A noble whale ship and commander
Called the Catalpa, they say
Came out to Western Australia
And took six poor Fenians away
Chorus
So come all you screw warders and jailers
Remember Perth regatta day
Take care of the rest of your Fenians
Or the Yankees will steal them away
Seven long years had they served here
And seven long more had to stay
For defending their country Old Ireland
For that they were banished away
Chorus
Now all the Perth boats were a-racing
And making short tacks for the spot
But the Yankee she tacked into Fremantle
And took the best prize of the lot
Chorus
The Georgette armed with bold warriors
Went out the poor Yanks to arrest
But she hoisted her star-spangled banner
Saying you'll not board me I guess
Chorus
Now they've landed safe in America
And there will be able to cry
Hoist up the green flag and shamrock
Hurrah for old Ireland we'll die
Chorus
Called the Catalpa, they say
Came out to Western Australia
And took six poor Fenians away
Chorus
So come all you screw warders and jailers
Remember Perth regatta day
Take care of the rest of your Fenians
Or the Yankees will steal them away
Seven long years had they served here
And seven long more had to stay
For defending their country Old Ireland
For that they were banished away
Chorus
Now all the Perth boats were a-racing
And making short tacks for the spot
But the Yankee she tacked into Fremantle
And took the best prize of the lot
Chorus
The Georgette armed with bold warriors
Went out the poor Yanks to arrest
But she hoisted her star-spangled banner
Saying you'll not board me I guess
Chorus
Now they've landed safe in America
And there will be able to cry
Hoist up the green flag and shamrock
Hurrah for old Ireland we'll die
Chorus
The Catalpa
Australian Folk Song
Australian Folk Song
This is the most successful prison break in Australian history. It was an international rescue effort that took years to organise, and which finally freed six Irish prisoners from Fremantle gaol. The rescue ship was an American whaler called The Catalpa. The escape was so dramatic that it's now a symbol of human resilience, even resurrection.
On Easter Monday, 1876, six Irish political prisoners, known as military Fenians, were rescued from 'a living tomb'. This was how the world’s toughest prison, Fremantle gaol, was described by its inmates. The rescuer was one Captain Anthony, a Quaker sea captain who had no connection with the Irish cause. He put his crew, his family, his financiers and his own life in danger to sail from New Bedford in America to Perth in Western Australia on a trip that was disguised as a whale hunt. Why? Because, as he told his grandson, it was the right thing to do.
On Easter Monday, 1876, six Irish political prisoners, known as military Fenians, were rescued from 'a living tomb'. This was how the world’s toughest prison, Fremantle gaol, was described by its inmates. The rescuer was one Captain Anthony, a Quaker sea captain who had no connection with the Irish cause. He put his crew, his family, his financiers and his own life in danger to sail from New Bedford in America to Perth in Western Australia on a trip that was disguised as a whale hunt. Why? Because, as he told his grandson, it was the right thing to do.
Also see "The Catalpa Rescue" in Wikipedia
Listen to "The Catalpa" - performed by Stringybark
Listen to "The Catalpa" - performed by Stringybark
A noble whale ship and commander Called the Catalpa, they say
Came out to Western Australia And took six poor Fenians away
Chorus
So come all you screw warders and jailers Remember Perth regatta day
Take care of the rest of your Fenians Or the Yankees will steal them away
Seven long years had they served here And seven long more had to stay
For defending their country Old Ireland For that they were banished away
Chorus
Now all the Perth boats were a-racing And making short tacks for the spot
But the Yankee she tacked into Fremantle And took the best prize of the lot
Chorus
The Georgette armed with bold warriors Went out the poor Yanks to arrest
But she hoisted her star-spangled banner Saying you'll not board me I guess
Chorus
Now they've landed safe in America And there will be able to cry
Hoist up the green flag and shamrock Hurrah for old Ireland we'll die
Chorus
Came out to Western Australia And took six poor Fenians away
Chorus
So come all you screw warders and jailers Remember Perth regatta day
Take care of the rest of your Fenians Or the Yankees will steal them away
Seven long years had they served here And seven long more had to stay
For defending their country Old Ireland For that they were banished away
Chorus
Now all the Perth boats were a-racing And making short tacks for the spot
But the Yankee she tacked into Fremantle And took the best prize of the lot
Chorus
The Georgette armed with bold warriors Went out the poor Yanks to arrest
But she hoisted her star-spangled banner Saying you'll not board me I guess
Chorus
Now they've landed safe in America And there will be able to cry
Hoist up the green flag and shamrock Hurrah for old Ireland we'll die
Chorus
Aussie Culture Index
The Great South Land
Advance Australia Fair
Waltzing Matilda
Click Goes The Shears
The Man from Snowy River
Clancy of the Overflow
The Catalpa
Scarborough Snake Pit
The Great South Land
Advance Australia Fair
Waltzing Matilda
Click Goes The Shears
The Man from Snowy River
Clancy of the Overflow
The Catalpa
Scarborough Snake Pit
On the day the six escapees broke away from their work gangs at the appointed time and met up with a trap and horses and were taken to Rockingham beach, where they were rowed out to the Catalpa and crew who were waiting in international waters. It was a race for survival as the water police and the steamship the Georgette gave chase.
To make matters worse a huge storm blew up and the men in the rowboat nearly didn't survive the night. It took twenty-eight hours for the prisoners, the rowers and Captain Anthony to make it safely to the Catalpa and hoist the American flag. The idea was that if the boat was in international waters and flew the American flag then the British could not fire on her.
An attack with cannons would be a declaration of war. It was a long shot. No one on board the Catalpa knew if this strategy would work. It did. The British held fire, but the Catalpa only just got away. The lack of wind in that moment meant that the ship was drifting back into Australian waters. After years of organisation, and lives on the line, the success of this escape effort all came down to a puff of wind.
To make matters worse a huge storm blew up and the men in the rowboat nearly didn't survive the night. It took twenty-eight hours for the prisoners, the rowers and Captain Anthony to make it safely to the Catalpa and hoist the American flag. The idea was that if the boat was in international waters and flew the American flag then the British could not fire on her.
An attack with cannons would be a declaration of war. It was a long shot. No one on board the Catalpa knew if this strategy would work. It did. The British held fire, but the Catalpa only just got away. The lack of wind in that moment meant that the ship was drifting back into Australian waters. After years of organisation, and lives on the line, the success of this escape effort all came down to a puff of wind.
Fremantle prison was operational until 1991. It closed on 8 November of that year, meaning that this escape story has continuing, contemporary resonance for prisoners who still remember being incarcerated there. The Catalpa escape is a reminder of how a sense of self-worth can survive in the midst of horrific institutional degradation. It’s testimony to loyalty, adventure and endurance.
It inspired a whole new wave of Irish rebellion, and a song that is still sung in Western Australia today. Easter Monday is Perth regatta day and it is now also Catalpa day. After the Catalpa rescue only four Fenian prisoners remained in Fremantle gaol. Continuous amnesty agitation in Ireland and overseas resulted in their conditional pardon and release on 28 March 1878, by which time they were broken men. (Notes from: ABC (Australia) website
It inspired a whole new wave of Irish rebellion, and a song that is still sung in Western Australia today. Easter Monday is Perth regatta day and it is now also Catalpa day. After the Catalpa rescue only four Fenian prisoners remained in Fremantle gaol. Continuous amnesty agitation in Ireland and overseas resulted in their conditional pardon and release on 28 March 1878, by which time they were broken men. (Notes from: ABC (Australia) website
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