G'day Katherine,

We have in Australia a version of the "Dogs' Meeting" or the "Dogs' Festival" collected in the inland town of Gulgong during the 1950s by folklorist John Meredith.

Although local rumour claims that the verses were dashed off by poet Henry Lawson to fund a few more drinks (circa 1910), I suspect that it is more recent since it uses the tune "Lincolnshire Poacher" as modified for a 1950s (?) novelty song "The Thing" in which the words concealed are replaced by a spoken "Boom, boom, boom" or some other substitute such as three 'tambor' beat on the face of the performer's guitar.

The words, tune and details are in "Folk Songs of Australia and the men and women who sang them", John Meredith and Hugh Anderson, Rigby (?), c. 1965 - if I remember correctly. I must now look into the DT and see what else of the history can be gleaned. I know the Australian version was picked up by visting English singers in the 1960s but I would not claim authorship for us (and I don't know if I would want to anyway!)>

Regards,

Bob Bolton