Transportation ballads

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Transportation ballads are a genre of broadside ballads that concern the transportation of convicted criminals, originally to the American colonies and later to penal colonies in Australia. They were intended to serve as warnings of the hardships that come with conviction and thereby a deterrent against criminal behavior. Transportation ballads were published as broadsides—song sheets sold cheaply in the streets, at markets and at fairs. Many have passed into the folk tradition. [1] [2]

Contents

Motifs and themes

Transportation ballads are almost exclusively related in the first person from the perspective of the convicted person. They employ a number of frequent themes including:

More rarely, transportation ballads served as a form of protest, particularly as a means of opposing the sentencing of those convinced of political crimes.

Examples

The following extracts exemplify such themes:

A good upbringing

My father and my mother dear they nourished me in my tender years,
They little thought I should be trapann'd and banished from my native land.

"The returned convict; or the horrors of transportation" (Roud V9114) [3]

Bad influences

I fell in love with a damsel, she was handsome and gay,
I neglected my work more and more every day.
And to keep her like a lady, I went on the highway,
And for that I got sent to Australia.

"Australia", as sung by Cyril Poacher [4] [5]

Harm to family

Farewell my aged mother, I'm vexed for what I've done,
I hope none will upcast to you the race that I have run;
I hope you'll be provided for when I am far away,
Far frae the bonnie hills and dales o' Caledonia.

"Jamie Raeburn's Farewell", as sung by Daisy Chapman [6]

Harsh conditions

They chained us two by two and whipped and lashed along
They cut off our provisions if we did the least thing wrong
They march us in the burning sun until our feet are sore
So hard's our lot now we are got to Van Diemen's shore

"The Female Transport" (Roud V1284) [7] [8]

Notable works

Songs classified as transportation ballads

Other folk songs referencing penal transportation

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References

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