Raising a glass to World Poetry Day 2023

The poem captures a moment in time, as it describes a sailors' pub crawl during a 'run ashore'.

The lovely image above shows the Marlborough Hotel - situated on Marlborough Street - in 1936, around the time of the poem. Formerly called The Artillery Inn, it was damaged during a World War 2 bombing raid and remained closed until 1951. It was permanently closed around 1970 and the building was finally demolished in 1972.

You can read the poem in the following images, with a transcription underneath. This copy has been annotated in places with notes on the locations of the pubs, a number of which are sadly no longer open. How many of these names are familiar to you?

With thanks to our Archivist, Claire Skinner, for sourcing the poem and the image from our collection.

Come gallant men o' Devonport,
Your duty will not wait
On tiddly suits and shore going boots!
And muster nigh the gate!
Heave out your starboard fenders
and half head one and all
To south, to North, we'll sally forth
Along the Dockyard wall!

We'll start from Jago's mansions, men,
Afore we go beserk
Where, deep inside, the stanchions hide,
and PR7 men lurk!
But the Duty Watch is waiting,
so, fall in, short stall
We'll sink a quart, afore we start
Along the Dockyard wall!

Now, out again, me hearty lads,
We quite this lush abode,
To march along, with quip and song,
Way onward down the road!
To yonder Black and White house
Abaft the Oggie Stall
That Home of Ale, the Avondale,
Beside the Dockyard Wall.

Ah! many a frothy firkin lads, We've quaffed beneath these tiles,
Where Jock or Jan - or any man,
Can trap the barmaids' smiles!
So, here's to good old Arthur,
Who's always on the 'ball',
Come charge your pot, and drink a tot,
Outside the Keyham Wall.

But up the hill we sail me lads,
And down to the Albert gate
For Plymouth ales - the 'Prince of Wales'
By now we're feeling great!
Heigh Ho! the good old 'Keppels'
A certain port of call
To fast and wine on apple wine,
Outside the Dockyard Wall!

Now, tread your measure softly lads,
And shed a beery tear,
As you guide your feet through William Street,
And the pubs of yesteryear,
"Spare Boiler", "Standard", "Morice Town Vaults"
And those beyond recall
The stood the Test, in line abreast,
Beside the Dockyard Wall!

Across the Ferry road me boys,
To Devonport park we steam
Where, Tall and straight, the Gunwharf Gate,
Is on our Starboard beam,
A noggin in the "Marlborough",
And, as we onward crawl,
We spy once more the Fleet Club door, Beside the Dockyard Wall.

Oh! open up those Portals wide,
The Free State on the hill,
Beneath whose eyes the Tamar lies,
And Torpoint, calm and still,
Where, First Dogwatchmen muster,
Upon the eight Bell call
To take good cheer with wine and beer,
Beside the Gunwharf Wall!

But, forward men, through Morice square,
The "Lord Hood" stands upright,
The "Cambridge Arms" the "Standards" charms,
Then, downhill through the night,
"Swan Inn", "Steampacket", brothers,
and that's North Corner's haul,
A pint in each and then we reach
The end of the North Yard Wall.

Yet fear not lads, the South Yard Wall,
Is looming up once more,
It upwards glides - then swerves and slides,
Around the "Boots Inn" door,
Three cheers for good old 'Mother'
The doyenne of 'em all,
Who's always been the Devonport Queen,
And mistress of the Wall.

But, Devonport Market clock has chimed,
The hour is growing late,
The "Ark's Royal's" bar is not too far,
Beyond the Fore Street Gate,
The "Brown Bear", "Chapel", "Beresford"
Are all good ports O' call
There's more beside the Wall.

The "Bristol Castle" "Queen and Connie"
The "New (Pier)" round the bend
Then on we rove to Mutton Cove,
Our journey at an end!
There's King Billy's Statue,
and, so, lads one and all,
From South to North, we've journeyed forth,
Three Cheers for the DOCKYARD WALL.