Yorkshire Garland
 

The Visitor

 
Performed by:
Wendy Arrowsmith
Recorded in:
Leyburn
Recorded on:
01/04/2007
Recorded by:
Rod Baxter
Genre:
Keywords:
Sailors,
Weather,
Winter,
Lifeboats
 

Archival information

TYG:
120
Key:
D
Time Signature:
4:4
Roud id:
0
Laws id:
Master title:
The Visitor
Places Cited:
Whitby,
Robin Hood's Bay

Lyrics

Chorus
Hurry, boys, hurry! Clear away the snow.
Steady, horses, steady! There’s many miles to tow.
Hurry, boys, hurry!  We’ll pray along the way,
As we drag the Whitby lifeboat o’er the hill to Robin Hood’s Bay.

1
In the middle of winter, the Visitor set to sail;
The weather it grew colder, the wind became a gale.
At sea the waves grew higher, the rain it turned to hail,
And then a fearsome blizzard turned all the hillside pale.

2
On the eighteenth day of January in year 1881,
Coxswain Henry Freeman felt dark clouds block the sun.
That night the news it reached him, a brig ashore had run.
He called out for his crewmen for their job had just begun.

3
The storm was blowing a gale now, the seas were grown too high;
The lifeboat men they made a vow to save the ship they’d try.
No local boat could safely sail or everyman would die,
So from Whitby overland, me boys, the lifeboat, heave her high!

4
Said Coxswain Henry Freeman, ‘Wake them from their sleep!
Bring horses and bring brave men, the snow is seven feet deep!’
Two-hundred men cleared the way ahead, eighteen horses earned their keep,
Whilst from the Bay the village men by the road the snow did heap.

5
Six miles that lifeboat they did tow, (too far for hearts not true.)
Over hills in driving snow, it took them hours but two.
Down to the Bay the boat did go, whilst the raging storm it blew.
Into battle with their briny foe went Coxswain and his crew.

6
The lifeboat fought the snowy wave, the crew they passed the test,
And every soul that they did save gave thanks for being blessed.
Not for one a watery grave, but home and grateful rest,
And for Coxswain and for crew so brave - a legend of the best.

Chorus, then final chorus
Hurry, boys, hurry! We’ve cleared away the snow.
Steady, horses, steady! To your stables you may go.
Hurry, boys, hurry! Tell your children of the day,
That we dragged the Whitby lifeboat o’er the hill to Robin Hood’s Bay.
(repeat last 2 lines)

© Wendy Arrowsmith/Arrowsmith Music 2007