The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #168402   Message #4076080
Posted By: Stewie
19-Oct-20 - 09:37 PM
Thread Name: Mudcat Australia-New Zealand Songbook
Subject: RE: Rise Up Mudcat Songbook - Australia
I don't know where those ?s came from. Anyhow, the lyrics are there.

A song about the possible inspiration for Miss Havisham:

THE BALLAD OF ELIZA EMILY DONNITHORNE
(J.Armstrong)

She stands at the window watching the carriages
Approaching the house in the spring of the year
She smiles at the people hurrying everywhere
Lovely Eliza’s wedding draws near
In the fine mansion in King St in Newtown
Beautiful ladies, some haughty, some gay
With horses and carriages, the cream of old Sydney Town
Lovely Eliza gets married today

Over the fireplace, a portrait in oils
Old Judge Donnithorne looks kindly down
Sees his young daughter, the flower of Sydney Town
Looking lovelier than ever in her wedding gown
But something is wrong - the smiles are fading
The hours are passing, the people must go
Eliza still stands and she looks from her window
Waiting in tears for the man she loves so

The table is set still, the places are counted
But gone are the people so laughing and gay
The gifts are unopened and tired of waiting
The beautiful wedding cake crumbles away
The old house is closed now, the windows are shuttered
Nobody leaves and nobody comes near
Eliza grows old now but still in her wedding dress
She faithfully waits for her love to appear

Thirty years pass now - the waiting is over
Six fine black horses await at the door
The beautiful carriage is decked in black ribbons
Lovely Eliza will wait here no more
She’s seeking a new world to search for her lover
If she will find him nobody can tell
She’s a young girl again, happy and carefree
Eliza Emily Donnithorne farewell

Youtube clip

Eliza Emily Donnithorne

--Stewie.