Thanks Malcolm and sorry about the 'e'. As a member of EFDSS I have the FMJ you mention and shall dig it out and read it.

On reading my own post I now realise that the point I was trying to make was - did Sharp et al when collecting in the States, and other people collecting where uk migrants had gone, collect any ceromonial music.

But then again the point you make is that ceremonial often came from other sources so perhaps its a bit if a wild goose chase. But still that poor old horse seems to have gone to sea. Was that of ritual/ceremonial origin?

Strange how often when doubting the depth of the oral tradition we can be reassured by shanties and sea songs?