Sent by Samuel Willett, Cuckfield, Sussex to Lucy Broadwood
Lucy Broadwood and J A Fuller Maitland, English County Songs, Leadenhall Press, London, 1893.
“From Samuel Willett, Cuckfield, Sussex, who got it from Kentish hop-pickers.”
Sam Willett, “the singing baker of Cuckfield”, sent a number of songs to Lucy Broadwood. The original copy of ‘John Appleby’ is missing from the Broadwood manuscript collection held by the EFDSS, but was most likely sent to her by Willett on 15th October 1891, accompanying a letter which states “I enclose a Yorkshire ditty also a Kentish one” (https://archives.vwml.org/records/LEB/2/89).
Lucy Broadwood wrote in English County Songs
“This is not improbably a political song, directed against Oliver Cromwell; Kent produced many squibs upon him, in which, beside being called a brewer, he was frequently described as a drunkard, together with his wife, who was nicknamed Joan”.
However Robert B. Waltz notes that “This would seem a lot more believable if a copy could be found from before the nineteenth century, considering that Oliver Cromwell died in 1658!” (https://balladindex.org/Ballads/BrMa132.html)
Leave a Reply