Lighter,

Great stuff, thanks. What you say sounds very likely.

And no, I never imagined an "elaborate counterfeit" :) but I do think that secondary sources had their influence on some of Hugill's notated versions of chanteys. Since, as I understand it, he did not notated them, his naturally-human memory was subject to new influences as the years passed. The scenario I meant to propose was that Hugill did learn the chantey from Harding, but that by the time he got it in print, his remembered version of that had been influenced by hearing the other.

Since the question of "Well, then where did Lloyd get it from?" has no immediate answer, your solution sounds best.

Effective argument about the 'hitch.' But surely (playing Devil's advocate here) Lloyd (the ex-seaman) and MacColl had access to this stylistic device through other chanteymen. too?

If Hugill by chance recorded this one for the BBC, I'd love to hear it; I don't think I've ever heard him quite in that style.

Gibb