Caller Herrin'

"Caller Herrin'" is a Scottish song, the music by Nathaniel Gow (1763–1831), and the words by Carolina Nairne (1766–1845).

History
Newhaven fishergirls pose with a creel. Photograph by Hill & Adamson, 1840s.
Sir John Everett Millais: Caller Herrin', 1881

"Caller herrin'" means fresh herring.[1] It was the traditional cry of Newhaven fishwives, who carried in creels freshly caught herring which they sold from door to door. Gow, a violinist and bandleader of Edinburgh, incorporated this cry, and also the bells of St Andrew's Church, into his composition, written about 1798. It became one of his best-known tunes.[2][3][4]

Carolina Oliphant, Lady Nairne, was a songwriter, using the pseudonym "Mrs Bogan of Bogan". Attending balls in country houses of Perthshire, she heard the music of Nathaniel Gow, and wrote words for "Caller Herrin'".[5]

It has been adapted many times. Philip Knapton composed a set of variations of the tune, for piano or harp, which appeared in 1820 and became popular.[6][7] Joseph Binns Hart (1794–1844) arranged the tune as a quadrille in his 8th Set of Scotch Quadrilles (1827).[3][8]

Music

The tune and words of the chorus:

In literature

References
  1. The Wordsworth Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, rev. Ivor H. Evans. 1994.
  2. Percy Scholes, Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. Oxford University Press, 1964.
  3. Nathaniel Gow (1763-1831) regencydances.org, accessed 17 June 2016.
  4. (Wha'll Buy My) Caller Herring Archived 3 July 2016 at the Wayback Machine Education Scotland, accessed 17 June 2016
  5. Donaldson, William. "Oliphant, Carolina". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/19723. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  6. Philip Knapton. Caller Herring: a favorite Scotch air; arr. with variations, for the piano forte or harp, 1820.
  7. "Knapton, Philip". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/15701. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  8. The Life & Quadrilles of Joseph Binns Hart (1794-1844) regencydances.org, accessed 17 June 2016.
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