“The Loss of the Maggie”

Description

"Ye fishermen who know so well The dangers of the deep, Come listen to a dreadful tale And join your hearts to weep." The Maggie sails from Bonavista Bay and spies a steamer bearing down on her. The ship is wrecked 13 die as others watch

Supplemental text

Loss of the Maggie, The
  Partial text(s)

          *** A ***

As printed in Ryan & Small, Haulin' Rope & Gaff, p. 41. From James
Murphy,  Songs and Ballads of Newfoundland, Ancient and Modern.

Ye fishermen who know so well
The dangers of the deep,
Come listen to a dreadful tale
And join your hearts to weep
For the loss of the schooner Maggie
And thirteen precious lives
Which leave so many homes bereft
Of husbands, sons and wives.

(5 additional stanzas)

Notes

Although this piece is pretty definitely not traditional, the _Maggie_ disaster did produce a genuine folk song, "The Wreck of the Maggie." - RBW

Historical references

• Nov 7, 1896 - The Maggie sinks after collision with the Tiber in St John's Harbour (source: Northern Shipwrecks DataBase)

Cross references

• cf. "The Wreck of the Maggie" (subject)

References

1. Ryan/Small, p. 41, "The Loss of the Maggie" (1 text)
2. ST RySm041 (Partial)
3. BI, RySm041