Bloody hell where have Ii been! sorry i missed this thread until Willa pointed it out to me as we sat and listened to the amazing Jez Lowe in concert last night. Anyhoo, the song came about at Whitby Captain Cook Festival My husband does not talk readily about his fishing days -since they are a reminder of a youth of poverty neglect and everyday tragedy, but on this occasion he told me the story of the Kingston Peridot, a trawler that was his regular ship. Trawlermen in those days could earn either a pittance or a fortune in the space of one trip, as they were paid by catch size. He had had a good few trips, bought a few suits, as fishermen where always immaculate when they were on shore, in brightly coloured suits which became their trademark. Anyway, the tax man had him, and following a hefty payout john took umbridge and decided that it was a pointless objective to earn vast sums risking his life only for the inland revenue to take it away. He spoke to the skipper and told him he would not sail on the next trip out. On that very trip the Kingston Peridot sank with all hands lost. John still has difficulty coming to terms with this and the song even now visibly moves him.