Thanks. It's taken me decades to get an answer to this query, and I felt bad that the record company put the work down as trad. in 1970.

I love the 1966 single that I just picked up of Mike, John and Sandy singing this song for Polydor. The lyrics my father sang made my sister laugh in one place where there is a line that "Our manhood was no more". Double entendre territory.   In the 1966 single the line is "their freedom was no more".

Can the John Croall be the same - as this is mid 60's stuff? It's worth putting in a folk database as confusion has arisen in the past with singers and instrumentalists recording works of similar title. Universal Music/Dick James Music are registered as owning it.

Who were Mike, John and Sandy? I found that they took part in BBC radio programmes, a bit like Robin Hall and Jimmie MacGregor. That's all I know. Presumably that's how they got a contract with Polydor.   

I don't know what Mr. Croall would make of my father's tenor singing (it's like marmite). Unfortunately he never got full backing or production. If I had tracked down the original master tape for this song I would dub on backing vocals mandolin and whistle, but not to be. I got the rights back to the album so just put it on youtube for fun.