Broadside ballad entitled 'The Queen's Welcome to Scotland'

Commentary

Verse 1 begins: 'The Queen she is coming, hurra ! hurra ! / To the land of the Thistle, hurra ! hurra !' The song was written by Andrew Park in honour of Queen Victoria's royal progress around Scotland in 1842.

Andrew Park was born in Renfrew, in 1807 and educated first at Parish School and then Glasgow University. At 14 he began a job in Paisley and at 20 moved into Glasgow, working as a hat salesman. He set up a bookselling business in 1841, but after three years of struggling for success this was closed. In 1856 he travelled around Egypt, which was the inspiration for his book 'Egypt and the East. He died in Glasgow in 1893. From the age of 14 onwards, however, Park enjoyed publishing his poetry, of which this sheet is an example.

Early ballads were dramatic or humorous narrative songs derived from folk culture that predated printing. Originally perpetuated by word of mouth, many ballads survive because they were recorded on broadsides. Musical notation was rarely printed, as tunes were usually established favourites. The term 'ballad' eventually applied more broadly to any kind of topical or popular verse.

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