Whilst trawling through GGGPa's scrapbook I came across this poem/song. It looks, on the original, like it was a songsheet sold to commemorate a particular event and I would like to know what type of ship the 'Polly' was, the owner, and the actual date of the event. The songsheet (?) is dated March 23rd,1872. It is signed by John Latey (?) Lattey (?) Latry (?) - the signature is hard to read.

Tony Dalton
marconisahib@hotmail.com
 

THE WRECK OF THE POLLY

The merry bells of Sunderland
Rang out with blithesome glee,
As lively 'Polly', well in hand,
Stood gaily out to sea.

With all her colours flying she
Went curtseying o'er each swell,
As through a ballroom you may see
Sail some coquettish belle.

As Captain Bluff quick-paced her deck
He hummed a pleasant tune;
No thought had he of storm or wreck
That sweet spring afternoon.

But while he keenly glanced around,
Of sea and sky took notes,
His heart was with its treasure bound,
Which lay at Cullercoats.

There was his wife - the fairest she
Of all that country side;
So, being northward bound, why he
Would stay there for a tide.

Did no storm-signal hang on high?
Where was the sailors' lore?
Could none a coming storm descry?
Or hear far breakers roar?

Yet that fair day in secret brewed
A tempest soon to burst;
The bright sky like a siren wooed,
Then grew a fiend accurst.

And all the powers of darkness called
In aid to seize her prey.
By swirling, blinding clouds close-walled,
The vessel groped her way;

And staggering, like a drunken knave,
Or blind man, to and fro,
Fierce-buffeted by wind and wave,
She reeled at every blow.

0 can she weather that wild storm?
And will her crew once more
Clasp eager hands in greetings warm
Upon their native shore?

Their rockets to themselves paled out
And in the howling gale,
To their own ears their frenzied shout
Seemed like a baby's wail.

All round the coast good men and true -
A band at Cullercoats -
Watching the dreary darkness through,
Stood ready by their boats.

The wind all of a sudden died,
And then right round it shifted;
The curtained clouds were torn aside,
Or like a veil uplifted.

Out in the offing lay a wreck,
O'er which the seas fierce broke,
Sweeping in cataracts her deck
Like thunder every stroke.

The saucy 'Poll', that sailed away,
With all her colours flying,
>From Sunderland, so taut and gay,
Was in her death-throes lying.

The men of Cullercoats straightway
Their life-boat launched and manned
They made their way, through blinding spray,
To that dread spit of sand.

Are they in time to save a few?
0 trembling hope! 0 fear!
Yes.  Captain Bluff and all his crew
Gave out a ringing cheer.

The captain tallied off his men
Who, as their names were told,
Dropped in the boat - but not till then;
And first he named the old.
 

Except the Captain and his son,
A child of twelve or so,
The mate remained the only one,
And he seemed loth to go.

Then, plucking courage up, he said
"Captain, I make so bold -
By you I have been reared and bred
Since I was four years old."

And with this hammering, our ship
Must soon be broke in two;
Now, why won't you let Willie slip
Into the life-boat? Do!

"They can just squeeze another in
Let Willie take my place?
For me there's none would care a pin
To see again my face."

The captain, huskily, said here -
"You mean it kindly, Joe;
And one's own flesh is very dear;
But duty bids.  There - go!"

Then turning to his boy, he said,
All tremulous and low,
"You would not shirk your duty, lad?"
Will promptly answered, "No."
 

The course to shore was quickly run,
A fresh crew took their place,
Of whom the 'Polly's' mate was one,
To make the backward race.

A loud cry from the steersman made
Each rower turn his head;
Each midway held his dripping blade,
And looked with awesome dread.

"Too late!"    tey cried.  Their speed was vain,
In vain their frantic toil -
Though down their cheeks sweat ran like rain
The spoiler had his spoil!

As though the storm resolved to try
Its work of death to crown,
A huge wave bore the ship on high,
Then flung her crashing down.

Her fragments, mid the foaming fret,
Thick-strewed the waters wide;
But see - hurrah! - The stern holds yet -
Two figures on its side!

The life-boat rushed - it leapt - it flew
Across the boiling tide;
Not swifter went the wild seamew,
Hoarse-screaming by its side.

Bleeding and stunned the two were found,
Will clutched by two strong hands;
But soon they stood, all safe and sound,
On Cullercoats firm sands.

Small need is there to tell the rest,
The ecstasy of joy,
As the fond wife
And mother pressed her husband and their boy.

Two boats before the world today
On Thames broad river race;
And rank and wealth, in proud display,
The generous contest grace.

But not within the public eye
The gallant life-boat strives:
Its music is the seabirds' cry -
Its guerdon human lives!

Then here's to every life-boat crew -
Chief that of Cullercoats!
The Life-Boat Institution too,
With its vast fleet of boats!

And here's to every helpmate living -
By purse or tongue or pen!
And glory be to God for giving
The power and will!  Amen.

JOHN (LATEY) (?)
March 23rd 1872.

Index   Bosun's Locker

20.04.02ef