On Board of the Victory

DESCRIPTION: "I am a young girl whose fortune is great." Her father has her lover, "below my degree," impressed. After a fight with the press-gang he is shipped aboard the Victory. She dreams of being with him on board and prays for his return.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: before 1839 (broadside, Bodleian Firth c.13(280))
KEYWORDS: courting war ship father mother sailor pressgang grief loneliness love navy separation sea lover nobility
HISTORICAL REFERENCES:
Oct 21, 1805 - Battle of Trafalgar, the greatest naval engagement of the Napoleonic Wars. H.M.S. _Victory_ is Nelson's flagship in that battle.
FOUND IN: Canada(Mar,Newf) US(MW)
REFERENCES (5 citations):
Peacock, pp. 484-485, "On Board of The Victory" (1 text, 1 tune)
Leach-FolkBalladsSongsOfLowerLabradorCoast 41, "Victory" (1 text, 1 tune)
Creighton-MaritimeFolkSongs, p. 42, "On Board of the Victory" (1 text, 1 tune)
Dean-FlyingCloud, pp. 95-96, "On Board the Victory" (1 text)
Palmer-OxfordBookOfSeaSongs 81, "A New Song Called the VIctory" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #2278
RECORDINGS:
Grace Clergy, "On Board of the Victory" (on MRHCreighton)
Charlotte Decker, "On Board of The Victory" (on PeacockCDROM) [one verse only]
BROADSIDES:
Bodleian, Firth c.13(280), "On Board the Victory," J. Catnach (London), 1813-1838; also Harding B 11(898), Firth c.12(220), Harding B 11(1911), Harding B 11(2901), Harding B 26(474), "On Board the Victory[!!]"; Harding B 25(1420), Harding B 11(2846), Firth c.12(222), "On Board of the Victory"; Harding B 20(178), "The Victory"
NOTES [109 words]: Ironically, Mr. Clergy's family is of French descent. - PJS
HMS Victory was launched in 1765, commissioned in 1778, and served in the wars with France associated with the American Revolutionar. She served in the Mediterranean during the early phases of the French revolution. She was withdrawn from sea service in 1812, and dry-docked in 1922. It will be evident that many young men served on her at battles other than Trafalgar -- but, as most Napoleonic songs mention Waterloo, so most naval songs of the era seem to assume a setting at Trafalgar. - RBW
[In] broadside Harding B 20(178), [the girl's] sweetheart is killed with Nelson at Trafalgar. - BS
Last updated in version 4.4
File: Peac484

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