THE BALLAD OF GERALD 13

[Written at the request of the Restorers
of the beautiful Narrowboat, Gerald 13.
May be sung to the tune of The Ballad of Bethnal Green]

We will tell you a tale of a Narrowboat, by name the Gerald Thirteen.
Don’t be misled by the name we’ve said,
For this boat is a regular Queen!
But such are the ways on the waterways
That a boat is always “She”,
And a finer, sweeter Narrowboat you could never hope to see!
Refrain: So tell/sing the tale, the busy, busy tale
Of the Narrowboat Gerald Thirteen.
She has travelled the ways, oh the busy waterways, for a century and more,
And the bloke who bought her first was called
(Yes, believe it!) Mr. Noah!
And Gerald’s been a working girl
Since first her keel was laid,
Hauling pipes and chains for the groaning cranes in a Joey Boat’s busy trade.
Refrain
Now, Gerald was made, once her keel was laid, of wood and iron and steel.
At seventy feet, she’s trim and neat,
With a perfect ship-shape feel.
A neat cabin aft in this nifty craft
Has delicious works of art,
And Gerald Thirteen, in the waterways scene, will completely steal your heart.
Refrain
Now our little pot, our empty little pot needs a golden coin or two,
Our Canals depend for the cash we can spend
On help from the likes of you.
What you can spare, put it all in there, for Canals Restoration Fund,
Then Gerald Thirteen can stay upon the scene, to delight us, every one!
So come and see this delightful Narrowboat, whose name is the Gerald Thirteen,
And get the feel, from the cabin to the keel,
Of a real live waterways Queen.
She’s moored nearby, and we hope you’ll try
To come and have a look on board,
When you’ll find she’s neat and so sweet and complete,
That your look is its own reward!
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