Our Story

In 2017 a retired teacher from a small village overlooking the banks of the Severn was challenged by an old friend to form a sea shanty group and sing at the inaugural Tywardreath Sea Shanty Festival. The seeds were sown and The Severn Whalers were on their way.

Things move on, our teacher has relocated to Devon, The Whalers have now comfortably settled into a crew of four who somehow find the time to rehearse weekly and perform monthly at local pubs, and also at the many shanty festivals across the Southwest. 2019 saw their first appearance at the Falmouth International Festival in addition to Perranporth, Tywardreath, Teignmouth, Gloucester, Easter Compton, Mevagissy, and St Ives. Today The Whalers are firmly established on the West Country Shanty scene, building an enthusiastic following,  receiving appreciative acclaim and making friends along the way.

Known for their close harmonies, great timing and having fun together the Severn Whalers’ shanty style is engaging and approachable, due in no small part to their earlier coaching from Jonathan Darley (“JD”) of foremost shanty group The Longest Johns. With songs ranging from the sublime God Moves to the ridiculous Chicken on a Raft, all are sung with an enthusiasm and energy that keeps these close friends together and has audiences calling for more.

The Severn Whalers are: –

Chris Howland-Harris, Juliet Blackburn, Neil Lock & Richard Corney