The song is called Tommy's Lot although the refrain is as you say, Alison. I know a couple of people who sing/play it but I am not in touch with them at present to get the chords/tab.

It contains some of my favourite lines including, "How can your mother say that your father fell, in a place that she can't even spell..." Magic stuff.

I believe the writer had an Irish name, Brendan something, possibly. He was based in England, certainly in the late 70's/early eighties. He was with a trio named Tommy's Lot who did our folk club a couple of times. They were very good indeed but, oddly enough, won our 'Worst singer of the Night' contest with a rendition of some old standard - in three different keys at the same time!!! We had to report that in th elocal rag using a made up name to protect the guilty - Most Motly (anag. of Tommys Lot if you didn't notice!)

I think you are way off with the Widows Uniform, nutty. That's Kipling and this is relatively recent.

Good Luck and if you don't get the details soon PM me and I will try to get in touch with someone who will know. If you are not yet a Mudcat member and cannot join I don't mind you using my home address, dave@polshaw.connectfree.co.uk.

Cheers

Dave the Gnome