Nova Scotia Archives

Helen Creighton: Folklife

Helen Creighton Audio Reel 5703

00:00:01 - Farmer's Curst Wife Audio Reel: 5703 Recording number: 2517 performed by Eunice Gilbert at Upper Rawdon, Hants County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: There was an old woman lived under the hill — September 1953
00:02:36 - Donnybrook Fair Audio Reel: 5703 Recording number: 2518 performed by Eunice Gilbert at Upper Rawdon, Hants County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: Was any of you ever to Donnybrook Fair — September 1953
00:03:25 - Back Again on Shore Audio Reel: 5703 Recording number: 2519 performed by Eunice Gilbert at Upper Rawdon, Hants County, Nova Scotia — September 1953
00:04:26 - Bonny Labouring Boy Audio Reel: 5703 Recording number: 2520 performed by Eunice Gilbert at Upper Rawdon, Hants County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: Oh Willie was my true love's name — September 1953
00:05:29 - Exile of Erin Audio Reel: 5703 Recording number: 2521 performed by Eunice Gilbert at Upper Rawdon, Hants County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: There came to the beach a poor exile of Erin — September 1953
00:10:24 - Irish Famine Song Audio Reel: 5703 Recording number: 2522 performed by Estelle MacDougall at West Gore, Hants County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: Give me three grains of corn mother — September 1953
00:12:45 - Louisiana Lowlands Audio Reel: 5703 Recording number: 2523 performed by Dr. Archibald McMechan at Halifax, Halifax County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: Way down Louisiana, boys, not many years ago
00:14:30 - Song of the Tangier Gold Mines Audio Reel: 5703 Recording number: 2524 performed by Hiram Hilshie at Dartmouth, Halifax County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: Oh, in eighteen hundred and sixty-one
00:15:10 - Frank Fidd Audio Reel: 5703 Recording number: 2525 performed by Frank Faulkner at South East Passage, Halifax County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: Frank Fidd was as gallant a tar
00:15:28 - Sit Down Beside Me Audio Reel: 5703 Recording number: 2526 performed by Frank Faulkner at South East Passage, Halifax County, Nova Scotia
00:16:30 - Lady and Her Prentice Boy Audio Reel: 5703 Recording number: 2527 performed by Ben Henneberry at Devil's Island, Halifax County, Nova Scotia
00:17:21 - One Night For Pleasure Audio Reel: 5703 Recording number: 2528 performed by Ben Henneberry at Devil's Island, Halifax County, Nova Scotia
00:19:34 - Captain Glen Audio Reel: 5703 Recording number: 2529 performed by Ben Henneberry at Devil's Island, Halifax County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: There was a ship, and a ship of fame
00:00:00 - Sailor Courted Audio Reel: 5703 Recording number: 2530 performed by Ben Henneberry at Devil's Island, Halifax County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: A sailor courted a farmer's daughter
00:00:00 - Bold Pedlar and Robin Hood Audio Reel: 5703 Recording number: 2531 performed by Ben Henneberry at Devil's Island, Halifax County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: There chanced to be a pedlar bold
00:19:50 - There Was [ ] Audio Reel: 5703 Recording number: 2532 performed by Ben Henneberry at Devil's Island, Halifax County, Nova Scotia
00:00:00 - Cumberland's Crew, The Audio Reel: 5703 Recording number: 2533 performed by Ben Henneberry at Devil's Island, Halifax County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: Come, shipmates, and gather and join in my ditty
00:00:00 - Suffolk Miracle Audio Reel: 5703 Recording number: 2534 performed by Mrs. A.G. Hattie at Sherbrooke, Guysborough County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: There was a merchant lived in this town — 1930
00:21:30 - Miner's Alphabet Audio Reel: 5703 Recording number: 2535 performed by Mrs. A.G. Hattie at Sherbrooke, Guysborough County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: A is for air drill that bores in the wall — 1930
00:22:27 - Rabbi's Daughter Audio Reel: 5703 Recording number: 2536 performed by Mrs. A.G. Hattie at Sherbrooke, Guysborough County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: A rabbi sat one evening with a Bible on his knee — 1930
00:23:57 - Paisley Officer Audio Reel: 5703 Recording number: 2537 performed by Mrs. A.G. Hattie at Sherbrooke, Guysborough County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: Way down in bonny Scotland where the blue bells they do grow — 1930
00:24:25 - Dying Girl's Message Audio Reel: 5703 Recording number: 2538 performed by Mrs. A.G. Hattie at Sherbrooke, Guysborough County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: Raise the window mother darling — 1930
00:25:03 - Peggy Gordon Audio Reel: 5703 Recording number: 2539 performed by Mrs. A.G. Hattie at Sherbrooke, Guysborough County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: Oh Peggy Gordon you are my darling — 1930
00:25:32 - Get Up and Bar The Door Audio Reel: 5703 Recording number: 2540 performed by Mrs. E.H. McKeen at Sherbrooke, Guysborough County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: It fell about the Martinmas time — 1930
00:26:21 - I'll Hang My Harp Audio Reel: 5703 Recording number: 2541 performed by Mrs. E.H. McKeen at Sherbrooke, Guysborough County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: I'll hang my harp on a willow tree — 1930
00:27:01 - Deserted Mill Audio Reel: 5703 Recording number: 2542 performed by John McNeill at South River Lake, Antigonish County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: There's a path by the old deserted mill — 1930
00:27:40 - Fisherman and His Child Audio Reel: 5703 Recording number: 2543 performed by John McNeill at South River Lake, Antigonish County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: The fisherman and his child are drowned, came ringing through the town — 1930
00:28:46 - Ugly Valentine Audio Reel: 5703 Recording number: 2544 performed by John McNeill at South River Lake, Antigonish County, Nova Scotia first line of lyric: I left my native country intending for to roam — 1930
00:29:11 - (Gaelic song) Audio Reel: 5703 Recording number: 2545 performed by John McNeill at South River Lake, Antigonish County, Nova Scotia — 1930

Interested in a particular style of folk song or type of story? Helen often assigned a genre term to her recordings. Choose a genre below to listen.

Acadian Folk song

African Nova Scotian song

Child Ballad [F.J. Child anthology]

Interested in recordings in a particular language? Helen recorded people singing and speaking in multiple languages. Language terms were assigned by Creighton herself. Choose a language below to listen:

Interested in recordings with a particular instrument? Helen recorded people playing and signing with multiple instruments. Instrument solos and/or accompaniment were assigned by Creighton herself. Choose an instrument below to listen:

Read Helen Creighton's recording notes along with archival documentation related to these audio recordings: Mf289-538 PDF Mf289-539 PDF