The Mariner's Concert

Songbook comprising a single printed sheet folded to form an eight page chapbook entitled 'The Mariner's Concert being a new collection of the most favourite sea songs written and sung by Dibdin, Dignum, Fawcett etc. and sung at the Places of Public Amusement in the Year 1797.' The songbook is printed with the words of 18 sea songs including Meg of Wapping, The Maid of Martindale and Doll of Wapping and illustrated with a woodcut depicting a rowing boat and a sail ship.

Charles Dibdin (1745-1814) was one of London's most popular and prolific singer songwriters in the late 18th century. His comic operas were regularly performed in London theatres including Salder's Wells, Covent Garden, Drury Lane and the Haymarket. From the 1790s Dibdin performed musical evenings at his own place of entertainment named Sans Souci, originally located in the Strand and then in Leicester Place. Such songbooks, sold for 1d (one old penny) on London's streets were extremely popular with Londoners. They were often purchased by theatregoers so they could sing along to the songs as they were being performed on the stage.