Photo by Ian Wallman
Read all about the Three Idle Women in Waterways World Magazine, Winter 2023 - Here
All Hands Together’ - Debut Album.
Now available to buy from our website, and from streaming platforms:’
Read the reviews!
Nightshift: Channelling the storytelling of The Unthanks and the warmth of The Staves, yet stands
on its own as a heartfelt tribute to England’s waterways and the people who call them home. READ THE REVIEW Damon Boughen
At The Barrier: All Hands Together is a revelation. At least, to anyone who has spent any time whatsoever on England’s inland waterway system it is. Three Idle Women relate their experiences and stories of life on the cut in ten wonderful songs, each awash with quirky instrumentation and dripping with some of finest, most uplifting close vocal harmonies that you’ll ever hear. …READ THE REVIEW John Barlass
“There’s many albums and songs about waterways, but whether you’re a boater or just a gongoozler, All Hands Together is definitely a cut above.” Mike Davies
The Three Idle Women
The Three Idle Women were forged by a shared love of the Oxford Canal and a fondness for close harmony singing, folk music and stories that are carried through song. Working together since 2013, the Oxford trio bring share their diverse musical skills, instrumentation and an intimate knowledge of the life on, and along, the Oxford canal.
They have been, writing new material, re-arranging older songs and spreading their infections fondness for the canal and the waterways. The trio are not merely traditional folk singers, they are interested in quirky instrumentation, rich vocal harmonies and strong stories which emerge from the heritage and histroy of the canal.
The Idle women borrow their name from the women who worked the canals as part of the WW2 war effort, the waterways equivalent of the women's land army. 'IW' stands for 'Inland waterways' and every woman who did national service was issued with a badge emblazoned with the IW logo. There are many rumours stipulating where the name 'Idle women' came from but the name was given to Susan Woolfitt by her daughter once she had written her book – published under the name of 'Idle women'. Despite the name the women certainly weren't idle, they worked extremely hard, lived in very close quarters and learnt a lot about boats, engines and carrying cargo.
We are:
Jane Rouse – Vocals, concertina, Ukulele Bass, percussion
Charlie Henry – Vocals, Accordion, musical saw, ukulele, banjo
Steph Pirrie – Vocals, piano, whistle, trumpet, ukulele, harmonium, arrangements
What people are saying.
"Utterly charming x"
"Made me feel like home”
"A really well thought out programme - In turns funny, moving and touching - which was excellently performed and really drew the audience in."
"Thank you for a wonderful evening's entertainment - can't wait for the album and next year's project!
“Thank you so much"
"It made my heart SWELL (in the best way!)"
"Really lovely evening, music, stories and insight into 'boating life'"