Bronson's earliest tune seems to be c1840 (Hudson MS), then Child 1882, one listed as learned c1883 (though published in 1920s), Broadwood and Maitland 1893, and after that all the tunes are from the 20th century, mostly <1940, but a handful later.

Bronson has this to say:

In spite of very considerable superficial variation, it may be permissible to class all the British or British-descended tune-variants as members of one large musical family. This will, however, have to be subdivided into several types, the mid-cadence being a factor of importance, though not always compelling. Plagal forms predominate, and the melodic tradition has remained almost wholly within the Ionian galaxy.


Mick