{"id":23569,"date":"2024-02-18T10:29:04","date_gmt":"2024-02-18T10:29:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=23569"},"modified":"2024-03-01T07:07:40","modified_gmt":"2024-03-01T07:07:40","slug":"wreck-of-the-lifeboat","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/wreck-of-the-lifeboat\/","title":{"rendered":"Wreck of the lifeboat"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
AKA<\/strong><\/td>The lifeboat<\/td><\/tr>
First Published<\/td>1889<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Writer\/composer<\/td>Charles Osborne <\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RN13632<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Music Hall Performers<\/strong><\/td>Alf Chester<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>Collected from the singing of:<\/strong>
Larner, Sam ; England : Norfolk ; c1959
Pardon, Walter ; England : Norfolk ; 1974<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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From March's Royalty Songs 109\nBroadside Ballads Online from the Bodleian Collection<\/a>\n\nTHE WRECK OF THE LIFE-BOAT.\nSung by Alf Chester\nWritten and Composed by Charles Osborne. \nArranged by Alfred Leggett\n\nIn an old-fashioned cottage that stands on the cliff, \nA woman is sitting alone,\nSewing with fingers so nervous and stiff, \nAnd cheeks that are cold as a stone. \nThe lantern that's lit in the window \nGleams on the waters below;\nShe's thinking, yes thinking, \nOf that night twelve months ago -\n\nThe lifeboat went out in the wind, \nLeaving a lassie behind\nThinking of Jack, wishing him back, \nPraying for those on the foam.\nBut Jack, with the best of his band, \nWas wrecked within sight of the land,\nNever will she her sailor see, \nOr give him a welcome home.<\/em>\n\nPlaymates from childhood were we, Jack and I, \nHe was the son of a tar\nNell was my sister, and, absent or nigh, \nHe called her his bright guiding star.\nWe joined as crew of a lifeboat, \nFirst to the rescue was he.\nBut they parted, yes parted, \nWrecked by the waves of the sea.\n\nOne stormy night, far away o'er the sea, \nA vessel was fast on a reef\nOut went the lifeboat and in her went we, \nAway to her help and relief;\nJack brought aboard the survivors, \nSee how we pull for the shore.\nBut she's sinking, yes sinking, \nNo human eye saw her more.\n\nOnly one man from the life-boat was saved, \nOnly one sailor coxswain they snatched from the waves, \nOur bold-hearted skipper was Jack,\nNell sits at home in the twilight, \nWatching the lights on the foam\n\u00adShe's watching, still watching, \nWaiting to welcome him home.\n\n<\/pre>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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A song popular in the late Victorian Halls which featured in the repertoire of two of the most prominent late 20th Century English traditional singers – Sam Larner and Walter Pardon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was one of a number of late 19th century songs about lifeboats and rescues at sea. These songs tended to be romantic and patriotic -for example, see Grace Darling<\/a> and The Ship I Love<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Wreck of the Lifeboat <\/em>was an early hit for Alf Chester whose brief biography appears below. He first sang it (usually against an elaborately painted backdrop)  in the Halls in 1888 and it was published as sheet music a year later. The song was written and composed by Charles Osborne<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Alf Chester (?-1925)  was  active in the 1890s and 1900s. He was sometimes described as  a “vocal comedian”, sometimes as a “descriptive vocalist”. This latter term was usually reserved for performers like Leo Dryden and Charles Godfrey who presented their songs en scena  – <\/em>i.e. in full costume, sometimes with elaborate sets and supporting cast.  His most famous songs include Waiting to hear the verdict, Sailing merrily home, <\/em>and Why did I leave my little back room?<\/em>. He toured Australia with Harry Rickard in 19006\/07. At time of death was owner of King William IV Hotel in Brighton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here’s a snatch of Sam Larner singing it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sam Larner sings it,  collected by Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger, from VWML<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n