Petty Harbour Bait Skiff

About this work, notes by Vanessa Halley, daughter of Paul Halley, for the Capella Regalis Men and Boys Choir recording "Songs of the Sea" (2025):

"The melody and words of ‘Petty Harbour Bait Skiff’ were written in 1852 by John Grace, relating the tragic true story of a gale in early June of that year when a small fishing boat with a crew of 7 men went down with its captain and all but one of its crew of young Newfoundland men, only one living to tell the tale. There are multiple variations on the song lyrics, but the basic facts of the story seem to be that while the outbound journey from Petty Harbour to Conception Bay went well under clear skies, on the return trip the following night the fishermen noticed warning signs in the weather as the morning came on, including a red sunrise, and the boat was caught in a squall shortly after, within sight of Petty Harbour. All but one of the crew drowned before rescuers were able to reach them. Paul’s enhancement of the well-loved original tune brings back to life this heart-wrenching musical homage to that crew of 1852 and to all who have lost their lives at sea.

The ship’s bell was recorded at the end of one of our sessions in the Cathedral Church of All Saints, Halifax, on the suggestion of Scott Beard (our Music Librarian, and a singer in both Capella Regalis and the Cathedral Choir). The bell hangs on the wall at the High Altar of the Cathedral, having been purchased in Halifax by a former Dean of the Cathedral, who, we are told, loved the bell because it bears the engraving ‘RMS Titanic’. The bell has been used occasionally during Solemn Eucharist in the Cathedral as an altar bell. Although it is unlikely the bell actually came from the Titanic, it serves as a reminder of Halifax’s special connection with that ship and its tragic tale.

Scott thought the ship’s bell would be a particularly appropriate addition to our recording of Petty Harbour Bait Skiff, since the ringing of a ship’s bell eight times is a traditional, ceremonial way to mark a sailor’s death. Eight bells on a ship signifies the end of a four-hour watch, and so it also may symbolize the end of a sailor’s final watch. We didn’t include a full eight bells on the recording but decided instead on three bells to open the piece, which we repeated into a fade-out at the end. It turns out that in the ship’s bell system, three bells in the morning watch would signify 5:30 AM, or shortly after sunrise in Newfoundland in June."