Story: Folk, country and blues music

'David Lowston', a sealing song (1st of 2)

The song 'David Lowston' is based on a real incident, when a group of sealers were rescued from the coast of south Westland in 1813. The David Lowrieston mentioned in the article became the David Lowston of the song. Shipping records show that the Active left Sydney in December 1809, rather than 1808 as stated in the story. The sealers were left on Open Bay Island in February 1810, but their ship, the Active, disappeared at sea. The song is believed to have been composed in Sydney around 1814.

Using this item

National Library of Australia
Reference: The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser, 18 December 1813, p. 2

Permission of the National Library of Australia must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

Sound file from Bach Choir of Wellington

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How to cite this page:

Chris Bourke, 'Folk, country and blues music - Folk music – the voice of the people, 1790s to 1920s', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/music/42426/david-lowston-a-sealing-song (accessed 30 March 2024)

Story by Chris Bourke, published 22 Oct 2014