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

Chorus