G'day Bill,

This version is scanned in from John Meredith and Bill Scott's book, cited above. I have heard recorded versions from a number of bands and singers over the years. I know the Bushwackers did it on some recording and somewhere I have am EP put out for a Ned Kelly 'Festival' in the 70s or early 80s that also has this on it.

I must agree that the final two verses are probably later additions, but that is indeed the nature of folk songs!

Obviously, the earliest widely know recording would be 'Tex' Morton's and that is probably the one that you remembered the song from. At a guess, I would expect that to date from just before WWII. I am sure it is all on Roger Walter's (Just opened the Australian Folk Music Heritage Centre out at Mamre House, St Marys, NSW) data base, but that is currently in a strange old proprietary application (called Q & A?) that we are trying to persuade to disgorge data in some modern, usable format.

When we make it work, I can answer questions with much more certainty. Until then, you could look at Mark Gregory's Australian Folk Songs Site at http://www.chepd.mq.edu.au/boomerang/songnet/ (Sorry Catters, I still haven't got around to memorising how to turnthat into a "Blue Clicky Thing"!)

Regards,

Bob Bolton