Escaped Prisoners, The

DESCRIPTION: "In the battered hulk that's anchored off the Waitemata shore, The Maoris used to while the time away." After escaping, they sing, "Kakino Georgy Grey, You have let us get away." They had enjoyed being fed and not working. Friendly natives helped them.
AUTHOR: Words: Charles R. Thatcher (1831-1878)
EARLIEST DATE: 1864 (Wellington New Zealand Advertiser, according to Bailey/Roth-ShantiesByTheWay-NZ)
KEYWORDS: ship prisoner escape New Zealand
HISTORICAL REFERENCES:
20 Nov 1863 - Battle of Rangiriri between Maoris and Europeans. 183 Maori surrender after their ammunition runs out
11 Sep 1864 - The surviving Maori escape from the prison hulk where they are kept (source: Bailey/Roth-ShantiesByTheWay-NZ)
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Bailey/Roth-ShantiesByTheWay-NZ, pp. 37-38, "The Escaped Prisoners" (1 text, tune referenced)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. Darling Nelly Gray" (tune) and references there
cf. "Fall of Rangiriri" (fate of the Rangiriri prisoners)
NOTES [172 words]: "Kekino Georgy Grey" is George Grey (1812-1898), who has been Governor of New Zealand at various times starting in 1845, and was Premier in 1877-1879. He was out of power at the time of the Maori escape, but presumably his name was used in this song because he was so famous. Plus, most unusually among early New Zealand governors, he cared enough about the Maori to learn their language and study their folklore (see Gordon Ell, Kiwiosities: An A-Z of New Zealand traditions & Folklore, New Holland Publishers, 2008, p. 105); Keith Jackson and Alan McRobie, Historical Dictionary of New Zealand (Oceanian Historical Dictionaries #5), The Scarecrow Press, 1996, p. 122, report that "He has been described as 'one of the most remarkable nineteenth century British colonial governors.'"
For background on the Battle of Rangiriri, see "Fall of Rangiriri."
For brief background on Charles Thatcher's career, see the notes to "Where's Your License?" For an extensive collection of his songs, see Anderson-StoryOfAustralianFolksong. - RBW
Last updated in version 6.5
File: BaRo037

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Song List

Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography