... and fill up your Gotch'.

A thread from a maritime history group ... we have the words but what was the tune?

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Someone off-list is asking if anyone can help identify the song tune mentioned at the end of the following

Lot 24: [ Anonymous ] The Launching of the Orwell, East-Indiaman, at the Halifax Ship-Yard, Ipswich, on Thursday the 28th of August, 1817: a New Song. Cover vignette. 8 pages.. 8vo, self-wrappers; slipcase. Ipswich: J. Raw, 1817 E150-250 The Orwell contract

Description

[ Anonymous ] The Launching of the Orwell, East-Indiaman, at the Halifax Ship-Yard, Ipswich, on Thursday the 28th of August, 1817: a New Song. Cover vignette. 8 pages. 8vo, self-wrappers; slipcase. Ipswich: J. Raw, 1817 E150-250 The Orwell contract was initiated by Jabez Bayley with Captain M. Isacke. This ditty is to be sung to the tune of 'Come sweep up the Planchers, and fill up your Gotch'.

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Info. from a maritime history forum is:

"I have a very short, scribbled note, talking to Stan Hugill, Bernard Cadoret, Michel Colleu and others (Douarnenez, 1988) that 'gotch' is a 'beer/wine mug, oversize." I cannot remember what the context of the conversation might have been. Stan's memory was encyclopaedic, but I did not note anything concerning the "The Launching of the Orwell."

A rather long-shot guess for an early C19th ditty (maybe even a broadsheet[1]) is that it was theatrical rather than maritime. I'm currently working with some theatre historians on the similarity (and differences) of English vocabulary across the two professions, and have noted that deck, plancher and stage are known. I have put the question to them.

[1] A fairly extensive (but perhaps somewhat limited) search for the title in major bibliographic catalogues (including the British Library) has been unrewarding.

Fair winds -- Pxxx"

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For further information :-

The word to the song are as follows transcribed to give a feel of the original. A bunch of shanty singers here in Ipswich would love to be able to sing it to the original tune. Dxx

THE LAUNCHING OF THE ORWELL
East-Indiaman
AT HALIFAX SHIPYARD, IPSWICH

On Thursday the 28'th of August, 1817:

A NEW SONG

To the Tune of “Come sweep up the planchers, and fill up your Gotch”

Good PEOPLE OF SUFFOLK come, pray ye draw near,
And I’ll presently tell you what happened here;
Of August it was on the twenty-eighth Day,
When such numbers from all parts came flocking this way.

Oh! how they were running and hast’ning along,
And squeezing themselves in the thick of the throng;
For the men were now busy in splitting the blocks,
To launch the brave *ORWELL* from off all her stocks.

A vessel so large, so majestic, and grand,
Old Ipswich before never saw on her strand:
Guess then how astonished she must be this at,
When she’d ne’er seen one larger than e’en “A Black Cat.”

TEAGUE, BARNARD, and GOODAY, and CLEMENTS of old,
Those Builders,-- whose skill was so great we are told ,--
In science surpass’d now must e’en quit the field,
And to BAYLEY§ the palm in Ship-building all yield.

Lo, see now how gaily she glides off the stocks,
How finely she moves now, and quits all the blocks!
How boldly she enters the full-swelling tide—
Huzza! see the *ORWELL* in safety now ride !

With huzza and shouting, the wide welkin rings,
The Fair waves her ‘kerchief, the Boy his hat flings;
While the *ORWELL*, as ‘long-side Hog-Island she steers,
Saves her bacon outright, and thus quiets all fears.

Printed and sold by J.RAW, in the Butter-Market and all Booksellers

1817

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