Wrong Date for Redemption Songs

Tue, 09/12/2017 - 23:56 — The Cyber Hymnal

The 1937 date the Hymnary gives for Redemption Songs (https://openlibrary.org/publishers/Pickering_and_Inglis) appears to be wrong. Its page states the publisher, Pickering & Inglis, was founded Oct 9, 1937. However, Openlibrary.org (https://openlibrary.org/publishers/Pickering_and_Inglis) says Pickering & Inglis was in business as early as 1894.

We haven't done an exhaustive analysis of the first-published dates of the entries in Redemption Songs, but our gut feeling is that it came out in the 1900-1910 time frame.

Comments

Wed, 09/13/2017 - 09:28 — dianneshapiro

Date for Redemption Songs

There is a claim that one or more hymns were copyrighted in 1937, but I do not have time to look at 1000 hymns to confirm that. We know that it was published after 1931 because the acknowledgements cite "Songs of Praise, Enlarged Ed." published by Oxford, which was published in 1931.

Wed, 09/13/2017 - 13:14 — CalebAndCo

Redemption Songs

I indexed that hymnal. There are indeed 1937 copyright dates cited: 689 and 690.

Pickering & Inglis Ltd. was formed in 1937, based on UK Companies List website, and I believe I corroborated with another similar source.

Wed, 09/20/2017 - 20:14 — The Cyber Hymnal

Multiple Editions

Well, this proves the hymnal was printed in multiple editions. My hard copy shows original copyright dates for these two entries: "Now Uses Me", # 689, was copyrighted in 1909 by Hall-Mack. Number 690 (given in my copy with the title "Love, Mighty and Wonderful") was copyrighted in 1899 by Hall-Mack.

In addition, mine has a handwritten inscription just before the title page that says "Property of James E. Essex 3-20-1936."

At this point I guess all we know for certain is that the version online in the Hymnary was printed in 1937 or later (since it was aware of the 1937 copyright renewals). Neither my copy nor the online version contain any clues I can see as to when they were printed. The dates for individual entries seems to be the available data from which we can make any conclusions. Both have the same number of songs and choruses, so the later edition(s) don't seem to have added new material, but there are at least some editorial changes (e.g., updated titles).

Thu, 09/21/2017 - 09:59 — CalebAndCo