Arranged by Dolly Collins, ensemble directed by Rod Skeaping.

This unique project relates the true story of Henry Cabell and Susannah Holmes, convicts transported to Australia on the “First Fleet” in 1787 and the trials and tribulations which culminated in that historic voyage. The tale is presented as a cycle of new compositions in the idiom of traditional English folk song, linked by narrative passages in the style and to the melodies of broadsheet ballads of the time. The orchestral passages and arrangements for the accompanied songs have been conceived in such a way as to underline the overall feeling of “period” and the instruments used are those likely to have been heard in the church bands or “quires” of East Anglian villages in those days. The singers have been chosen from the front rank of the English folk song revival, and the melodies composed to suit their individual style. A detailed account of the historical background to the story by Eric Fowler (the man who originally researched it) is included in the booklet.

This recording was remixed and reissued in 2004 as part of Free Reed’s 2 CD 25^th year Commemorative Issue, see below, and in 2008 as part of the 18 CD Revival re:Masters series.

The Cast

Henry Cabell: Mike Waterson
Susannah Holmes: Norma Waterson
The Turnkey: Martin Carthy
The Father: Nic Jones
The Mother: June Tabor
Abe Carman: A.L. Lloyd
The Shantyman: Cyril Tawney
The Convict: Martin Winsor
The Coachman: Vic Legg
The Transport: The Watersons
Street Singer: Peter Bellamy

The Ensemble

Rod Skeaping: director;
Philippa Davies: flute;
Sophia Wilson: oboe;
Keith Thomlinson: whistle, garklein-flötlein;
Felix Warnock: bassoon;
Alan Lumsden: serpent;
Oliver Brookes: cello;
Dave Swarbrick: violin on The Ballad of Henry and Susannah

Tracks

Side 1

1. Overture (5.39)
2. The Ballad of Henry and Susannah (1) (1.02)
   Peter Bellamy as Street Singer
3. Us Poor Fellows (5.15)
   Nic Jones as The Father
4. The Robber’s Song (2.51)
   A.L. Lloyd as Abe Carman
5. The Ballad of Henry and Susannah (2) (2.35)
   Peter Bellamy as Street Singer
6. The Leaves in the Woodland (4.52)
   June Tabor as The Mother

Side 2

7. The Ballad of Henry and Susannah (3) (2.35)
   Peter Bellamy as Street Singer
8. I Once Lived in Service (4.52)
   Norma Waterson as Susannah
9. Norwich Gaol (4.44)
   Martin Winsor as The Convict
10. Sweet Loving Friendship (3.44)
    Mike and Norma Waterson as Henry and Susannah

Side 3

11. The Ballad of Henry and Susannah (4) (2.57)
    Peter Bellamy as Street Singer
12. The Black and Bitter Night (7.10)
    Mike Waterson as Henry
13. The Humane Turnkey (1) (1.49)
    Martin Carthy as The Turnkey
14. The Plymouth Mail (4.28)
    Vic Legg as The Coachman
15. The Humane Turnkey (2) (2.20)
    Martin Carthy as The Turnkey

Side 4

16. The Green Fields of England (5.32)
    Peter Bellamy and Dolly Collins, with Mike and Norma Waterson singing chorus, as The Transports
17. Roll Down (4.25)
    Cyril Tawney as The Shantyman
18. The Still and Silent Ocean (4.25)
    Mike and Norma Waterson as Henry and Susannah
19. The Ballad of Henry and Susannah (5) (3.24)
    Peter Bellamy as Street Singer
20. Dance: The Convict’s Wedding (1.08)

Free Reed CD bonus track

21. Dance: The Convict’s Wedding (2.09)
    Fairport Convention

This was a memorable performance of Peter Bellamy’s ballad opera, The Transports, recorded by Dave Howard at Whitby Folk Festival, August 1992.

The Cast

Henry Cabell: Damien Barber
Susannah Holmes: Eliza Carthy
The Turnkey: Mike Bettison
The Father: John O’Hagan
The Mother: Norma Waterson
Abe Carman: Martin Carthy
The Shantymen: John Eaves, Ashley Howard
The Convict: Chris Sugden
The Coachman: Tim Laycock
Street Singer: George Faux (who provided his own fiddle accompaniment)

The Ensemble

John Kirkpatrick
Mike Lynskey
Vince Edwards
Ian Blake

Chorus of 37 persons, including Kate Rusby, Kathryn Roberts and Jenny Bellamy

In 2004, Free Reed published a 25^th year Commemorative Issue of Peter Bellamy’s ballad opera The Transports. This consists of 2 CDs, first a re-mastered version of the original 1977 recording—see above for cast and track list—and a second CD with newly recorded tracks by lots of well known musicians. There is no one cast to a certain role as in the original recording but every song is sung by different singers. Even if I like most of the individual interpretations, I miss the charm and consistency of the original recording.

Tracks

1. Cockersdale: Black & Bitter Night (4.14)
   From the Cockersdale album Doin’ the Manch’
2. Jim Lawton: Raking the Embers (0.33)
3. Simon Nicol & Chris Leslie: The Ballad of Henry and Susannah (1) (1.02)
4. David Jones: Us Poor Fellows (4.12)
   From the album From England’s Shore
5. Joel Griffiths: The Robber’s Song (3.42)
6. Simon Nicol & Chris Leslie: The Ballad of Henry and Susannah (2) (2.31)
7. Grace Notes: The Leaves in the Woodland (4.07)
8. Simon Nicol & Chris Leslie: The Ballad of Henry and Susannah (3) (1.11)
9. Witches of Elswick: I Once Lived in Service (4.31)
   From the Witches’ album Out of Bed
10. Chris Sugden: The Ballad of Norwich Gaol (2.46)
11. Laura Hockenhull & Pete Morton: Sweet Loving Friendship (3.27)
12. Simon Nicol & Chris Leslie: The Ballad of Henry and Susannah (4) (1.59)
13. Damien Barber & John Kirkpatrick with The Wilsons & Grace Notes: The Black and Bitter Night (5.01)
14. Mal Jardine with Jamie O’Dwyer: The Humane Turnkey (3.56)
15. John Roberts: The Plymouth Mail (4.14)
16. Coope Boyes & Simpson: The Green Fields of England (4.56)
17. Kimber’s Men: Roll Down (4.03)
    From the album See You When the Sun Goes Down
18. Steve Tilston: The Still and Silent Ocean (5.00)
19. Simon Nicol & Chris Leslie: The Ballad of Henry and Susannah (5) (2.24)
20. Fairport Convention: Dance: The Convict’s Wedding (2.09)
21. Tim Moon: Black Concertina (2.40)
    Live at Bacca Pipes Club, also on the album Anger and Kiss
22. Peter Bellamy: Roll Down (excerpt) (2.04)
    Live at The Focal Point, St Louis, Missouri, 1991

Produced, recorded and mixed by Andy Bell;
Recorded at The Foundry, Sheffield, in March 2017 and Hudson Studio in April 2017;
Mastered by Dean Honer;
Artwork by James Green;
Photos by Elly Lucas;
Design by Robin Beatty

The Cast

Henry Cabell: Sean Cooney, vocals;
Susannah Holmes: Rachael McShane, vocals, cello;
The Father: Paul Sartin, vocals, oboe, cor anglais, fiddle;
The Mother: Nancy Kerr, vocals, fiddle;
The Narrator: Matthew Crampton, narration, vocals;;
The Turnkey: Greg Russell, vocals, guitar;
Abe Carman: David Eagle, vocals;
The Jailer: Benji Kirkpatrick, vocals, guitar, bouzouki;
The Coachman: Michael Hughes, vocals;
The Shantyman: Saul Rose, vocals, melodeon

Tracks

1. Introduction (2.53)
2. Us Poor Fellows (4.57)
   Paul Sartin as Abe Carman
3. Narration 2 (0.27)
4. The Robber’s Song (2.36)
   David Engle as Abe Carman
5. Narration 3 (2.43)
6. The Leaves in the Woodland (4.46)
   Nancy Kerr as The Mother
7. Narration 4 (1.22)
8. The Ballad of Norwich Gaol (4.18)
   Benji Kirkpatrick as The Convict
9. Narration 5 (2.03)
10. I Once Lived in Service (4.43)
    Rachael McShane as Susannah
11. Narration 6 (0.33)
12. Sweet Loving Friendship (3.42)
    Sean Cooney and Rachael McShane as Henry and Susannah
13. Narration 7 (3.30)
14. The Black and Bitter Night (5.58)
    Sean Coonec as Henry
15. Narration 8 (1.28)
16. Dark Water (5.49)
    Sean Coonec as Henry
17. Narration 9 (0.52)
18. The Humane Turnkey 1 (1.07)
    Greg Russell as The Turnkey
19. Narration 10 (1.27)
20. The Plymouth Mail (4.08)
    Michael Hughes as The Coachman
21. Narration 11 (0.28)
22. The Humane Turnkey 2 (2.05)
    Greg Russell as The Turnkey
23. Narration 12 (1.20)
24. The Green Fields of England (5.35)
    Ensemble
25. Narration 13 (1.12)
26. The Still and Silent Ocean (1.13)
    Sean Cooney and Rachael McShane as Henry and Susannah
27. Narration 14 (2.53)
28. Roll Down (4.50)
    Saul Rose as The Shantyman

Video