View source for Song of the Mary White

{{refimprove|date=October 2023}}
'''"Song of the ''Mary White''"''' is a [[ballad]] written in [[Broadstairs]], England in the early 1850s.

<!-- from the article [[Broadstairs]] -->
It has been suggested that news of the loss of the Irish [[Packet trade|packet]] ''Royal Adelaide'' with 250 lives, on the sands off [[Margate]] on 6 April 1850, prompted Thomas White to present one of his [[Lifeboat (rescue)|lifeboats]] to his home town of [[Broadstairs#Maritime history|Broadstairs]] that summer.{{cn|date=October 2023}} The lifeboat saw its first use on 6 March 1851, when the [[brig]] ''Mary White'' became trapped on the [[Goodwin Sands]] during a severe [[gale]] blowing from the north. A ballad was written to celebrate the occasion, the "Song of the ''Mary White''".<ref name=Barlow>Peter W. Barlow. ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=gBAHAAAAQAAJ Broadstairs: Past and Present]'', pp. 8–11 (Parsons Sisters; 1882)</ref>

The lifeboat itself was subsequently named the ''[[Mary White (lifeboat)|Mary White]]''<ref name=Barlow /> in recognition of the strange coincidence of the recurrence of the name White in this story: Thomas and John the lifeboat builders, the name of the brig ''Mary White'', and also the name of its captain, Mr White.

==Lyrics==
:Come all you jolly sailors bold, and landsmen too, attend,
:I am inclined to sing in praise of those eight gallant men,
:who boldly left their native shore as you shall understand,
:to save the lives of those poor souls upon the Goodwin Sand.

:''Chorus'' 
:Britons all, both young and old, think of those jolly sailors bold.

:On Thursday, 'twas March the sixth, the wind blew from the land
:which drove the fated ''Mary White'' upon the Goodwin Sands.
:The lifeboat's crew from Broadstairs flew, with hearts so light and gay,
:Right gallantly they made the wreck, those precious lives to save.

:''Chorus''

:John Crouch, a gallant sailor bold, likewise George Castle too,
:George Wales, Richard Crouch, this day, my praise is due to you
:Sol Holbourn, Sackett Ansel, John Wales, with great delight
:So gallantly did venture off to save the ''Mary White''.

:''Chorus''

:Ned Chittingden, 17 your health I drink, I drink with thee,
:Times three and for your valour, my brave men, you shall rewarded be.

:''Chorus''

:You've done your best, and saved the lives of seven poor souls this day;
:May God receive the other three who did get cast away.

:''Chorus''

:So to conclude and finish now, my song is at an end,
:May God above a blessing give to those eight gallant men!
 
:''Chorus''
==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Ballads]]