Ashley Hutchings, By Gloucester Docks I Sat Down and Wept A Love Story, LP UK Paradise and Thorns 1987 - PAT1 

It is not clear where Ashley finds the energy to produce so much in such disappointing times, the eighties, for the folk revival. The album, which benefits from numerous collaborations, including the splendid voice of Christine Collister, is very rich in nuances. The inspiration comes from a story by Elisabeth Smart. The presence of Steve Ashley's accordion is noteworthy. The packaging is beautiful, starting with the clown's make-up created by Jane Astbury, and the drawings by Mike Kingston are also very suggestive.

Non si sa bene dove Ashley trovi le energie per produrre così tanto in tempi così deludenti, gli anni ottanta, per il folk revival. Il disco, che si avvale di numerose collaborazioni, tra cui la splendida voce di Christine Collister, è molto ricco di sfumature. L'ispirazione proviene da un racconto di Elisabeth Smart. Notevole è la presenza dell’accordeon di Steve Ashley. Bella la confezione a cominciare dal make-up del clown realizzato da Jane Astbury, molto suggestivi anche i disegni di Mike Kingston.

Tracks: Prologue - I Dreamed a Dream (Died for Love) (2:51), Ring on Her Finger (4:12), Dancing Under the Rose - Again (4:14), What! Must I Now Make an Enemy / Under the Rose (1:32), Keep You Warm (4:30), The Reasons Why They Should Be Toghether (0:40) - At the Women's Institute Dance / Flower Arranging (1:26) - We Walked in God's Country (2:09) - A Letter / Small Town Romance (1:44) - Don't Look Back (2:30) - In the Cafe (1:02) - Brief Encounters (5:54) - Westonbirt Sonnet / T Stands for Thomas (1:01) - My Dearest / To Ireland I Made My Way (3:31) - Lies (2:41) - My Dear Fried / Dives and Lazarus - The Blacksmith (3:16) - I Don't Go Dancing Any More (2:52) - Love, Stuff and Nonsense (0:44) - Epilogue - Died for Love (1:23)

Musicians: His voice: Michael Pennington (speech), Ashley Hutchings (singing) - Her voice: Marilyn Cutts (speech), Polly Bolton (singing) - Christine Collister, vocals, lead vocals on I Dreamed a Dream; - Clive Gregson, vocals; - Pete Zorn, bass guitar, alto ans soprano saxes, flute, and doctor, acupuncturist and priest on Lies; - Graeme Taylor, electric and acoustic guitars; - Phil Beer, electric and acoustic guitars, fiddle; - Dave Mattacks, drums, percussion;Dave Whetstone, acoustic guitar, melodeon, concertina; - John Shepherd, electric piano, synthesisers; - Steve Ashley, harmonica; - Mick Doonan, Irish pipes, whistles