THE LETTERS OF RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

The White Gates,
Dorking, SURREY.

6th December, 1950.

Dear Dr. Bush,

I had quite forgotten about that fanfare.  Please rearrange it and use it if you like, unless meanwhile I think of something else.

I wish to make my usual protest against the use of the word “Worker” for a particular section of the community.  We are all workers nowadays, and I cannot see why the title should be denied to a Works Manager or a landowner who toil willingly and enthusiastically at his task for fourteen hours a day, and should be allowed to a navvy who leans unwillingly on his spade for seven hours.

I notice that the “Workers” are only given unison songs to sing.  It seems to me rather insulting to them to suggest that they cannot do part-singing.  I myself have known many manual labourers who were fine choral singers, but perhaps they had not the requisite political opinions to make them into “Workers”.

If I write a new Fanfare I shall dedicate it to all singing Englishmen, whether they are Workers or “Workers”.

Yours sincerely,
R. Vaughan Williams¹
(R. Vaughan Williams).

Dr. Alan Bush,
25, Christchurch Crescent,
Radlett, HERTS.

1.  Signed.