Ship's Carpenter- George Dunn (Staf) 1971 Palmer
[My title. Fragment from: Folk Music Journal 2:4 (1973) p.289; also Musical Traditions MT CD 317-8 ('Chainmaker'). Notes by Paul Slade and Roy Palmer follow.
The opening lines are found in Gosport, the remainder of the ballad is similar to Polly's Love.
R. Matteson 2016]
Paul Slade: When George Dunn performed a similar set of lyrics for other song collectors in 1971, he recalled singing the The Cruel Ship’s Carpenter during his youth as a Herefordshire hop-picker. “I sung beautiful in the hopyard,” he said. “The others joined in. When you came to the chorus, they’d join in. The hopyard was full of singing.”
Musical Traditions liner notes: Between this date, when he first sang it to me, and June 1971 George gradually retrieved more lines from his memory, without recovering the full text. Though he remembered that the final scene took place at sea he did not recall the avenging, ghostly appearance of the wronged woman,
As he did turn from the captain with speed
He met his Polly, which made his heart bleed
She stript him and tore him, she tore him in three
Because that he murdered her baby and she.
Ship's Carpenter - fragment sung by George Dunn of Quarry Bank, Staffordshire. Recorded 3 December, 1971, by Roy Palmer.
Two brace of kisses I had late last night[1]
To rise up in the morning before it was light
... ... ... ...
... ... ... ...
(missing verses)
"Oh pardon, oh pardon, oh pardon", said she
... ... ... ...
"I'll travel the wide world to set myself free
If you will but pardon my baby and me."
"There's no time for pardon, there's no time to weep
For all the night long I've been digging your grave
Your grave it lies open and the spade is standing by,
Which caused this young damsel to weep and to cry.
Then out of his pocket he pulled out a knife
He plunged it into her heart
And the crimson blood did flow
And into the grave the dead body did go[2].
Then up spake the first man, "I'm sure it's not me"
Then up spoke the second man, "I'm sure it's not me"
Then up steps bold William to stamp and to swear
"I'm sure it's not me, sir, I vow and declare."
1. as found in Gosport.
2. stanza following are missing as well as the final stanza.