ARCHIVIST Steve Hobbs, of the Wiltshire and Swindon Records Office, has been bowled over by requests to see one of his department's most recent acquisitions.

A 40-year-old letter, which we featured in the paper on Wednesday, from world famous singer Paul Simon seeking a gig in Swindon has attracted attention from across the country.

Simon, who was preparing to cut his first LP for Topic Records in Britain, offered to sing at the club for £7.

He changed his mind when he discovered that the folk club met in the basement of the Communist Party's branch office in Swindon.

It was during the period of the McCarthy Un-American Activities witch hunt in the US, which turned writers and entertainment world personalities into pariahs if they were suspected of being Communist sympathisers.

Paul Simon, who was reluctant to risk being unjustly pilloried, later achieved fame as half of the Simon and Garfunkel folk partnership.

"The letter has attracted terrific interest," said Mr Hobbs.

It has been at Swindon Reference Library with other documents handed over by the folk club.

They include letters from folk singers Ewan McColl, Peggy Seeger, Martin Carthy, Julie Felix and Cyril Tawny, who was founder of the modern folk movement.

"The archive is important because it's a record of national as well as local significance," Mr Hobbs added.

The documents are now going to the records office, which is housed in a former mattress factory in Bythesea Road, Trowbridge, but is scheduled to move in 2007 to a modern purpose-built home in Chippenham.

"This collection has given us a chance to publicise the folk club, and also the records office," said Mr Hobbs.

"Many people aren't aware that we don't only have really old documents."

Members of the public can see the letters. For details of access and opening hours call 01225 713138.

He did visit

Paul Simon did visit Swindon in the early 1960s. Geoff Walters, who is the Kentwood Choir's pianist and president, heard him sing at the Ballad and Blues Club, which met on Sunday nights at the Castle Inn in Prospect Hill, Old Town.

"We would go up there every week, never knowing who would be playing there," said Geoff, 62, who lives in Ruckley Gardens, Stratton St Margaret.

"Paul Simon was so easy. It was just lovely music."

Geoff later became head of music at Commonweal and Churchfields Schools.

Shirley Mathias