“Bonavista Harbour”

Author: unknown
Earliest date: 1955 (Doyle)
Keywords: moniker warning technology work tasks worker nonballad
Found in: Canada(Newf)

Description

"They started to make a harbour here quite early in the Spring; The people came from Canada with all kinds of machines ...." A list of people doing all the jobs but now that they've finished they'll surely have to come back and patch it every year.

Notes

[The breakwater described was built sometime between 1943 and 1945.]

As the song predicts, by the end of 1945 there are already comments about improving the harbour by dredging [per Charles Granger, "Bonavista Cold Storage Co., Limited" in Fishermen's Advocate, December 21, 1945] - BS

References

  1. Doyle3, pp. 16-17, "Bonavista Harbour" (1 text, 1 tune)
  2. Blondahl, p. 52, "Bonavista Harbour" (1 text, 1 tune)
  3. Roud #7290
  4. BI, Doyl3016
The Traditional Ballad Index is copyright ©2008 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle. The Digital Tradition is copyright The Mudcat Cafe.