Author Focus ~ Interview with Mark Norman | Black Dog Folklore | The Folklore Podcast

Mark Norman is a folklore author and researcher based in Devon, in the South West of the U.K. He is a committee member of the Folklore Society and has been researching and collecting information on Black Dog apparitions for many years. He holds what is believed to be the U.K’s most extensive archive of these sightings and traditions, which includes fieldwork and notes from other respected collectors such as Theo Brown and the recently donated archive of Janet Bond.The book Black Dog Folklore is the first full-length study of the phenomenon by a single author, containing a gazetteer of over 750 key U.K eyewitness accounts and traditions drawn from the author's archive.Mark, Welcome to my blog and thank you for being a part of my Author Focus series!Your book “Black Dog Folklore” is a comprehensive study of the image of black dogs within British Folklore and I believe you have the most extensive collection of sightings ever held! What inspired you to focus on the Black Dog in particular?It was never my intention to focus on Black Dog apparitions as the main part of my research. Although I am interested in a wide variety of folklore topics, I like to work within my own geographical area a lot of the time. In the late 1990s, I decided to access the archives of the well-respected Devon folklorist Theo Brown. These had been bequeathed to the Special Collections Department of the University of Exeter after her death.Originally, I had intended to try and track down any local ghost stories that I was not already aware of. Theo was a prolific collector, and there were many boxes of papers in the collection. At the time, not having been there long, they had not been transferred into archival boxes and so were still in their original ring binders, empty crisp boxes and all sorts of other random storage devices.My attention was diverted by a large blue metal ammunition tin which was labelled Black Dogs. This turned out to contain around 250 accounts of sightings of ghostly black dogs – some from old sources but many from personal correspondence – as well as three draft copies of a manuscript for a book that Theo intended to write. She had already published a seminal article on the subject in the journal ‘Folklore’ in 1958.It became clear that this under-used and valuable archive should be made more available. The librarian responsible for the collection at the time managed to track down the literary executor, and I was given permission to work on the archive, which I partly catalogued and transcribed. Over the next ten years or so I continued the research which Theo had been undertaking, rewriting her manuscripts and combining them with my own material. I also added significantly to the catalogue of sightings, traditions and eyewitness stories. From her 250 or so I now hold over a thousand. The result is my book, which is the only full-length study of the subject by a single author, and my archive of accounts which is, we think, the largest in the UK.Have you ever had an encounter yourself?I have had plenty of encounters with people who have had encounters, but I have not seen one myself. I have possibly seen one or two big cats, but although rare we know that they exist in the landscape and so are something more tangible. What I am interested in with Black Dog accounts is not whether they are ‘actual’ ghosts. Proving the paranormal is not the remit of folklorists. Rather, we are interested in why people report the experiences that they do, and why over the period of almost 1,000 years that my archive spans, there are so many commonalities. Many informants don’t even realise that their experience is not unique and yet they use terminology and description which recurs so frequently.How do you collect the stories? And do you have a favourite?I collect stories from many places. Sometimes in person when talking about my book or my research. Some people send me their experiences by email, and I am always happy to receive these. Some contact me after interviews and so on. Other accounts or traditions I pick up from books, journals, and other printed sources.There are so many accounts – 750 or so alone listed in the gazetteer in the back of my book – that it is almost impossible to pick a favourite. The phantom coach of Lady Mary Howard, which has a black dog associated with it, is a folk ghost based on a tragic true historical tale. But it is too long to describe here; you will have to buy a copy of the book for all the detail on that!Is there a common theme that you have identifies across sightings? Such as the size or description of the spectre?There are many commonalities. Theo Brown used six key features when examining stories, and within these, there are definite common descriptors. Certainly around size and description, but more interestingly in the recurring terminology. “Eyes like saucers” is one. Some are interesting because they change over time based on our cultural readings although they retain their meaning. For example, the old phrase “as big as a calf” which was often used in the heyday of rural farming is often now replaced with “as big as a wolf.” The book goes into the detail of why this happens.Are Black Dogs in your opinion, “Ghosts” or something darker? (i.e., demonic or from the Faerie realm?)As I mentioned earlier, it is not my place as a folklorist to have an opinion on what they are. They are probably different things to different people. In folklore that is all equally valid and does not really matter. It is the decoding of the story and the ‘why’ rather than the ‘what’ that is of interest to me. Anyone who reports a story to me of something they have experienced will certainly not find any danger of ridicule from me, for example.In Wales, many stories involve Black Dog folklore such as the Gwyllgi and the Cwm Annwn. Often seen as a pre-warning to death. Have you any stories to share about this?Interestingly, in these Welsh stories, the dogs are often white rather than black. We still include them in Black Dog studies because the commonality of black animals means that the term has become more of a catch-all for all ghostly dog apparitions. The Cwm Annwn, meaning sky dogs, may be seen to have many parallels with the Germanic legends of the Wild Hunt which may be found all across Europe. The pre-cursor to death and disaster also parallels the Shuck and Barguest variants of Black Dog lore which are found in the north of England. But actually, less than half of the sightings in my archive are malevolent. They are often protective or act as guardians.You have a brilliant podcast called The Folklore Podcast. What other topics do you focus on?The Folklore Podcast can be found at www.thefolklorepodcast.com, and it covers a wide range of folklore topics from apples and the weather to old hags and devil lore and much more. I write and present many of the episodes but also have expert guests from the worlds of folklore and history. It is all free, so you get access to research that is often not available to the public in this way. Of course, if people want to sign up for a small monthly donation, they can earn many rewards and bonus content and help the podcast to survive and grow. It has increased massively in the almost two years that it has been running – far more than I ever imagined and it is now I understand in the top 10% of global podcasts for its type.What is next for you regarding research and future books?The Black Dog research is always ongoing. I am usually writing episodes or public talks on different aspects of folklore. I also have a regular newspaper column in my area which has just started, and I sometimes get asked to write for books or magazines. Bookwise, I am writing a new book called “Folk Life” which is an anthology of extended chapters on different aspects of folklore.Where can we come and hear you speak?That is changing all the time. I try to brand live events under the podcast banner to keep them all in one place. I would encourage people to follow my social media below to see all the events as they get released. Along with my wife Tracey, who is a social historian, we are giving four talks for Hillingdon Libraries on the 21st and 22nd September if you are in the London area. But I am happy to give talks where people want to hear them if I can, so people can get in touch with me and ask.Where can we buy your book?You can buy both hardback and softback versions from my publisher, Troy Books. But if you want a signed copy then order the softback at www.thefolklorepodcast.com by clicking on Folklore Shop and then ask me to dedicate it.Do you have a website or Facebook page that readers can follow your work?Yes. Apart from the podcast website cited above, I would suggest people follow the podcast on Facebook and Twitter and also follow my author page to get all the latest news and eventswww.facebook.com/thefolklorepodcastwww.facebook.com/marknormanfolkloreTwitter @folklorepodMark Norman, thank you for talking to me, I enjoyed the signed copy of your book I received for Christmas as a gift from my daughter! I can recommend your book wholeheartedly, it is a fascinating and very well researched, informative read.Thank you for your dedication to this research and long may it continue.