[from Cubbon - Bibliography, Vol 1, 1933]

[Broadside Ballads]

BALLADS OF THOMAS QUALTROUGH.

Thomas Qualtrough is claimed to have belonged to Kirk Arbory ; but he resided in Castletown when he retired from service in foreign fields, with H.M. 36th Regiment of Foot. He had much skill as a balladmaker and went round the country selling his broadsides. Not all the items are in the Library. In order to add to his income he peddled tea, and became known in the south as 'Tom the Tay.'

QUALTROUGH (Thomas), Late of H.M. Res. Batt. 36th Regt. of Foot. Albert Hill [Ramsey]. No printer's name. 1st March, 1848. Broadside. 285x125. [6532, J 46|

__ Cardinal Wiseman, or a Poetical Dialogue between a Protestant and a Romanist on the Papal Aggression, 1851. Douglas: R. H. Johnson, 2 Great Nelson-street. 1851. pp. 4. 190112. [6531, J 46]

__ Lines on the late Dreadful Explosion at Kitterland. M. A. Quiggin. n.p. [1852] Broadside. 330x215. [6533, J 46]

'Lend, sympathising friend, an ear Now to my mournful story...'

On this broadside is an announcement of a new ballad, 'The Battle-field, but no copy is known.

__ Two Years in the Army, parts i and ii M. A. Quiggin. 1852. Broadside. 330x220. [6534, J 46]

'Ye sons of favoured Ellan Vannin lend An hour or two ...?'

These give the story of young Qualtrough's adventures as a soldier in Greece, and in other places in the Mediterranean, from 1846, when he was nineteen years old.

__ The Golden Regions, or a few words to Manxmen. M. A. Ouiggin. 1852. Broadside. 370x250. [6535; J 46]

'Ye happy sons and daughters, Of Mona, list to me ...'

__ Lines on the Manx Herring Fishery. M.A. Quiggin. 1853. Broadside. 285x220. [6536, J 46]

'To buy this poetry from me, I hope you'll not refuse...'

A new poem, 'The Harvest-field,' was announced.

__ Money; how to use it when you get it; a lecture in verse; by the author of 'Fire, fire, fire!' Castletown : M.A. Backwell. 1857. Broadside, 300x190. [6537, J 46]

'Come, Mona's sons and daughters fair.'

This is addressed from Queen-street, Castletown.

__ The Volunteer: a dialogue between a Soldier and a Civilian. M. A. Quiggin. N.D. Broadside 360x245. [6538, J 46]

'The winter's over, and again the summer's sun appears'

__ Mannin Veg Villish Machree. M. J. Backwell N.D. Broadside. 285x185. [6539, J 46]

'Kind reader, if you now think worth To listen, I'll write you a song.'

__ A Call to Duty and Diligence, being an address to Good Templars... Douglas: J. C. Fargher. N.D. [6540, J 46]

Addressed from Mona's Hope Lodge I.OG.T. No 596 Castletown.

__ The Old Year Out and the New Year In N.D. Broadside. 330x190. [6541, J 46)]

'Dear friends, if inclined, would you be so kind.'

__ The Life Boat. M. A. Quiggin. N.D. Broadside. 360x205. [6542, J 46]

'Come, old and young, list to my song, Attend ye hardy sons of toil.'

__ The War and The Times: what think you of them? M. A. Quiggin. N.D. Broadside. 350x198 (6543, j 46]

'Dear Countrymen all, attention I call To what I intend to write here.'

__ The Pilot: by the author of Lines on the late dreadful North American Railway Accident. M. A. Quiggin. N.D. Broadside. 320x190. [6544, J 46]

'Again in hand my pen I take.'

__ The War in the East, or The Bear, Bull, and Eagle. M. A. Quiggin. N.D. Broadside. 370x190.[6545, J 46]

__ Universal Lamentation with Universal Starvation: alas, where is the money gone? Parts i and ii. M. A. Quiggin. N.D. Broadside, 340x216. [6546, J 46].

Part i is lacking.

BALLADS BY THOMAS SHIMMIN.

This ballad-maker and pedlar lived in Castletown and in the parish of Rushen for many years. For a misdemeanor he was when a young man in the forties sentenced to penal servitude to Botany Bay. On returning he took to ballad-writing and peddling with his "good wife Ellen" He professed to believe in the virtues of the Baptist form of religion, and was thus nicknamed 'Tom the Dipper.' His earliest ballad appears to have been printed in 1851, but only a fragment of this is in the Library

SHIMMIN (Thomas), of Castletown, For Dec. 1851. [J 46] Badly mutilated; part of title gone.

__ A full and particular Account of the Shipwreck and awful Explosion which took place at Kitterland about 8 o'clock a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 28, 1852. Tune, 'To anew Cork trader do I belong'. J. Brown, Parade, and 56 North quay. np. [c. 1853] Broadside. 250x190.[6547, J 46]

__ The United Thanksgiving of the Widows of Port St. Mary to their kind benefactors. Part ii. James Brown, 56 North-quay. wv. [c. 1854] Broadside. 250x190. [6548]

The address of the author is given as No. 1 Barrack-street, Douglas.

__ The Manx Fairy: anew song. Tune, 'Come sit you down by me' M. A. Quiggin. N.D. [c. 1857] Broadside #225 Nit) . [6549]

__ Lines on the late happy departure of the Rev. Wiliam Corrin, Vicar of Rushen, who died Feb. 5, 1859, aged 64 years. Castletown: M. J. Backwell. Broadside. 280x220. [6550, J 46]

__ A New Poem concerning the Happy Marriage of the Prince of Wales with the eldest daughter of a brother of the King of Denmark, March HO 1363, byT. Shimmin, Manx poet, Castletown, Tune, 'Jolly Ploughboy.' Printed for the Manx Poet, Castletown. 1863. Broadside. 370x130, [1838, 6551]

__ A New Song to the Glories and Beauties of Port Erin: by Thomas Shimmin, Manx Poet; to the favourite Scotch air, 'As Jenny was milking one morning in May, N.D. [c. 1870] Broadside. 390x235. [6881, G.F.C. Coll]

__ Full and particular Account of the Cottage in the Heather, built by Thomas Shimmin, Manx Poet: air, 'Lass o' Gowrie' Castletown: M. J. Backwell. N.D. [c. 1870] Broadside. 260x186. [6883, 6553, W.C. Coll,]

The cottage Shimmin built was on the lower slope of the mountain above Ballakillowey in Rushen. In his will he left it to the poor, but the foundations only are now visible.

__ Pop goes the Weasel: a new edition. No printers name. N.D. [c. 1870] Broadside. 220x145. [6882, W.C. Coll]

__ A new Poem on the Life and Death of E. M. Gawne, Esq., of Kentraugh, Rushen, who departed this life on Feb. 8, 1872, and was interred on the 15th about noon, aged 69 years and nearly 5 months. Composed by Thos. Shimmin, Manx Metropolitan Poet, aged 74 years,Douglas: Matthew Glover, printer by steam power, North Quay. N.D. [1875] Broadside. 375x250. [6552]

The versifier in a note apologises for the delay in printing; he preferred to 'wait until finer travelling weather appeared.'

__ The Royal Manx Railway, or £5 of Wit for a Penny! Air, 'Yankee Doodle Dandy, Oh! Castletown : M. J. Backwell. Broadside. N.D.. [c. 1876] 266x202.

Part I for Castletown: Part II for Peel.

__ The Pride and Boast of Mannin Veg; or Little Mona's Isle, a new Song by our Metropolitan Poet, T.S, aged 78. Tune, 'The Jolly Plough-boy.' Backwell. June, 1879. Broadside. 315x190. [6554, 6878, J 46]

'Kind gentlemen of honour and ladies of renown.'

This was signed by 'Ellen Shimmin, aged 76, widow of the Manx Poet.' This was Tom's last ballad.

Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received The Editor HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2026