I have been trying to discover where the tune for Jarvis the Coachman come from.

It was collected by Alfred Williams from Henry "Wassail" Harvey in Cricklade - but we all know that Williams did NOT collect tunes!!
WE also know that the song appeared on early Broadsides - again all published without tunes.

The only recording I know was by The Critics Group on "A Merry Progress to London" - and lo and behold...it has a tune. The sleeve notes say nothing about the tune...so where did it come from??

Tim Radford

https://ewanmaccoll.bandcamp.com/track/jarvis-the-coachman


Jarvis The Coachman.

My name it is Jarvis the Coachmen
A coachman I’ve been for some years
I drive up and down and all over the town
Without any danger or fears.

Some gentleman travelers they haled me,
I stopped in the road for a fee,
But if I had known what their plan was
Old Nick should have driven ‘em not me.

One night I was driving through Chelsea,
A driving along to me doom
Three gentleman traveler they haled me
All for to be took to their homes.

They made me drive up by old Highgate,
Till a man hung in chains I could see,
But if I had known what their plan was
Old Nick should have driven ‘em not me.

They made me drive under the gibbet,
They made me drive under it straight,
They swore I should climb to the top of it,
Or else my old neck they would break.

They put a long rope round my middle
Then pulled me to the top of the tree,
Then off with me coach and me horses,
They galloped off most speedily.

I Whooped, I bawled, I hollered
Till at length the bold butcher he came by,
I frightened the poor butcher’s horses,
For he thought thus a dead man’s cry.

Till at length a bold brickmaker came by,
Then he cut me down from the tree.
But if I had known what their plan was
Old Nick should have driven ‘em not me.


Henry “Wassail” Harvey, Cricklade, Wilts
Alfred Williams and Broadsides