Did broadsides play a role in informing People

Did broadsides play a role in informing People of the great events? Songs about the Battle of Waterloo Peter Wood 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

The great historical events Did the broadsides report these? Case Number 1: The Battle of Waterloo Great News!

The battle of Waterloo – Sunday 18 th of June, 1815 • Started mid-day, ended late evening • The Duke sent his dispatch on the 19 th, and this arrived in London late on the 21 st • Bells were rung • The London Gazette printed the dispatch early on the 22 nd

Thursday 22 nd 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 25 th, Parliament was organising a monument and relief efforts for the survivors

London broadsides announcing the victory? • Catnach had none, Batchelor and Evans each had one, undateable. • Pitts had five dated before 1819 • No London broadside can be definitely dated 1815 • cf 1803, when 70 or more songs were produced about the Invasion Scare

Waterloo – broadsides outside London Poor boney All you people who live at home easy, And free from the trials of war Never knowing the dangers of battle, But safe with your family secure Know you the long scythe of destruction, Has been sweeping the nation all round And it never yet cut with the keenness That it did on the eighteenth of june Burstow had the song from Jim Shoebridge, a Sussex Waterloo veteran According to Burstow, Shoebridge “left a leg in Belgium”

Ye people at home who live easy And free from the riots of war Let thought take a place in your bosoms And sigh for the sorrows of war Ah! Lang has the scythe of destruction Been sweeping the nations around But ne’er did it cut with such keenness As on the great 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 heroes Both Britain and France they have lang been Contending for who’ll have the sway, And Ireland in great wellington But brawling may turn into mourning, But Scotia may mourn without ceasing Her best and her bravest are gone! To think on this terrible day. Ye ladies who’s ladies are yonder Ten thousands of good hearted mortals Here fell midst the awfu’ platoons Gae ilk ane, and buy a black gown A thousand it is to a hunder And sung a farewell to their sorrows They’ve fallen on the eighteenth of June Upon the great eighteenth of June Ye sops, and ye fine gaudy mortals First France, with her ord’nary fury, Whose life’s like the mist of the morn Did think the allies to o’erwhelm An hour in this terrible conflict But ah! She forgot in the hurry Would told you what for you was born That Britain did stand at the helm The groans of the dying and wounded And what a sad heart sirs, had bonnie Would send though your bosoms a stoun! To tak now instead of a crown You would learn’d to have danced a new figure A canter frae Brussels to Paris At the ball on the eighteenth of June Lamenting the eighteenth of June

Waterloo – Poor Boney

Waterloo – Poor Boney F H W

Ye people at home who live easy And free from the riots of war Let thought take a place in your bosoms And sigh for the sorrows of war Ah! Lang has the scythe of destruction Been sweeping the nations around But ne’er did it cut with such keenness As on the great 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 heroes Both Britain and France they have lang been Contending for who’ll have the sway, And Ireland in great wellington But brawling may turn into mourning, But Scotia may mourn without ceasing Her best and her bravest are gone! To think on this terrible day. Ye ladies who’s ladies are yonder Ten thousands of good hearted mortals Here fell midst the awfu’ platoons Gae ilk ane, and buy a black gown A thousand it is to a hunder And sung a farewell to their sorrows They’ve fallen on the eighteenth of June Upon the great eighteenth of June Ye sops, and ye fine gaudy mortals First France, with her ord’nary fury, Whose life’s like the mist of the morn Did think the allies to o’erwhelm An hour in this terrible conflict But ah! She forgot in the hurry Would told you what for you was born That Britain did stand at the helm The groans of the dying and wounded And what a sad heart sirs, had bonnie Would send though your bosoms a stoun! To tak now instead of a crown You would learn’d to have danced a new figure A canter frae Brussels to Paris At the ball on the eighteenth of June Lamenting the eighteenth of June

Waterloo – Kidson A Printed 1816 by Marshall, Newcastle Sgt William Grant

Waterloo – broadsides outside London Label Title First Line Date Printer Place Burstow The famous battle of Waterloo Bonaparte’s Rout You people that live at home easy 1815? Johnston Morren Falkirk Edinburgh Kidson A The Battle of Waterloo On the 16 th 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