Historical events have always been commemorated in song. For centuries there were professional ballad writers who composed verses to mark newsworthy occasions, these were then printed on single sheets of paper and sold in vast quantities.

These 'Broadsheet Ballads' were in some ways the pop songs of their day as well as being a way of spreading news. Songs were written about military victories, political dealings and other more grizzly subjects, such as those that claimed to be the last writings of those who sat in the condemned cells awaiting their public hanging.

Jug of ale

As well as these professional songwriters there have also always been the anonymous composers, local singers who created new songs that were only of real relevance to their immediate communities. They would have been sung in the local pub on a Saturday night or perhaps at gatherings around a jug of ale in farmhouse kitchens.

These songs became part of the folk tradition, they never existed in print but were passed on purely by word of mouth as singers increased their repertoires by learning from each other.

'Hartlake Bridge' is one such song, it was never written down until it was recorded by a folk song collector during the early 1970s from a local Romany Gypsy, Jasper Smith.

Ambrose Cooper

Until then it was unknown outside the local Gypsy community but had survived by being kept in the family repertoire for several generations. These traditional songs together with tunes and stories would all have been heard around the open fires at night as Travellers relaxed after a day's work.

We don't know who first composed it but the fact that it was important and relevant to those who sang and listened to it ensured its survival and today the song is still being sung by Jasper's nephew, Ambrose Cooper.