Search

The Packman

Date 1962
Track ID 91418
Part 1

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1962.077

Original Tape ID

SA1962.077

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.

Alec Stewart learned the song from his father.

Item Notes

Sung to the tune of 'Villikens and his Dinah'. 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

Recording Location

County - Wigtownshire

Parish - Penninghame

Village/Place - Waterside Farm

Item Location

Village/Place - Galloway

Non Scottish Item Location

England, Grimsby

Non Scottish Item Location

Sasainn, Grimsby

Language

Scots

Collection

SoSS

Classification

R11262

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Fair