Lyrics

In summer time, in summer time
How gently winds can blow
And boats from Glace Bay harbour
To fishing grounds will go
There’s boats in port from Newfoundland
Main-a-dieu and Scaterie
For to the hardy fishermen
Cape Breton ports are free

In the spring of 1951
Walter Bond was in command
Of the sturdy Barbara and Ronald
From Petites, Newfoundland
Five sharesmen were on board the boat
And fished out from Glace Bay
And when the season ended
They prepared to sail away.

Six men were on the boat that day
With captain Walter Bond
Charlie and Kenneth Courteny
From Petite did belong
Ward Mauger and Richard Gorse
Were from that village too
And Russell Billard from Grand Britt
Were members of the crew.

Tom Bennett went on board the boat
And to captain Bond did say
“We will go home together, Wall,
To spend our Christmas day.”
While they put their freight on board
Their thoughts went o’er the foam
For deep in every sailor’s heart
There lies the love of home.

A merry, merry Christmas boys
And a happy new year
They gaily waved to friends on shore
As they passed the Glace Bay pier
A merry Christmas to you all
We’ll be back again in May
The loaded Barbara and Ronald
From the harbour sailed away

The seagulls screamed along the shore
The skies were dark and grey
The wind shrieked in the rigging
That cold December day
And friends along the waterfront
Can fully understand
Why the boat went into Ingonish
On the way to Newfoundland.

The kindly folk in Ingonish
Gave help and shelter too
To the crew of the Barbara and Ronald
For their bond is strong and true
And after waiting out the storm
They then did sail away
To be with loved ones and their homes
On the coming Christmas day.

The fishermen from Ingonish
Waved Godspeed from the land
To captain Bond and his brave crew
Bound out for Newfoundland
The weather was uncertain
On that cold December morn
In the seas that raised up mountains high
They never did return.

Let’s drink a toast to these brave men
And to Petites, Newfoundland
To their loved ones waiting on the shore
For their gallant fishermen
May this song enshrine the names of
This saga of brave men
The crew of the Barbara and Ronald
From Petites, Newfoundland.

MUNFLA 78-36 p57-8: typed transcription provided by an unknown person, sent to Kenneth Peacock in response to newspaper request.