Following up a query on the Tradtunes discussion group , I followed a logical path which made me think that an aristocratic bloke from a possibly Irish family but born in Yorkshire was responsible for Cajun music.

Matt Seattle was puzzled that he could find no reference to the other title for The Belle Isle March - that title being Monck's March and reckoned to refer to General Monck in the English Civil War. He was suggesting that the tune originated in the Seven Years War when Belle Isle was fought over and that it acquired the Monck's March title for some other reason.

I remembered that when Gerry Fox died some while ago, I mentioned on here, one of his songs that he recorded with us (The Druids) on the LP 'Songs and Music of the Redcoats'. Called 'Hot Stuff', the last verse mentions one of Wolfe's top generals, Brigadier Robert Monckton. I thought that it was possible that Monck's March was a shortening of Monckton's March. Perfectly possible but not, of course, verified.

A bit more of a poke round and Wikipedia reveals more (if it is to be believed). Monckton was an administrator as well as a soldier and was responsible for expelling the Acadians who wouldn't declare allegiance to the British Crown from what was to become Nova Scotia.

They were repatriated to Belle Isle which gives us the alternative name to Monckton's March. It's all falling into place.

The problem was that the Acadians didn't like Belle Isle and buggered off en masse to Louisiana.

SO! If a British General born in Yorkshire hadn't expelled the Acadians from Canada, they'd have probably still been there and Cajun Music as we know it wouldn't have existed.

Just saying.

Robert Monckton Wikipedia

Belle Isle Wikipedia