Broadsheet ballads titled 'Riley The Fisherman' and my 'Come into my Canoe'.

Printer Ryle & Company (1845 - 1849)

Date1845 - 1849

Object number00017444

NameBroadsheet

MediumWoodcut engraving and printed text on paper mounted on card.

DimensionsOverall: 253 x 190 mm, 0.023 kg

ClassificationsEphemera

Credit LineANMM Collection

Terms

DescriptionBroadsheet ballads titled 'Riley The Fisherman' and my 'Come into my Canoe'.HistoryCOME INTO MY CANOE COME into my canoe, Ah, come along Dinah, do; Step into my canoe, But not without boot or shoe, Must you come into my canoe--- Ah, ah--must you come into my canoe. Fresh is de gale, Down de riber we sail, Come my dear, De way am clear, Oh, oh, oh, oh. Come into my canoe, Come along Dinah, do, But not without boot or shoe, Must you come into my canoe-- Ah, ah--must you come into my canoe. De ribber am wide, Down we shall glide, Down de Ohio-- Away! let us go. Come, &c. Oh, gib me your hand, No longer on land, My thoughts am wid thee, Oh! happy I be. Come &c. De wind does moan, We had better et home, Oh! coe malong Dinah, Step out ob my canoe. Come &c. Broadsheet rhymes and verses were the cheapest prints available during the 18th and 19th century. They were sold by street sellers known as Flying Stationers, who charged a minimal fee of a penny or half-penny. They featured popular songs that were often sung in homes, inns and taverns and covered a range of themes relating to contemporary events or stories. Printed alongside the songs were woodcut illustrations. Most of the broadsheet publishers did not date or mark their works, making it difficult to pinpoint when they were produced. The publication of ballads was part of the commemoration and production of material about shipwrecks. Ships were part of the everyday life in the 19th century and stories about their voyages, wrecks, record breaking voyages and commissions often featured in newspapers and commemorative souvenirs.SignificanceBroadsheets were designed as printed ephemera to be published and distributed rapidly. This also meant they were quickly disposed of with many of them not surviving the test of time. The museum's broadsheet collection is therefore a rare and valuable example of how maritime history was communicated to a wide audience, particularly in the 18th and 19th centuries. They vibrantly illustrate many of the themes and myths surrounding life at sea. Some of them also detail stories about transportation, migration.