The Light Bark

Printer JW Sharp (1828 - 1856)

Date1837

Object number00017442

NameBroadsheet

MediumWoodcut engraving and printed text on paper mounted on card.

DimensionsOverall: 257 x 90 mm, 0.019 kg

ClassificationsEphemera

Credit LineANMM Collection

Terms

DescriptionA broadsheet ballad titled 'The Light Bark', possibly written or composed by John Thomas Craven. Beneath the ballad is a list entitled 'Coronation Expenses' most likely refers to that of Queen Victoria in 1837 as expenses relating to ladies in waiting are mentioned. Same ballad as 00017441.HistoryTHE LIGHT BARK. Off! off said the stranger--off, off, and away, And away flew the light bark oe'r the silv'ry bay, We must reach ere tomorrow, the far distant wave, The billows we'll laugh at the tempest we ll brave, The young roving lovers their vows have been given, Unsmil'd oer by mortals but hallowd in heaven; She was Italy's daughter, I knew her by eye, It wore the bright beam tha illuminates her sky. Off! off said the stranger &c. And she has foresaken the palace and halls, For the chill breeze, and the light which falls, O'er th pur wave, from the heavens above, And their guiding star was the bright star of love. Off Off said the stranger &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.