Stan Hugill
Encyclopedia
Stan Hugill (November 19, 1906 – May 13, 1992) was a folk music
performer, artist and sea music historian, known as the "Last Working Shantyman" and described as the "20th Century guardian of the tradition".
, to Henry James Hugill and Florence Mary Hugill (née Southwood). His sailing career started in 1922, retiring to dry land in 1945. He notably served aboard the last British merchant sailing vessel – the Garthpool. he served as the shantyman
on the Garthpool, the last British commercial sailing ship (a "Limejuice Cape Horner
"), on her last voyage which ended when she was wrecked 11 November 1929 off the Cape Verde Islands.
After four and a half years as a German prisoner of war
during World War II
, Hugill was an instructor at the Outward Bound Sea School in Aberdovey from 1950 to 1975. In the 1950s he also taught sailing skills (and sang sea shanties) on the sail-training ship Pamir
but fortunately was not on its ill-fated last voyage. Fluent in Japanese and Spanish (as well as speaking Maori, Malay, and Chinese and various Polynesian dialects), he also worked as a Japanese translator from 1951-1959.
He married Bronwen Irene Benbow in 1953; they had two children, Philip and Martin. He anchored BBC program Dance and Skylark from 1965 to 1966, and wrote monthly the column "Bosun's Locker" for Spin (Liverpool folksong magazine).
When laid up with a broken leg in the 1950s, he began to write down the shanties that he had learned at sea, eventually authoring several books and releasing several LP's of performances later in coordination with Merseyside Folk group Stormalong John.
Although "shanty" is also spelled "chantey", Hugill used former exclusively in his books.
.
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
performer, artist and sea music historian, known as the "Last Working Shantyman" and described as the "20th Century guardian of the tradition".
Biography
Born in Hoylake, CheshireCheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, to Henry James Hugill and Florence Mary Hugill (née Southwood). His sailing career started in 1922, retiring to dry land in 1945. He notably served aboard the last British merchant sailing vessel – the Garthpool. he served as the shantyman
Sea shanty
A shanty is a type of work song that was once commonly sung to accompany labor on board large merchant sailing vessels. Shanties became ubiquitous in the 19th century era of the wind-driven packet and clipper ships...
on the Garthpool, the last British commercial sailing ship (a "Limejuice Cape Horner
Cape Horn
Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island...
"), on her last voyage which ended when she was wrecked 11 November 1929 off the Cape Verde Islands.
After four and a half years as a German prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Hugill was an instructor at the Outward Bound Sea School in Aberdovey from 1950 to 1975. In the 1950s he also taught sailing skills (and sang sea shanties) on the sail-training ship Pamir
Pamir (ship)
Pamir was one of the famous Flying P-Liner sailing ships of the German shipping company F. Laeisz. She was the last commercial sailing ship to round Cape Horn, in 1949...
but fortunately was not on its ill-fated last voyage. Fluent in Japanese and Spanish (as well as speaking Maori, Malay, and Chinese and various Polynesian dialects), he also worked as a Japanese translator from 1951-1959.
He married Bronwen Irene Benbow in 1953; they had two children, Philip and Martin. He anchored BBC program Dance and Skylark from 1965 to 1966, and wrote monthly the column "Bosun's Locker" for Spin (Liverpool folksong magazine).
When laid up with a broken leg in the 1950s, he began to write down the shanties that he had learned at sea, eventually authoring several books and releasing several LP's of performances later in coordination with Merseyside Folk group Stormalong John.
Although "shanty" is also spelled "chantey", Hugill used former exclusively in his books.
Stan Hugill Memorial Trophy
As of 1993, the Stan Hugill Memorial Trophy is awarded to the winner of the Tall Ships' Crews Shanty Competition. The competition became international in scope in 2000 when it was held in Douarnenez, FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Books
- Shanties from the Seven Seas (1961; abridged edition 1984)
- Sailortown (1967)
- Shanties and Sailor Songs (1969)
- Sea Shanties (1977)
- Songs of the Sea (1977)
Recordings
- Shanties from the Seven Seas (1962, HMV)
- On Board the Cutty Sark
- A Salty Fore Topman
- Chants des Marins Anglais
- Sailing Days
- Stan Hugill Reminisces
- Stan Hugill
- Men and the Sea Men
- Sea Songs: Newport, Rhode Island - Songs from the Age of Sail (with The X Seamen's Institute and David Jones)
- Sea Songs: Louis Killen, Stan Hugill and The X Seamen's Institute sing of Cape Horn sailing at the Seattle Chantey Festival (with Louis Killen and The X Seamen's Institute).
- When the Wind Blows
- Pusser's Rum Sailing Songs (1990)
Video
- Stan Hugill, The Last Shantyman
- All I Ask is a Tall Ship ("The World About Us" BBC TV)
- The Last Voyage of the Garthpool ("Yesterday's Witness" BBC TV)