Earl Grey Australian emigration songs

Subject: RE: Earl Grey Australian emigration songs
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Sep 10 - 06:03 AM

Very similar then to the Earl Grey, but about 20 years earlier. The Earl Grey were government sponsored, and sent between 1848 and 1850, from all parts of Ireland. Partly to even the gender imbalance but also to empty Irish workhouses of what were seen as an unwanted burden because women were more likely to enter the workhouses than men and were not as easily immersed into board of work schemes etc.Must chase up this song though, thanks for the words.

Subject: RE: Earl Grey Australian emigration songs
From: zozimus
Date: 28 Sep 10 - 06:24 PM

Hi,
The "God's Police" song is about the girls Caroline Chisholm coaxed to go to Australia, mainly from Ireland, and marry the wild men out there and put manners on them. The idea was that there children would be brought up as good god-fearing catholics even if these girls had little or no effect on their husbands.
Around 1828, posters went up in Ireland and Britain offering free transport to Australia for those willing to become the future mothers of Australia. At that time the ratio of men to women in Australia was calculated at 50 to 1, some they needed women.
From the dates given by Guest above, we may be talking about different events. A book called "Damned Whores and God's Police" by A. Summers published in Melbourne 1975 gives account of this. Caroline Chisholm herself used the term "God's POlice" to describe these girls.Copies of the book are available secondhand on the net at reasonable prices.
Lyrics:God's Police Ted Egan
"Female Emigration to The Great New Southern Nation"
Was the message on the posters, and the passage it was free
So an agonising was made by many starving families
their daughters would be snt across the sea

"God's Police" said Mrs Chislom, That's what their role will be
We will marry them to all those lawless men
God-fearing girls a plenty, we want for every Colony
But they'll never, ever, see their home again

Chorus;
You will never, ever see your home again
You will travel to Australia, to a land of lawless men
The weather and the work will make you old before your time
And you'll never ever see your home again

Herded in like cattle as the ship ploughed to the south
Seasick and depressed, confused in heart and mind
They tried to keep their spirits up with prayer and speculation
But they'd no idea what type of life they'd find.

"Now you girls" said Mrs Chislom, "don't judge this place too fast,
It's nothing like the British Isles, but then,
There's a brand new life that's full of hope for everyone of you
But yuo'll never, ever see your home again

There was never any question that all of them would wed
So they did, and they dispersed to different types of fates
With their farmers and their station hands
and men who dug for gold
A motley crew of rough and ready mates

But the clever Mrs Chisholm had surely chosen well
Their presence was to stabilise the men
They thrived and bore their children and came to love Australia
But they never, ever saw their home again.
There ya go. What are you reading?

Subject: RE: Earl Grey Australian emigration songs
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Sep 10 - 09:06 AM

I wonder if that God's Police song is to do with convicts rather than workhouse girls? Anyone have lyrics for it by any chance? I've done a lot of research on these girls and I'd love to see if they've been remembered in song.

Subject: RE: Earl Grey Australian emigration songs
From: GUEST,OldNicKilby
Date: 28 Sep 10 - 05:02 AM

No,but Enda Kenney wrote a little cracker about "Earl Grey Tea"

Subject: RE: Earl Grey Australian emigration songs
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Sep 10 - 02:43 PM

Ted Egan wrote one called "God's Police" in his book "The Land Downunder" and has recorded it's on one of his CDs.

Subject: Earl Grey Australian emigration songs
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Sep 10 - 04:56 PM

Anyone know of any songs dedicated to the 4,114 Irish girls from workhouses who went to Australia between 1848 and 1850?