The Traditional Ballad Index entry:

Fisher Lad of Whitby, The

DESCRIPTION: "My love he was a fisher lad and when he came on shore," he always comes to see her. He proposed to her while in his boat. The pressgang took him that day. Her family tries to console her, but she fears he'll never return and wishes she were dead with him
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1892 (Forshaw)
KEYWORDS: love courting ship separation pressgang death
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Palmer-OxfordBookOfSeaSongs 68, "The Fisher Lad of Whitby" (1 text, which never mentions Whitby)
Roud #V35024
File: PaSe068