The Prince Albert Carol Consort

A history of the Prince Albert carols

The Prince Albert Carol Consort (PACC) have been singing at the Prince Albert on December Sundays for more than twenty years. The consort grew out of discussions in the pub during 2001 among a group of regulars who had a fondness for singing but no shared repertoire. The originators described themselves then, and still do, as ‘drinkers with a singing problem’. Some among the group are knowledgeable English music singers and instrumentalists and they talked of the surviving traditions of village carols in Yorkshire, especially around Sheffield, and parts of Derbyshire and Cornwall. Singing and drinking ticked the essential boxes for the group, and it was resolved to learn some village carols and sing them in the Albert at Christmas.

Music and words were plundered from books and recordings and, remarkably, the consort learnt ten carols in the first year. Not all the parts were as well defined as they are now. In fact, many were simply improvised and there was a disproportionate swathe of unison singing of the tune which gave rise (and still does occasionally) to disputes about pitch to suit high and low voices. When Meg Holdsworth, our original pianist, joined us later, the basses began to learn their parts properly with her help and tenors and altos followed.

From the outset we sang in the Albert each Sunday lunchtime in December leading up to Christmas. The first year we were twenty or so singers at most and were watched warily by a smattering of muttering lunchtime drinkers in the pub  who presumed, erroneously, that we were a faith group.  

Nowadays we fill the pub at each session and most people join in the singing and a significant number, perhaps the majority, are singing in parts. In this respect PACC compares favourably with surviving traditions such as at the Royal Hotel at Dungworth near Sheffield, where the parts, though sung, are not so clearly discernible in the mix. Much of the credit for this arises from an early decision to make words available at each session and to hold practices to teach the parts and to add new carols to our repertoire which currently exceeds twenty carols. 

We are grateful to Fran Wade and Kevin Bown for a significant contribution in arranging, producing scores and teaching new carols.

• Click here for a personal account by Bob Bray of the PACC's origins.

• Click here for notes on the origins of Pub Carols by Fran Wade, including an account of PACC practice procedure.

Thank you to all who joined us in 2023.

Many thanks again to all who came along to sing with the Prince Albert Carol Consort in 2023, and to those who sent their kind wishes from afar.

It was a full and well-attended programme, with three practices and four Sunday sings, including one on Christmas Eve. We drew proceedings to a close with a rousing final sing on the evening of Thursday 28 December, with more than fifty singers joining us to mark the end of the 2023 season.

Special thanks must go out to Fran, Bob, Bill, Janet, John W, Mike P for all their efforts during our sings, and in preparation, and our hosts Lotte and Miles for having us once again. Thanks also to all those who made the journey from further afield to help bolster proceedings, and to the staff at the Albert for keeping us refreshed during breaks.

When will you be singing in 2024?

We’ll update this website in mid-2024 with details of December’s programme of practices and Sunday sings.

For rough guidance we usually sing on Sundays in December, ahead of Christmas Day.

If you’d like us to email you when we decide our 2024 programme please complete the form here (links to external Google form).

What about food and drink?

Fine food (and drink) are usually available during our sings, so please do support our hosts.

Where can we download sheet music and words for the carols, or listen to the carols to practice at home?

You should be able to download (and print) via the links below:

• Prince Albert Carol Consort words with music - Click here to download (links to Google Drive)

• Recordings of Prince Albert Carol Consort song mp3s - Click here to download or listen (links to Google Drive)

• 2023 Prince Albert Carol Consort song sheet - Click here to download (links to Google Drive)

• Large print words to carols - Click here to download (links to Google Drive).

A small number music folders are often also available to borrow, but these must be returned at the end of the session. A limited number of the words-only song sheets (click here for the 2023 version) are also usually available on the piano down the front for a donation at the start of each Sunday sing, but unless you need them for future sings / years it is very helpful if you return these at the end of the session if you wo'n’t be using them again. Even better if you can print and bring your own if possible, please.

Why does Bob have his finger(s) in the air?

Keep an eye out in case the fingers of Bob Bray - or those of a trusted understudy - are raised to the heavens as we near the end of a song. We may be planning to repeat a chorus or refrain. Maybe even more than once, depending on the number of fingers sighted.

Which carol is next?

Please refer to the carol display board, or listen out for an upcoming announcement from Bill or alternate full-voiced member of the basses.

Anything else we need to know?

Please bring as many potential singers and watchers as you like along to both the practice sessions, and the proper sings. It’s more fun if you join in, so do encourage them to do so. This year alongside all the old favourites, we'll all be singing one new carol, Hail Happy Morn (link to music here, link to mp3 here), so everyone will be singing at least one of the songs for the first time.

Any old video/ photos from previous seasons to share?

As a matter of fact, we do…