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19 Apr 05 - 10:10 AM (#1465308) Subject: Lyr Req: James Ruse-First Fleet convict From: Notferjo Hello Folks Can anyone help me with the words (and tune) to a song about James Ruse a convict and farmer in the early days of settlement in Sydney. Any ideas on who wrote it? Who recorded it? I first learnt this song around 20 years ago and have since forgotten all but these words: James Ruse is my name and from Cornwall I came A husbandman born in times of reform Two watches I stole and a few shillings more And for this was sentenced to seven years far, far, far from my own native shore CH (Also the epitaph on his grave) My mother reared me tenderly with me she took much pain And when I arrived in this colony I sowed the first grain And now with my heavenly father I hope forever to remain They took me on board of the Scarborough then And off to Australia with many poor men Across the two oceans we zig-zagged our way..... etc etc R |
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20 Apr 05 - 12:03 AM (#1466051) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: James Ruse-First Fleet convict From: Bob Bolton G'day Notferjo, I don't suppose you can dredge up a few more clues to this one ... ? I suspect the song is (comparatively) modern ... late 1960s at the earliest, as it doesn't look like any collected songs from the tradition - and it's only from the "folk boom" days that anyone would start writing songs about successful (ex-)convicts, rather than rebellious ones lashed to within an inch of their life ... but defiant to the end! Do you have any memory of the singer/group ... or recording from which this came? Regards, |
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20 Apr 05 - 12:31 AM (#1466063) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: James Ruse-First Fleet convict From: Peace "1792 Cornwall County Library is founded at Pydar Street, Truro, with nearly 30 subscribers, minimum subscription 1 guinea, and survived until 1920. In that time the library moved to Princes Street and then to the Public Rooms, situated between Quay Street and the Green James Ruse, a Launceston man, is deported on the first Australian convict ship." |
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20 Apr 05 - 04:29 AM (#1466129) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: James Ruse-First Fleet convict From: Bob Bolton G'day brucie, I presume that the (entry /?) reference to James Ruse's deportation doesn't come from the 1792 Truro records ... as the First Fleet sailed from Porstmouth on 13 May 1787 ... had landed, first at Botany Bay (20 January 1788) - then transferred to the better prospects of what is now Sydney Harbour - 25 January 1788. We celebrate 26 January (the anniversary of Governor Phillip raising the British flag and claiming the country) as "Australia Day". Regards, Bob |
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20 Apr 05 - 08:52 AM (#1466236) Subject: Lyr Add: JAMES RUSE From: Notferjo Bob, I'm scanning the old grey matter here and presume it is a song I heard on the radio and taped. I've been through the tapes I have left, (they don't keep through the years) not finding what I'm looking for. I suspect the song was written when it was ok to admit convict ancestry and in a similar vein to songs such as Judy Small's "Mary Parker's Lament". The performer(s) may have been a group. Also found more words, some missing, scribbled down in a notebook and probably the whole song: James Ruse is my name and from Cornwall I came A husbandman born in times of reform Two watches I stole and a few shillings more And for this was sentenced to seven years far, far, far from my own native shore CH (Also the epitaph on his grave) My mother reared me tenderly with me she took much pain And when I arrived in this colony I sowed the first grain And now with my heavenly father I hope forever to remain They took me on board of the Scarborough then And off to Australia with many poor men Across the two oceans we zig-zagged our way With good Captain Phillip sailing so far, far, far to Botany Bay I'll give you a garden James Ruse he did say And 20 more acres if you'll make it pay So I sowed the first grain in this far distant ..... And when it was ripe the first harvest I saw, saw, saw In this distant..... Oh many's the troubles that I had to bear From drought and from flood and hard labouring fare I wed Lizzy Perry down under to share The first farming country that ever was here, here, here, In this hot dusty air So now I do lie in St John's Campbelltown Beside my good wife on Australian ground We had a hard life and I'm proud to proclaim I was the first farmer and husbandman here, here, here, In this distant domain I think have the tune for the verses but the chorus is very vague. Great song. Notferjo |
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20 Apr 05 - 11:01 AM (#1466332) Subject: Lyr Add: JAMES RUSE (Richard Gendall) From: GUEST,MCP He rates a Wikipedia entry: Wikipedia - James Ruse, which qotes the epitaph among the other information. The words appear in a song file of the Cornish Association of NSW CANSW Song Sheets (Adobe pdf file), where the author is listed only as Gendall. You might be able to get more information from them. Below is the song as it appear there. Mick James Ruse (Gendall) James Ruse is my name, and from Cornwall I came, A husbandman born in times that were poor. Two watches I stole and a few shillings more, And for this was sentenced to seven years Far, far, far from my own native shore. (Refrain) My mother reared me tenderly, with me she took much pains, And when I arrived in this colony I sowed the first grains, and now with my heavenly Father I hope for ever to remain. They put me aboard of the 'Scarborough' then, And off to Australia with many poor men, Across the two oceans we zigzagged our way, With good Captain Phillip a-sailing, Far, far, far to Botany Bay. "I'll give you a garden James Ruse he did say, "And thirty more acres if you'll make it pay." So I sowed the first grain in this far distant strand, And when it was ripe a first harvest I Saw, saw, saw, in this far distant land. O' many the troubles that I had to bear From drought and from flood and hard labouring fare; And I wed Lizzie Perry down under, to share The first farming country that ever was Here, here, here in this hot dusty air. And now I do lie in St. John's Campbelltown, Beside my good wife in Australian ground... We had a good life, but I'm proud to proclaim I was the first gardener and husbandman Here, here, here in this distant domain. |
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09 May 05 - 09:20 PM (#1481228) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: James Ruse-First Fleet convict From: GUEST |
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10 May 05 - 09:17 AM (#1481584) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: James Ruse-First Fleet convict From: Bob Bolton G'day again Notferjo, A Google search on Cornish / Gendall / songwriter gets a half dozen sites containing references such as this at: Fry an Spyris - The Alternative (a site for the promotion of the Cornish language)- "Richard Gendall had been a longstanding figure in the movement: as a teacher of the language and author of an innovative and effective textbook, songwriter and scholar." Presumably this song is one of his English language efforts, celebrating the far-flung efforts of exiled Cornishmen. Regards, Bob |
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15 Dec 05 - 04:30 PM (#1628197) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: James Ruse-First Fleet convict From: GUEST,ozziesong I found the words on this web site http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:If-mOQw8U30J:members.optushome.com.au/kevrenor/songs95.pdf+%22James+Ruse+is+my%22&hl=en A recording of the song was released in 1988 called The bicentenial song collection 1988, I lost my copy and have never been able to get another, there are copys in libary in Canberra, I would love for it to be released again, its played over in my mind for near 20 years. |
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16 Dec 05 - 04:44 AM (#1628572) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: James Ruse-First Fleet convict From: Bob Bolton G'day Notferjo & ozziesong, Hmmmm ... since that site sems to be a local (NSW) Australian/Cornish association, I'll see if I can corner local Cornish songs expert Carrl Myriad and find if he has any knowledge of this one. Regards, Bob |
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12 Sep 06 - 02:58 AM (#1832408) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: James Ruse-First Fleet convict From: GUEST BBYE |
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12 Sep 06 - 06:14 AM (#1832480) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: James Ruse-First Fleet convict From: SqueezeMe Pretty sure it was recorded back in the early 1970s by Brenda Wootton and written by a fellow she used to sing with....can't recall his name. Tricky time signature iirc. Suited Brenda fine, but pretty unsingable by a bunch of big, hairy bush band types, who did a re-write to a somewhat more manageable (though less interesting) tune in 3/4 time and only 3 chords. (Think "Wild Rover/Botany Bay" idiom). This "new" song was written for a James Ruse celebration event around 1988, a booking accepted at 24 hours notice, conditional upon singing a song about James Ruse. Heard a couple of Sydney bush bands do it since. Can post words if any one interested....but adds nothing to the story. MC |
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15 Nov 08 - 10:16 PM (#2494880) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: James Ruse-First Fleet convict From: GUEST I need a pic of James Ruse where can i get one???? Plz help????? |
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16 Nov 08 - 03:31 AM (#2494951) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: James Ruse-First Fleet convict From: Little Robyn Brenda Wootten used to sing with John the Fish. Did he write it? Robyn |
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10 Aug 09 - 12:59 AM (#2696718) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: James Ruse-First Fleet convict From: GUEST,Andy Chiem 1. What ship did James Ruse came over to Australia? 2. What did he commit? 3. What job did he do? 4. What did his family do when he was gone to Australia? 5. When did he born? 6. When did James recieve his ticket-of-leave or pass? |
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10 Aug 09 - 03:30 AM (#2696765) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: James Ruse-First Fleet convict From: JennieG What's the prize for knowing? Cheers JennieG |
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10 Aug 09 - 06:26 PM (#2697289) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: James Ruse-First Fleet convict From: Rowan Reference to the "Scarborough" as the transport has me puzzled. It's now 21 years since I schooled a Year 8 history class through the AppleWorks version of John King's documentation of the First Fleet, but I seem to recall that all the prisoners who had originally received the death sentence and had had it commuted to transportation (originally to Africa but later to New Holland) were all on the one ship. One of my ancestors had been so sentenced, commuted and transported and my aging memory tells me that it was on the Scarborough. The University of Wollongong used to host a site with such details but it is no longer there. Cheers, Rowan |
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11 Aug 09 - 10:55 PM (#2698254) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: James Ruse-First Fleet convict From: Jim Dixon "Gendall" would be Richard Gendall, who was indeed one of Brenda Wootton's singing partners. |
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12 Aug 09 - 12:18 AM (#2698280) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: James Ruse-First Fleet convict From: Allen in Oz Jennie G First prize is a night out with Bob Foggin Second prize is two nights out with Bob Foggin ! See you Friday AD |
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24 Jan 14 - 03:09 AM (#3595152) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: James Ruse (Richard Gendall) From: GUEST,Jaime Yes, I have a very nice quality MP3 version ripped from a CD I bought years ago by a band called "The Colonial Boys". Sorry don't know where you would be able to obtain it (just had a quick look at some torrent site, with no luck) The CD also has lots of classic Aussie songs: Bound For Botany Bay.mp3 Bound For South Australia.mp3 Clancy Of The Overflow.mp3 Click Go The Shears.mp3 Flash Jack From Gundagai.mp3 James Ruse.mp3 Lime Jucie Tub.mp3 Moreton Bay.mp3 On The Road To Gundagai.mp3 Springtime, It Brings On The Shearing.mp3 The Band Played Waltzing Matilda.mp3 The Drovers Dream.mp3 The Euabalong Ball.mp3 The Man From Snowy River.mp3 The Overlanders.mp3 The Wild Colonail Boy.mp3 Waltzing Matilda.mp3 Hope this helps |
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24 Jan 14 - 03:11 AM (#3595154) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: James Ruse (Richard Gendall) From: GUEST,Jaime Here is some info on the CD I have: http://australianfolk.blogspot.com.au/2009/02/colonial-boys-bicentennial-song.html |
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07 Oct 14 - 08:51 AM (#3666885) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: James Ruse (Richard Gendall) From: GUEST,Lewy Lewis Ok what Happened is the CD was Deleted and you can not buy any more they only released so many for the Australian Bicentennial year 1988. They are as rare as Hens Teeth. I lost my CD in 1993 then found a CD in a 2nd hand Book Shop in Melbourne in 2004. I was looking for the CD for that many years. I know the Thrustration. Email me on lewysong@yahoo.com if want more info. |