The Lincolnshire Poacher facts for kids

The Lincolnshire Poacher is a very old and famous English folk song. It comes from the county of Lincolnshire. The song is about the fun of poaching, which means hunting animals without permission. Many people think it is the unofficial song for Lincolnshire. It is listed as Roud Folk Song Index No. 299.

What is Poaching?

Poaching is when someone hunts or catches animals illegally. This means they do not have permission from the landowner. The song "The Lincolnshire Poacher" is about a person who enjoys doing this. It shows a time when rules about hunting were different.

Where is the Song Used?

This song is very popular. It has been used in many different ways over the years.

In the Military

"The Lincolnshire Poacher" is a special march for several military groups.

• It was the quick march for the 10th Regiment of Foot. This group later became the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment.
• Now, it is used by the 2nd Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment. They are even called "the Poachers"!
• The song was also a march for the 2nd battalion The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire).
• It is the main march for the Intelligence Corps.
• In Canada, The Lincoln and Welland Regiment of the Canadian Forces also uses it as their march.
• During the American Civil War, many New York regiments used the tune. They called it "The New York Volunteer."
• In World War I, the 20th Battalion of the First Australian Imperial Force used it as their marching song.

When the Royal Air Force College Cranwell started in Lincolnshire in 1919, they wanted to use the song too. The first leader of the college asked for permission. He got it, and the song became their quick march.

In Music and Radio

• In 1961, a famous composer named Benjamin Britten arranged the song. It was part of his collection of British Folk Songs.
• In 1978, the Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band released "The Lincolnshire Poacher" as a single. It was on their album The Floral Dance.
• Sometimes, churches use the tune for a hymn. This hymn is called "The Happy Birds Te Deum Sing."
• The first two notes of the tune were used as a special signal. This signal came from a secret numbers station called Lincolnshire Poacher.
• Radio Lincolnshire started using the melody in 1980 for their news jingle. They still use a version of it today.
• The tune is also in a song called "The Glyoxylate Cycle." This song is from The Biochemists' Songbook.
• It was also used in the 1950 novelty song "The Thing." This song was a big hit in the US.

In Movies and Books

• In the 1940 film Tom Brown's School Days, students sing the melody. It is the main song for the movie.
• The song is also used in the BBC podcast The Whisperer in Darkness. This podcast is part of the Lovecraft Investigations series.
• You can hear the melody in the Amazon Prime TV series Truth Seekers.
• The melody is sometimes used for another folk song called "The Chandler's Wife."

What are the Lyrics About?

Like many old folk songs, the words can be a little different depending on where you hear it. But the main story stays the same. The song tells the story of a young man who was an apprentice. He worked hard for seven years. Then, he decided to start poaching. He describes how he and his friends set snares to catch animals. They are not afraid of the gamekeeper, who tries to stop them. They catch a hare and sell it for money. The song ends with a wish for good luck to poachers and bad luck to gamekeepers.

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