I was browsing Youtube and listening to "Fisherman's Friends". from Port Isaac on theNorth coast of Cornwall. I first heard them sing, years ago at the Plymouth Folk festival which was held in lesser known dusty pubs around the back streets of the Barbican and Stonehouse. We heard them sing on the quayside at the Barbican and I can' t hear one note without smiling, inside and out.
I got to reminiscing I'm a Fowey girl and I can't live beyond the scent of salt air and some of the most magical moments in my life have been accompanied by Cornish song. I spent many a happy hour in pubs such as the Ship Inn, Lugger, Safe Harbour and the King of Prussia. Oh, they are all artsy fartsy 'gastro pubs' now, but they were real pubs when I knew them, full of dockers, fishermen, boat builders, clay workers and local people. You can't move in there now for Richard and Judy, Dawn French and other 'celebs' who now make the area their home!!! When I went to the pub (we all drank under age.....it almost seemed compulsory; condoned and our parents knew where we were!!!) we all sang. Usually with a pint of Tinners of HSD held aloft (sing along if you want to) and the singing was always led by men. My boy friends at the young age were all fishermen (scallopers) and farmers and I know many of them as friends to this day and they all sang. Enjoy the music.