Peter Wood

Did broadsides play a role in informingPeople of the great events?

Songs about the Battle of Waterloo

I have inserted narration into the powerpoint presentation of a talk given at the Broadside Day at Cecil Sharp House in February 2015.

Now click the mouse on to start the programme

Great News!

Case Number 1:The Battle of Waterloo

The great historical events

Did the broadsides report these?

The battle of Waterloo – Sunday 18th of June, 1815

• The Duke sent his dispatch on the 19th, and this arrived in London late on the 21st

• The London Gazette printed the dispatch early on the 22nd

• Started mid-day, ended late evening

• Bells were rung

Thursday 22nd of June, 1815

• The Times produced a special edition at 11 am that morning, reprinting the dispatch, including the list of dead officers

• By the 25th, Parliament was organising a monument and relief efforts for the survivors

London broadsides announcing the victory?

•No London broadside can be definitely dated 1815

•Catnach had none, Batchelor and Evans each had one, undateable.

•Pitts had five dated before 1819

•cf 1803, when 70 or more songs were produced about the Invasion Scare

Waterloo – broadsides outside London

Poor boneyAll you people who live at home easy, And free from the trials of warNever knowing the dangers of battle, But safe with your family secureKnow you the long scythe of destruction, Has been sweeping the nation all roundAnd it never yet cut with the keennessThat it did on the eighteenth of june

Burstow had the song fromJim Shoebridge, a Sussex Waterloo veteran

According to Burstow, Shoebridge“left a leg in Belgium”

Ye people at home who live easyAnd free from the riots of warLet thought take a place in your bosomsAnd sigh for the sorrows of warAh! Lang has the scythe of destructionBeen sweeping the nations aroundBut ne’er did it cut with such keennessAs on the great eighteenth of June

Both Britain and France they have lang beenContending for who’ll have the sway, But brawling may turn into mourning, To think on this terrible day. Ten thousands of good hearted mortals Here fell midst the awfu’ platoons And sung a farewell to their sorrows Upon the great eighteenth of June

First France, with her ord’nary fury, Did think the allies to o’erwhelm But ah! She forgot in the hurry That Britain did stand at the helm And what a sad heart sirs, had bonnieTo tak now instead of a crown A canter frae Brussels to Paris Lamenting the eighteenth of June

While britain, as bold as a lion Made all shake around with her roar She conquer’d the legions against her Till there was to conquer no more But great was the tumult on both sides And great was the number cut down And many a heart will remember With sorrow the eighteenth of june

Let england rejoice in her heroes And ireland in great wellington But scotia may mourn without ceasing Her best and her bravest are gone! Ye ladies who’s ladies are yonder Gae ilk ane, and buy a black gown A thousand it is to a hunder They’ve fallen on the eighteenth of june

Ye sops, and ye fine gaudy mortalsWhose life’s like the mist of the morn An hour in this terrible conflict Would told you what for you was born The groans of the dying and wounded Would send though your bosoms a stoun! You would learn’d to have danced a new figure At the ball on the eighteenth of june From half after ten in the morningTill half after seven at night Thy meadows, la belle alliance Did ne’er before see such a sight Till the thunder of twice fifty cannons Proclaim’d we the battle had won While the moon in the night as she view’d it Recorded the eighteenth of june

But now to cut short a long storyHere’s a joy to our heroes at large May britain lang keep up her glory And donald lang ken how to charge And may her bold sons still defend her From the paws of a foreigner loon And may he who dares to defend her Get fun like the eighteenth of june

Ye nations, o would you learn wisdom,(Excuse me for speaking so plain)O would you repent of your follyThen look on the thousands you’ve slain! Let predjudice fly from your bosoms,And harmony reign roun’ and roun’A world of peace and of pleasureMight rival an eighteenth of june

While Britain, as bold as a lion Made all shake around with her roar She conquer’d the legions against her Till there was to conquer no more But great was the tumult on both sides And great was the number cut down And many a heart will remember With sorrow the eighteenth of June

Let England rejoice in her heroes And Ireland in great wellington But Scotia may mourn without ceasing Her best and her bravest are gone! Ye ladies who’s ladies are yonder Gae ilk ane, and buy a black gown A thousand it is to a hunder They’ve fallen on the eighteenth of June

Ye sops, and ye fine gaudy mortalsWhose life’s like the mist of the morn An hour in this terrible conflict Would told you what for you was born The groans of the dying and wounded Would send though your bosoms a stoun! You would learn’d to have danced a new figure At the ball on the eighteenth of June From half after ten in the morningTill half after seven at night Thy meadows, la belle alliance Did ne’er before see such a sight Till the thunder of twice fifty cannons Proclaim’d we the battle had won While the moon in the night as she view’d it Recorded the eighteenth of june

But now to cut short a long storyHere’s a joy to our heroes at large May britain lang keep up her glory And donald lang ken how to charge And may her bold sons still defend her From the paws of a foreigner loon And may he who dares to defend her Get fun like the eighteenth of june

Ye nations, o would you learn wisdom,(Excuse me for speaking so plain)O would you repent of your follyThen look on the thousands you’ve slain! Let predjudice fly from your bosoms,And harmony reign roun’ and roun’A world of peace and of pleasureMight rival an eighteenth of june

Waterloo – Poor Boney

W

H

F

Waterloo – Poor Boney

Ye people at home who live easyAnd free from the riots of warLet thought take a place in your bosomsAnd sigh for the sorrows of warAh! Lang has the scythe of destructionBeen sweeping the nations aroundBut ne’er did it cut with such keennessAs on the great eighteenth of June

Both Britain and France they have lang beenContending for who’ll have the sway, But brawling may turn into mourning, To think on this terrible day. Ten thousands of good hearted mortals Here fell midst the awfu’ platoons And sung a farewell to their sorrows Upon the great eighteenth of June

First France, with her ord’nary fury, Did think the allies to o’erwhelm But ah! She forgot in the hurry That Britain did stand at the helm And what a sad heart sirs, had bonnieTo tak now instead of a crown A canter frae Brussels to Paris Lamenting the eighteenth of June

While britain, as bold as a lion Made all shake around with her roar She conquer’d the legions against her Till there was to conquer no more But great was the tumult on both sides And great was the number cut down And many a heart will remember With sorrow the eighteenth of june

Let england rejoice in her heroes And ireland in great wellington But scotia may mourn without ceasing Her best and her bravest are gone! Ye ladies who’s ladies are yonder Gae ilk ane, and buy a black gown A thousand it is to a hunder They’ve fallen on the eighteenth of june

Ye sops, and ye fine gaudy mortalsWhose life’s like the mist of the morn An hour in this terrible conflict Would told you what for you was born The groans of the dying and wounded Would send though your bosoms a stoun! You would learn’d to have danced a new figure At the ball on the eighteenth of june From half after ten in the morningTill half after seven at night Thy meadows, la belle alliance Did ne’er before see such a sight Till the thunder of twice fifty cannons Proclaim’d we the battle had won While the moon in the night as she view’d it Recorded the eighteenth of june

But now to cut short a long storyHere’s a joy to our heroes at large May britain lang keep up her glory And donald lang ken how to charge And may her bold sons still defend her From the paws of a foreigner loon And may he who dares to defend her Get fun like the eighteenth of june

Ye nations, o would you learn wisdom,(Excuse me for speaking so plain)O would you repent of your follyThen look on the thousands you’ve slain! Let predjudice fly from your bosoms,And harmony reign roun’ and roun’A world of peace and of pleasureMight rival an eighteenth of june

While Britain, as bold as a lion Made all shake around with her roar She conquer’d the legions against her Till there was to conquer no more But great was the tumult on both sides And great was the number cut down And many a heart will remember With sorrow the eighteenth of June

Let England rejoice in her heroes And Ireland in great wellington But Scotia may mourn without ceasing Her best and her bravest are gone! Ye ladies who’s ladies are yonder Gae ilk ane, and buy a black gown A thousand it is to a hunder They’ve fallen on the eighteenth of June

Ye sops, and ye fine gaudy mortalsWhose life’s like the mist of the morn An hour in this terrible conflict Would told you what for you was born The groans of the dying and wounded Would send though your bosoms a stoun! You would learn’d to have danced a new figure At the ball on the eighteenth of June From half after ten in the morningTill half after seven at night Thy meadows, la belle alliance Did ne’er before see such a sight Till the thunder of twice fifty cannons Proclaim’d we the battle had won While the moon in the night as she view’d it Recorded the eighteenth of june

But now to cut short a long storyHere’s a joy to our heroes at large May britain lang keep up her glory And donald lang ken how to charge And may her bold sons still defend her From the paws of a foreigner loon And may he who dares to defend her Get fun like the eighteenth of june

Ye nations, o would you learn wisdom,(Excuse me for speaking so plain)O would you repent of your follyThen look on the thousands you’ve slain! Let predjudice fly from your bosoms,And harmony reign roun’ and roun’A world of peace and of pleasureMight rival an eighteenth of june

Waterloo – Kidson A Printed 1816 by Marshall, Newcastle

Sgt William Grant

Waterloo – broadsides outside London

BurstowThe famous battle of WaterlooBonaparte’s Rout

You people that live at home easy

18151815?

Johnston Morren

Falkirk Edinburgh

Label Title First Line Date Printer Place

 Kidson A The Battle of Waterloo On the 16th day of June me boys

1816 Marshall Newcastle

Valiant Heroes B The Battle of Waterloo Come all you valiant heroes….

1817 Hutchinson Glasgow

Scotch Sodgers True

Scottish glory displayed at the Battle of Waterloo

Scotch Sodgers True 1817 Fraser Stirling

Waterloo – Early Songs

Thank you for your interest.

My new book The Green Linnet

Napoleonic Songs from the French Wars to the present day

Thank you for your interest.

My new book The Green Linnet

Napoleonic Songs from the French Wars to the present day

is available via this site