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QuoteReplyTopic: The Black Velvet Band Posted: 18-Sep-2011 at 19:44
This folk song tells the story of an apprentice-boy from either Manchester, Belfast or Dublin transported to Van Diemen's Land for theft. The girl responsible, identified by the velvet band in her hair, gave him a stolen watch and betrayed him to the authorities. Was this girl merely an opportunistic pickpocket/prostitute, or was she part of an organised gang? Thief-takers like John Wild controlled the criminal underworld and deliberately entrapped innocent people so they could claim a monetary-reward.
Lyrics are here: Well, in a neat little town they call Belfast, apprentice to trade I was bound
Many an hours sweet happiness, have I spent in that neat little town
A sad misfortune came over me, which caused me to stray from the land
Far away from my friends and relations, betrayed by the black velvet band
Her eyes they shone like diamonds
I thought her the queen of the land
And her hair it hung over her shoulder
Tied up with a black velvet band
I took a stroll down Broadway, meaning not long for to stay
When who should I meet but this pretty fair maid comes a tripping along the highway
She was both fair and handsome, her neck it was just like a swans
And her hair it hung over her shoulder, tied up with a black velvet band
Her eyes they shone like diamonds
I thought her the queen of the land
And her hair it hung over her shoulder
Tied up with a black velvet band
I took a stroll with this pretty fair maid, and a gentleman passing us by
Well I knew she meant the doing of him, by the look in her roguish black eye
A goldwatch she took from his pocket and placed it right in to my hand
And the very first thing that I said was bad luck to the black velvet band
Her eyes they shone like diamonds
I thought her the queen of the land
And her hair it hung over her shoulder
Tied up with a black velvet band
Before the judge and the jury, next morning I had to appear
The judge he says to me: "Young man, your case it is proven clear
We'll give you seven years penal servitude, to be spent faraway from the land
Far away from your friends and companions, betrayed by the black velvet band"
Her eyes they shone like diamonds
I thought her the queen of the land
And her hair it hung over her shoulder
Tied up with a black velvet band
So come all you jolly young fellows a warning take by me
When you are out on the town me lads, beware of them pretty colleens
For they feed you with strong drink, "Oh yeah", 'til you are unable to stand
And the very next thing that you'll know is you've landed in Van Diemens Land
Her eyes they shone like diamonds
I thought her the queen of the land
And her hair it hung over her shoulder
Tied up with a black velvet band
Which town did the apprentice originally come from? Different variants have his birthplace as London, Brockton, Belfast, Dublin, Halstead, Barking and Hampshire
Fields of Athenry tells the story of Michael, transported for stealing food during the Potato Famine. Who can tell me more about the prison hulks convicts were held in until they could be transported?
Prison hulks were obsolete warships used as holding pens until criminals could be transported. Conditions inside were terrible: many died from disease and overcrowding long before the journey. Above is a picture of Captain Cook's old ship Discovery, beached at Deptford until it was scrapped in 1834
All the prison hulks are now long-gone, except for one: the Edwin Foxe. It lies half-restored in a New Zealand drydock. Its owners ran out of funds, so they sprayed the empty shell with preservatives and opened a museum next door. Amazingly, the Edwin Foxe can still float, thanks to the coating of tar that protected it from rot after its conversion to a convict ship
To prevent disease convicts had their heads shaved and were given regular baths in freezing salt water all year round. This prisoner is being scrubbed with a yard brush
Very rude pre ancestor of automotive car washing machine!British Empire have not wasted material and time:Old colonist's ships were used as prisons.Had they anchored on open sea,convicts would not be run away?
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