Peter Wood

1. 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

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

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

5. 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

6. 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

7. Waterloo – broadsides outside London Poor boney All 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 from Jim Shoebridge, a Sussex Waterloo veteran According to Burstow, Shoebridge “left a leg in Belgium”

8. 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 been Contending 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 bonnie To 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 mortals Whose 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 morning Till 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 story Here’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 folly Then 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 pleasure Might 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 mortals Whose 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 morning Till 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 story Here’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 folly Then 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 pleasure Might rival an eighteenth of june

9. Waterloo – Poor Boney

10. F H W Waterloo – Poor Boney

11. 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 been Contending 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 bonnie To 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 mortals Whose 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 morning Till 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 story Here’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 folly Then 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 pleasure Might 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 mortals Whose 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 morning Till 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 story Here’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 folly Then 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 pleasure Might rival an eighteenth of june

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

13. Waterloo – broadsides outside London

14. Waterloo – Early Songs Thank you for your interest. My new book The Green Linnet Napoleonic Songs from the French Wars to the present day

15. 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