“The High Blantyre Explosion”
Description
The singer tells of meeting a young girl mourning her lover, John Murphy. Murphy, only 21, was killed in the mines of High Blantyre in a great explosion. She transplants the daisies they walked among to his grave and waters them with her tears
Notes
Broadside NLScotland L.C.Fol.70(46b) is "signed" by "John Wilson, B.S.,G." - BS
And that broadside poses rather a conundrum, because of the name "Sneddon." The broadside is clearly this song (though unusually full), but the name might well be derived from "The Collier Lad (Lament for John Sneddon/Siddon)." Since both are on the same theme, I have to suspect some sort of connectin. - RBW
Historical references
- Oct 22, 1877 - Explosion at the Dixon Colliery in High Blantyre near Glasgow. Over two hundred are killed
Cross references
- cf. "The Collier Lad (Lament for John Sneddon/Siddon)" (theme, characters?)
Broadsides
- NLScotland, L.C.Fol.70(46b), "The Sorrowful Lamentation of Jane Sneddon for the Loss of her Lover, John Murray, in the Disaster at High Blantyre," unknown, c.1877
References
- Laws Q35, "The High Blantyre Explosion"
- Morton-Ulster 6, "The Blantyre Explosion" (1 text, 1 tune)
- Morton-Maguire 27, pp. 69-70,115,167, "The Blantyre Explosion" (1 text, 1 tune)
- DT 543, BLANTYRX*
- Roud #1014
- BI, LQ35