material, magazines
5.8 Labelled Anvil material 3 folders: Press clippings (Mounted originals); Anvil material; Anvil Press
 cuttings book
5.9 Folder of letters re closure of Anvil cinema
5.10 File of copies of Get on the Right track (Ace records 1995-99) and Anvil
 cinema promotional material
 
Black A4 magazine folder
 Containing newspaper and magazine cuttings, magazines
Grey A4 magazine folder
 Containing magazines, some anarchist, some cinema
Carrier bag
 Right track magazines, Ace catalogues, promotional material for Deep
 Soul Treasures v. 3, etc.
Small box
 Postcards, birthday cards, invitations etc. sent to DG , mostly 1990s,
 2000s (some from Martha Reeves, Brigid Brophy)
Cardboard box 1
 Anvil cinema programmes, some correspondence, Private Eye mags, etc.
Cardboard box 2
1. Scrapbook of cuttings re Anvil cinema, 1981-83
2. Album of autographs (DG’s retirement)
3. Scrapbook of cuttings of letters to press by DG re censorship, 1974-79
4. Folder marked Top copies - letters and drafts of articles in DG’s hand
5. Scrapbook of cuttings of letters to press by DG, 1988-90
6. Scrapbook of cuttings on Pontecorvo
Remainder of box, letters, postcards, photocopies, magazine articles by DG, includes
Oz School kids issue, Motownopoly game
Other material
1. Framed picture of assorted badges
2. Framed picture of assorted postcards, photographs (2)
3. Framed Anvil cinema poster
4. Assorted rolled posters, pictures
5. Bag of personal effects, spectacles, ashtrays, etc.

 

 

Certainly missing from that list are copies of Soulful Kinda Music magazine which I know he had because he contributed on a regular basis.

 

I wonder where they went ?

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Some of his 45 were also sold on ebay by a guy from Glasgow who got them after his death as he was a friend and corresponded with him . His name escapes me at the moment. I was interested in a few uk demos but they mainly had the centre dinked.

I seem to remember there being a discussion on here about it at the time.

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Some of his 45 were also sold on ebay by a guy from Glasgow who got them after his death as he was a friend and corresponded with him . His name escapes me at the moment. I was interested in a few uk demos but they mainly had the centre dinked.

I seem to remember there being a discussion on here about it at the time.

yes there was a thread about it on here couple years ago or more i think

jason

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Happens all the time, stuff gets spirited away after death, very rarely is it kept intact.  Everyone wants a piece.  At best it goes to people the person left pieces to, at worst, it's theft.  There was a case here a while back where a well known DJ was left in a vegetative state & his records were in a lock up.  Turned out, one of his friends was going around to check on the wife & kids, lifting the key to the lock up, nicking records & returning the key over a number of months/years.  The DJs records were turning up in used record stores all over the place & no one could work it out.  The family decided to hold an auction of the record collection to raise funds for his ongoing care only to find the guts had be ripped out of it.  Super sad.

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Regarding the Motown stuff (thinking about the formation of the TM Appreciation Society) it is a shame that Dave's early correspondence wasn't sent to the Motown Museum in Detroit.

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Guest MBarrett

It may add nothing to this thread but in case it does I just ordered a copy of Dave Godin's Will.

 

Nothing underhand or disrespectful about that - EVERY Will is in the PUBLIC DOMAIN. You just need to know where to order it from and pay a small admin fee.

 

If nothing else should spell out the executors and any specific bequests. Hopefully.

 

Anyway it is what it is. Takes up to 10 working days so I'll let you guys know.

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I can't imagine that Dave Godin was a man who cared much for 'chattels' and I don't believe raking over this will do any good.   

 

He was a long time away from the Soul scene and had many interests outside Soul including cinema obviously and this is apparent in the Chetham 'collection'.     His extensive and greatly influential writings on Soul music are still readily available in Blues & Soul and Black Music and that's how I care to remember him.

That's very true Mike and a lot of his best stuff had been borrowed over the previous 40 years. Raking up and recrimination won't particularly help but it might give the impetus to put together something of a tribute or at least document what is left which will spur on other contributions to Dave's work. He certainly gave stuff away or lent it out on a whim.

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They went to Kev McCardle from Glasgow, Kev and his wife Helena sold up everything including their home a couple of years ago and went travelling ....

I djed for Kevin at his last night shortly before they went away traveling, I'm farely sure the guy who helped Kev run the night is minding the records until he gets back. He djed with them that night 100%

He was very honoured that the records were left to him, I don't think he sold them but I could be wrong.

Hope this helps

Atb n Ktf

Clint

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I was staying round at Kevs on night and he told me about his freindship with Dave, he then opens a cupboard to show me the collection he got from Dave after his death.. I was gobsmacked, a wonderful story indeed.. Kev did say that certain people got there before him and a lot of stuff was taken away.. Kev got to write the sleeve notes on the final "Dave Godin" deep soul treasures No 4, a fitting tribute to two me brought together by soul.. I am sure many if you have the cd, check the sleeve notes..

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I was staying round at Kevs on night and he told me about his freindship with Dave, he then opens a cupboard to show me the collection he got from Dave after his death.. I was gobsmacked, a wonderful story indeed.. Kev did say that certain people got there before him and a lot of stuff was taken away.. Kev got to write the sleeve notes on the final "Dave Godin" deep soul treasures No 4, a fitting tribute to two me brought together by soul.. I am sure many if you have the cd, check the sleeve notes..

Steve, Kevin did the introduction. Dave dictated the sleevenotes to me when I visited him in Rotherham shortly before his death. Ady

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Steve, Kevin did the introduction. Dave dictated the sleevenotes to me when I visited him in Rotherham shortly before his death. Ady

Thanks for that Ady, I will dig the cd out and have a read again, I remember it struck a chord.. On the subject or " deep soul treasures cd's" have they been up there in the best sales if Kent CDs over the years?? A wonderful collection indeed for every collector..
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They were sold and advertised as coming from Dave's collection. Check the link put in above.

So Sorry! My reply was just an observation from the time. I completely missed that link. Never got the impression they were being sold. I stand corrected.

That is a shame! Not what most would do but if they were left to him? I suppose it is his choice.

Respectfully

Clint

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  • 1 year later...

I am currently researching and writing Dave's biography to be published later this year. It's taken longer than expected, four years so far, mainly due to the many false facts and stories surrounding Dave's colourful life and his many beliefs. He was a complex character but what would have made my job easier would have been if his fantastic and comprehensive archive had been intact when I began this project. Dave used to contribute a column to a magazine I published in the 1990s (which is how we first met) and I know he kept copies of everything he was connected with, housed in a bank of filing cabinets. There's a sad paragraph in my book where  several of these filing cabinets (still full of paperwork) are just thrown into a skip as his house was cleared. Other objects were cherry picked shortly before and after his death, the most interesting and valuable purchased by collectors. As well as the biography I am also in the process of attempting to rebuild as much of Dave's archive as possible to make available on-line to anyone who wishes to access the documents. Although articles disappeared without Dave's permission I am not interested in retrieving 'originals' from collectors who bought them in good faith, but I would like copies for the archive so Dave's original wishes of an open archive for all who wished to view his work and past history be possible. So, if anyone out there would like to be involved in either providing a few anecdotes about Dave for the book or copies of documents or photographs for the archive please contact me at  stevlor@hotmail.co.uk  Many thanks and as Dave would always say  Keep The Faith, Right On Now!

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18 hours ago, Stevlor said:

I am currently researching and writing Dave's biography to be published later this year. It's taken longer than expected, four years so far, mainly due to the many false facts and stories surrounding Dave's colourful life and his many beliefs. He was a complex character but what would have made my job easier would have been if his fantastic and comprehensive archive had been intact when I began this project. Dave used to contribute a column to a magazine I published in the 1990s (which is how we first met) and I know he kept copies of everything he was connected with, housed in a bank of filing cabinets. There's a sad paragraph in my book where  several of these filing cabinets (still full of paperwork) are just thrown into a skip as his house was cleared. Other objects were cherry picked shortly before and after his death, the most interesting and valuable purchased by collectors. As well as the biography I am also in the process of attempting to rebuild as much of Dave's archive as possible to make available on-line to anyone who wishes to access the documents. Although articles disappeared without Dave's permission I am not interested in retrieving 'originals' from collectors who bought them in good faith, but I would like copies for the archive so Dave's original wishes of an open archive for all who wished to view his work and past history be possible. So, if anyone out there would like to be involved in either providing a few anecdotes about Dave for the book or copies of documents or photographs for the archive please contact me at  stevlor@hotmail.co.uk  Many thanks and as Dave would always say  Keep The Faith, Right On Now!

Pm'd you

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  • 3 weeks later...

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