© Oliver Weber – Tim Hart, december 2008
December 2008 I took this photograph of Tim Hart in his house on La Gomera. Since this time unfortunately changed a lot in his life. Conny – his wife – wrote me a Email and I hope that these words will help anyone out there and especially Tim.
The man in the picture is Tim Hart, musician, writer, photographer, and my husband. Since December 2008 we have known that he has Adenocarcinoma (lung cancer), which is inoperable. Unfortunately it was necessary to leave our house and our beloved island, La Gomera, and to find ourselves a small apartment in the English town of Reading. Although we are both feeling very homesick, we are grateful that Tim has found wonderful help in Reading’s Royal Berkshire Hospital.
Of course doctors can’t just take away the disease. Self-responsibility is needed to conquer the illness and deal with all the side effects of chemo- and radiotherapy, especially the awful fatigue. We found lots of help from our friends and doctors on La Gomera, who advised Tim to seek treatment in England, and here in England we have been helped by the wonderful Macmillan Nurses, who have given us lots of advice on how to cope with cancer, as well as financial advice. It is also amazing how much patience and cooperation we get from the special cancer nurses and doctors in the hospital, who we have peppered with questions.
We were recommended to the English website: ANY QUESTION ON ANY CANCER to get further information, which I can only further recommend.
I also can recommend the special cancer forums in every language to share experiences, and where lots of personal help is given by people who have faced living with cancer for years. One thing is quite clear, cancer changes your life, and it is up to us how we start and live every day.Lots of love.
Conny and Tim
Tim Hart @ wikipedia
Books by Tim Hart: …la gomera guide
-
I wish them strength! Lots of it!
-
Hi, nice posts there :-) thank’s for the interesting information
-
Thank you Oliver for sharing this story.
I wish Tim and Conny the strength to carry on.
Best,
Edward -
Thank you all …
I will try to phone him … just now
-
Terrible news. As a fan of Tim’s for almost 40 years this comes as such a shock! Only last week I was looking at some of his beautiful photos on his website.
I wish Tim all the best and if anyone is in contact with him, please pass along the fact that those he has touched over the years send their thoughts and prayers out to him now!
-
Thank you so much, Michael for your words. I will send them to Tim.
Oliver -
Hi
I am very shocked to read this. One of my first memories is hearing “The Wife of Usher’s Well” being played on top volume on my parent’s speakers and I was literally rediscovering all his great stuff and walking around London playing it on my iPod. Please pass on my wishes, and also I am friends with one of Tim’s friends from the 1970′s, Bambi Ballard. Should he wish to speak to her let me know and I’ll pass on her details to you.
Best
Jamie
-
Hi there Tim and Connie, Ive known you dad Dennis, mum Mavis and all of the family for as long as i can remember. Im still in contact with your dad and i always ask of your health. Ive gone through a awful lot of chemo treatments etc and its not at all nice eh. I used to attend the North Devon Club at Beaworthy, North Devon along with my mum Joyce, my father Bert,and brothers Dessy and John. Take care and i wish you both all the very best.
Love Diana. -
Very sad news. My prayers are with you, Tim and Connie. I first met you, Tim, when you performed with Steeleye Span in Atlanta, Georgia, back in 1974. Your music has stayed with me since. Please take care.
Best wishes to you.
-
I was just learning a new song the other day: Tim and Maddy’s version of “Dancing at Whitsun.” This is sad news and I hope Tim and his family may persevere as well and as long as they can.
-
Very sad to hear of your illness Tim. I watched the Electric Proms in the Autumn, and the duet with Maddy just sounded the same as 40 years ago … your voice hasn’t changed! Took me back to seeing you both on the stage of the Free Trade Hall in manchester pre-Steeleye and then when I booked you both at Manchester Uni Folk Club in early Steeleye Span days.
Take care – my thoughts are with you.
Derek Schofield -
Dear Tim and Connie
I am so sad to hear of this, I have been meaning to get in touch for a while, not least to find out how to get a copy of your magical nursery rhyme record for my little grandson. Layla has a baby boy Dylan Lee, 6 months! I would love to hear from you if you are up for it. Meanwhile I send love, my thoughts and very best wishes to you both.
Clare xx -
Take care my friend. All our thoughts are with you!
Charli River
-
Hi Tim, friends in the UK passed this address to me… getting old is a bastard!! I’m still 25 in my head, trouble is my body won’t listen, same for you I guess. Shit we’ve done a lot in our lives..I still think of you in London whenever I see one of those 1970′s Merc’s. The other big memory I have is when the band returned to the UK from an Aus tour, we were all so desperate to get home, but you stayed behind!! I remember to this day you waving us all good bye at the hotel..oh and I always get a laugh at dinner parties when I tell about the dismantling of the hotel furniture but leaving it propped up when you checked out of a room…. Seems like the folks in Reading are helping you fight the battle, so, as they say in Aus ‘Take it easy mate’
Very Best Regards
Niggly Piggly Floot and Bashit -
Via “Google” we got this message.
Conny and Tim, you are both in our heart.
Ane & Rob -
Keep you spirits up, Tim. Thanks for touching our loves with your many talents. Remember those with a will to battle the big C do the best … so keep battling!
With sincere best wishes.
Jeremy
-
All the best to you Tim. As another poster said, I also have memories of first hearing Steeleye via parents speakers.
I wish you all the strength in the world. Take care.
Love Nik.
-
Via Wikipedia I got this sad information about you, Tim.
We wish all the strength to you and your familiy.
You are all in our hearts.
Love
Diana -
Oh this just floored me to read. I hope you can somehow relay this to Tim…
Tim I’ve wanted for years to write you a fan letter, but never quite knew how to get it to you. Your musicianship, ideas, style, and care and craftsmanship of your music are unparalleled. The quality just shines through. It was because of you that I formed my own band Mr. Pine. You are for me the secret ingredient in all the great Steeleye albums. And of course I wish you and your family much strength and perseverance.
Kevin Scott
Winnipeg, Canada -
Dear Tim,
I can’t be the only stranger who wants to send you their very best wishes. I’ve just been footling about on the internet and found the Dubliners’ version of Dancing at Whitsun – no good at all! When I listen to yours on ‘Summer Solstice’ I cry all the way through. I’ve been a Steeleye fan for forty years, so many thanks for that talent of yours! Very best wishes for your hospital stay in Reading.
Very best, Beck Laxton -
Dear Tim, my very best wishes! So sad to read this blog. I came upon it, while planning a trip to Valle Gran Rey after 17 years; this time with a scholarship to finish a novel situated there.
I’d like to send you a fragment from my favourite poems by T. S. Eliot ‘Four Quartets’.
With love, Mayra (Holland)BURNT NORTON (II)
[...]
At the still point of the turning world. Neither flesh nor fleshless;
Neither from nor towards; at the still point, there the dance is,
But neither arrest nor movement. And do not call it fixity,
Where past and future are gathered. Neither movement from nor towards,
Neither ascent nor decline. Except for the point, the still point,
There would be no dance, and there is only the dance.
I can only say, there we have been: but I cannot say where.
And I cannot say, how long, for that is to place it in time.
The inner freedom from the practical desire,
The release from action and suffering, release from the inner
And the outer compulsion, yet surrounded
By a grace of sense, a white light still and moving,
Erhebung without motion, concentration
Without elimination, both a new world
And the old made explicit, understood
In the completion of its partial ecstasy,
The resolution of its partial horror.
Yet the enchainment of past and future
Woven in the weakness of the changing body,
Protects mankind from heaven and damnation
Which flesh cannot endure.
Time past and time future
Allow but a little consciousness.
To be conscious is not to be in time
But only in time can the moment in the rose-garden,
The moment in the arbour where the rain beat,
The moment in the draughty church at smokefall
Be remembered; involved with past and future.
Only through time time is conquered. -
On a freezing foggy night in February 1971 Tim, Maddy and Martin sat in my college room drinking coffee after a Steeleye gig at Bishop Otter College in Chichester. After what was a tiring journey in the fog from London and a long gig (four encores and then some!!)Tim very patiently fielded incredibly stupid questions with wit and patience. When asked how a bodrhan is made and carefully explaining that your goatskin must be from a virgin goat killed at full moon and buried on the Greenwich meridien for 6 months, We realised it may be time to let them go home!
Thanks for happy memories Tim and Bon Courage -
I was heartbroken to learn the news that Tim passed away earlier today.
Here’s to a man who meant so much to so many people for so many years!
The world has lost an “unsung” Giant!
TO TIM!
“Come fill up your glasses…”
-
Deepest Sympathy.
-
It was not easy to say “Good Bye” to you, yesterday early morning.
And, even today it is hard to realize.
We will keep you in our heart.Oliver
-
Tim was my cousin and my godfather. A good bloke – many happy memories of him from the 1970′s (he was 20 years my senior). I remember when he bought me and my brothers a video game in 1975. We were the only people in the whole county of Bedfordshire to own such a thing. And he was the first person I ever knew to have a digital watch… from such trivial things are made the memories of childhood. Bye Tim.
-
My condolences to Tim’s family and friends. His music has brought us so much joy – and will continue to do so for many years to come. RIP, sir.
-
I’m Tims daughter and wanted to say a very big thankyou from the heart for all your thoughts and condolences. It makes me so proud to hear how much he ment to so many people.Its true,he will be missed so much.But I feel I see a part of him every day when i look at my son of 8 who has a growing passion for the guitar and music running in his viens.His grandad was very proud just as we are of him.Thankyou again.I love you daddy xxx
-
In November, I ordered the CD of Tim’s songs with Maddy as a Christmas present, and was then fortunate to see Steeleye in Warrington, where Maddy informed us Tim was not well. I had been playing the CD in my car today, so the news that Tim has died has come as a great shock. I loved his distinctive singing voice; Dancing at Whitsun gives me goosebumps every time I hear it.
It was great he was able to perform with Maddy at the electric proms concert – my sincere condolences to his family – his music will always remain part of my life. -
My sympathy and condolences. I was fortunate to see Tim many times with Steeleye Span and see The Electric Prom performance on TV.
-
Deeply saddened to hear the news earlier today. Memories abound of the music the Steeleyes made – still leaves a frisson of delight, and much warmth. Condolences to family and friends.
-
I’m a London-based journalist and am writing an obit of Tim for the Scotsman newspaper. My condolences to all his family and friends. I wonder if Sally or anyone else could clarify who are his family survivors other than Connie. I’ve read “Kim and Sally” but also that he had a son. Is Kim male? Just want to get it right.
Might also be nice to say Connie’s maiden name, where they met and where she’s from ….
Many thanks
Phil -
God bless you Tim!
The world has lost a great man. You and your friends and compatriots have brought me great pleasure over the past 35 years. I’ll miss you!
-
Hello Phil.
I’m Sally his daughter and Kim is his son.We are his only children and Conny is his wife.Conny is german and they met here on La Gomera. I blessed him with two grandchildren,Lucas and Jessica.I hope that helps you clear things up abit.
Thankyou everyone again for all your kind words -
As one who has admired Tim’s work since the first time I saw him, with Maddy prior, decades ago, I wish to add my voice to the tributes and condolescences
A short appreciation appears here, with a link to this site:
http://www.salutlive.com/2009/12/tim-hart-and-liam-clancy-the-debt-we-owe.html#more
-
Many thanks, Sally, for getting back to me. Unfortunately I was under pressure and we published before I saw your message. You can see my piece on http://www.scotsman.com, click on NEWS, then click on OBITUARIES.
Best wishes to you, your mum, brother and children. -
I am so very saddened to learn that Tim has passed away. My thoughts are with all his family and freinds and this very difficult time. Conny, if you read this, please get in touch! You and Tim came to see me in Caversham, remember?. I have often thought about you! Very best regards Lone Park-Hansen.
-
I’ve only just learned today that Tim Hart passed away, and am very saddened by the news. Although I’ve been a Steeleye fan on and off for many years, I have something particular to thank Tim for: it is directly because of him that I took up playing the electric mountain (Appalachian) dulcimer, due to seeing him play one on a YouTube video of Steeleye from 1970. In 2008, I had an electric dulcimer custom-built by Tom Yocky in Texas, and we named it “White Hart” in tribute to the musician who made me want to play one in the first place.
I am very sorry that I never got the chance to thank Tim for his inspiration to me, and I would like to offer my sincerest condolences to Sally, Kim and the rest of his family.
Best wishes,
TA (Tim) Walker. -
Got to know Steeleye Span in the early seventies and loved Tim’s distinctive voice. A giant of folk music who will be sadly missed.
-
Oh Tim, I am so sorry to hear that you are gone. Watching someone you love die with cancer is so debilitating and takes all your strength and energy physically and spiritually and when it is over you are drained. So Connie be good to yourself and stay healthy. Condolences to you and all the children. X
41 comments