Joe Co'burn

Category

Library Item

Item no

11318

Title

Joe Co'burn

Description

A man wearing a sailor's suit balances on a crutch to enable him to stand as his holds out his sailor's cap to passersby.

The poet, Donald Campbell has written a poem inspired by this character by Holt:

Joe Co'burn

As brave as brave could be
Young Joe Co'burn went to sea
in loyal service of his native land.
Yet Jane was always on his mind;
that sweet lass he left behind.
He wore her golden ring on his left hand.

Later on Joe was to find
Jane was not the waiting kind;
patience played no part in her life's plan.
When Joe came home from the sea
with his leg shot off at the knee
he discovered that she'd wed another man.

Here he is now, destitute
Having lost his good right foot
As unhappy as a sparrow that can't sing.
To make matters so much worse,
being mindful of her purse,
Jane demanded the return of her gold ring.

Artist / maker

Holt, Edward P.

Date

1871

Size

24.6 x 14.5 cm

Type

Watercolour

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

Edward Holt was an Edinburgh caricaturist and figure painter working in the second half of the nineteenth century. This bound volume contains a large proportion of his surviving work.
There is a little uncertainty over Edward Holt's name. He is sometimes referred to as Edmund and was more commonly known as Ned.

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Related images

Related subjects

Healthcare and welfare > Medical equipment > Crutches

People > Adults > Men

People > Commercial activities > Beggars

People > Military activities > Sailors

Places > Scotland > Edinburgh

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