23rd March 2008
Town Crier - Alec Danby, Margaret Norman,
Alan Herriot (sculptor) and Jack Binding
For over 40 years John Short, Watchet’s famous sailor and shantyman, sailed the world in a great variety of sailing ships as an able seaman and later as bosun. In the 1860s some of John’s ships ran the blockade in the American Civil War, and because of this he was affectionately awarded the nickname of “Yankee Jack” by Watchet townsfolk.
On the cold and windy afternoon of Saturday 22nd March a remarkable statue of Yankee Jack, commissioned by Watchet Market House Museum Society, was unveiled by Margaret Norman. Margaret is the widow of Ben Norman who was the main instigator of this project, a founder-member and past curator of the museum, local historian and author. Sadly, Ben, died this January and was unable to see the fulfilment of his ambition.
The statue is dedicated to Ben for his endeavour in securing its erection, which is marked by an attached plaque. A story-board giving details of John Short’s life, written by Ben, stands adjacent to the statue.
Although it was very windy and cold, a good sized crowd turned out for the ceremony. Despite freezing fingers the local musicians made a vailant effort - they did Yankee Jack proud! However, the lure of a hot cup of tea inside the Phoenix Centre soon proved too much.
JOHN SHORT (“YANKEE JACK”), 1839-1933
A Brief Biography by Ben Norman
For over 40 years John Short, Watchet’s famous sailor and shantyman, sailed the world in a great variety of sailing ships as an able seaman and later as bosun. In the 1860s some of John’s ships ran the blockade in the American Civil War, and because of this he was affectionately awarded the nickname of “Yankee Jack” by Watchet townsfolk.
It was a tradition aboard large sailing ships for sailors to sing sea shanties. This assisted them to work together when hoisting sails or walking around the capstan, etc. John Short’s strong and tuneful voice often led him to take the role of solo shantyman, and over the years he memorised the words and tunes of dozens of shanties, including the well-known Rio Grande, Shenandoah, Blow the Man Down, A Roving and Spanish Ladies.
In 1873 he married Annie Marie Wedlake, the daughter of a Watchet master mariner, and in 1880 they had a son, George. John continued his ocean-going career until the late 1880s. On receiving news that his wife’s health was failing, he returned to their little cottage in Market Street to help and comfort her. Subsequently he sailed only on short trips aboard local coasting vessels, including the ketch Annie Christian.
In 1902 he was appointed as Watchet’s Town Crier and later took charge of the town’s Fire Brigade. He continued to sing with other sailors around the harbourside and occasionally at local concerts.
In 1914, at the age of 75, he was introduced by the Reverend Dr. Allen Brockington, of nearby Carhampton, to Cecil Sharp, an eminent collector of folk songs and shanties. Sharp was very impressed with the old sailor’s singing and declared that “John Short’s rich, powerful, yet flexible voice would excite the envy of many a professional vocalist”. Over a number of days Sharp transcribed the words and melodies of many of John’s shanties, which were willingly sung again and again.
Later Sir Richard Terry, another distinguished collector, visited John to gather and publish yet more shanties from his repertoire. Had these two renowned gentlemen not met “Yankee Jack” many delightful old songs of the sailors could have been lost for ever.
John Short died in 1933 at the great age of 94. A simple obituary in The Times said of Watchet’s grand old sailor: “He thought little of his reputation as a singer, but much more of homely things”. He was buried in Watchet’s churchyard, but sadly, there being no headstone on his grave, its location is unknown.
The Ancient Mariner
Yankee Jack is the second bronze that the sculptor, Alan Herriot from Scotland, has standing on the Esplanade at Watchet Harbour, the first being that of the Ancient Mariner.
