G'day Martin,

I got around to checking the Ron Edwards broadside research books I mentioned above. The books are The Convict Maid, Australian Folklore - Occasional Paper No 16, Ron Edwards, Rams Skull Press, Kuranda, 1985 and The Transport's Lament, Australian Folklore - Occasional Paper No 17, Ron Edwards, Rams Skull Press, Kuranda, 1985.

The Black Velvet Band only appears in the first, in versions from Glasgow and Dublin collections and dated after 1838 (which would agree with the "Victoria fashion reference). All three examples give the home town as Barking (as in IanC's posting above) and Ron Ewards gives the first two examples as being printed by (Ryle) & Co, Printers, 2 & 3 Monmouth Court, Seven Dials.

The interesting question is whether the change to all the different home towns ever occurred in the broadsheets, or only in the subsequent singing - and folk transmission.

Regards,

Bob Bolton