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Description: | Song written to encourage the men of Derwentside to join the war.Printed during the Napoleonic Wars this song is a call to arms for the men of Derwentside. Within a few months of the declaration of war the troops at Tynemouth barracks cordoned off North Shields while the press-gangs from warships in the harbour rounded up sailors and labourers from every occupation.Despite this, led by Lord Strathmore the Derwent Volunteers were one of a number of volunteer regiments raised at Newcastle, Durham, Sunderland, North Shields and Tynemouth. Throughout the Napoleonic Wars, the people of Newcastle demonstrated their loyalty, forming themselves into an 'Armed Association' for the defence of the town. This was headed by Sir Matthew White Ridley and was called to arms in 1804 when the alarm was given all down the north-east coast that the French had landed. Although this alarm proved to be false the Association continued throughout the war.This song was written by John Leonard, a local Gateshead joiner, and can be dated to the early nineteenth century. Leonard largely wrote political and general material and at one point was imprisoned, possibly because of his views on the Irish question. This song is part of the John Bell Collection. ; A collection of broadsheets on various subjects, with accompanying press cuttings and manuscript notes in the hand of John Bell. | Publisher: | Marshall Newcastle upon Tyne | Rights holder: | rights holder : Newcastle University | Subjects: | war/armed forces 1800-1815 & soldiers war & Napoleonic Wars | Temporal: | start=1801;end=1840; | Source: | Folk Archive Resource North East | Identifier: | farne:N0107901 | Go to resource |
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