I think my younger sisters learned it from a BBC program at school, and came home singing it - we lived in Dover at the time. I think the shepherd's version lacked the sailing east part.

My memories of school music are scant. We had a boring teacher, though the choir was good. I really looked forward to another teacher when I changed schools, but she did, too. Oh heart-sinking moment.

My mother taught us, playing the piano, songs out of the News Chronicle Community Song Book. I think my repertoire depended on the key. My party piece was "The Minstrel Boy," which appealed to me for some wholly unhistorical reason, but which did not appeal to said music teacher.