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The Packman

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1962.66.A6

Original Tape ID

SA1962.066

Summary

In this song, a shepherd from Galloway goes to Grimsby to try his hand a being a packman. Though he is treated well by the boss at first, he quickly becomes homesick, and discovers that the job is not as easy or as profitable as he had thought. He decides to return to Galloway, and warns other young men against trying the packman lifestyle.

Item Notes

6 verses of 4 lines; hesitation in in verses 5 and 6; pause between last two verses.

Published in 'Frae the Heather' by Thomas Murray of Moorbrock, Carsphairn parish, Kirkcudbright; the song was composed by his son George Murray, who had been a packman in Grimsby before returning home to Galloway and enlisting in the Army, later fighting in the Boer War.

See:
'Tocher' 41 (1987-1988) pp. 333-335
'Frae the Heather' (T. Murray, 1897) pp. 29-30
'Come Gie's a Sang' (S. Douglas, 1995) pp. 34-35

Item Location

Village/Place - Galloway

Non Scottish Item Location

England, Grimsby

Non Scottish Item Location

Sasainn, Grimsby

Language

Scots

Genre

Song

Collection

SoSS

Classification

R11262

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Fair