The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #170186 Message #4208754
Posted By: GUEST,henryp
23-Sep-24 - 08:54 AM
Thread Name: Any September Songs?
Subject: RE: Any September Songs?
At Hindhead, Surrey, the Sailor’s Stone bears the inscription; ERECTED In detestation of a barbarous Murder Committed here on an unknown Sailor On September 24th 1786 By Edwd. Lonegon, Mich. Casey & Jas. Marshall Who were all taken the same day And hung in Chains near this place. Whoso sheddeth Man's Blood by Man shall his Blood be shed.
The Unknown Sailor by Henry Peacock To the tune of ‘The Calico Printer’s Clerk’ written by Dave Moran after The Halliard found the words in the Harkness Collection of broadsides at the Harris Library, Preston.
From his home in London An Able Seaman strode Back to his ship he made his trip Upon the Portsmouth Road At the village inn in Thursley He stopped to buy a round And there three men he did befriend They too were Portsmouth bound
Chorus; As you travel on life’s journey You’ll meet your fellow man But take great care, for while you share Others take what they can
On the lonely climb up Hindhead Those men made their attack And with a knife they took his life And made off with his pack Now those cut-throats hang in irons On the top of Gibbet Hill To show us all what will befall Those who treat others ill
Chorus
A stone stands by the wayside To mark where he was killed All travellers know no grass will grow Where that red blood was spilled In quiet Thursley churchyard The unknown sailor sleeps His kin still yearn for his return From sailing on the deep
Chorus
A sailor leads a hard life He knows tragedy and woe He has to brave the restless wave Wherever he may go Our sailor and his shipmates From danger daily strode But he died alone, his name unknown Upon the Portsmouth Road