Nellie J Banks

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Nellie J Banks

Post by shipstamps » Fri Jun 27, 2008 5:27 pm

The Nellie J. Banks

The story of the famous rumrunner, the "Nellie J. Banks" begins in a shipyard in Allendale in 1910. Built by master craftsman, Howard Allen, the "Nellie J. Banks" has been said by many to be "the nicest looking vessel that ever sailed out of Lockeport Harbour."
The ship, which measured seventy feet in length and weighed in excess of thirty-four gross tons, began her career as a fishing vessel.
Proving unsuccessful in this area, the ship’s crew, masters, and owners changed rapidly and as frequently as the winds that drove her.
The "Nellie J. Banks" eventually fell into the hands of the Prince Edward Islanders, who used her extensively for rum running during the days of Prohibition. The boat escaped government cutters for a long period of time, but she could not outrun them forever; she was finally seized on August 7, 1938.
Now, with legal action hovering about her, the "Nellie J. Banks" changed owners, and finally her name as well. However, the final change took place one night in 1953. A combination of oily rags, newspapers and matches put, the then badly failing ship, to rest, never to sail again.

And even though the boat is gone, Her legend lives on.
THE SONG:

She left St-Pierre on the tenth of May, Prince Edward Island bound.

For the winter's done and there's very little rum in the harbours and the towns.

And the fishermen watch for the dirty sail as they trawl on Tracadie Bay.

And they give a great shout when they finally pick her out "Nellie Banks is on her way!"

There's Captain Millington at the helm, he comes from Newfoundland.

With a bottle of brandy always on the deck, and an extra case on hand.

He's drunk and he has a leeward stance, but he sails the schooner true.

And the government cutters simply fall astern, when he shows what the Banks can do.

Chorus:
There's rum in the holds of the Nellie J. Banks, Prince Edward Island Bound.

Late in the night when the moon don't shine, you'll find her off Georgetown.

Well the government cutters the hugged the shore with a glass upon rum row.

For they know the Nellie Banks is out upon the bay, and the runner is sure to show.

And Millington keeps her four miles out, for the boundary it is free.

But late at night when the cutter's out of sight, she slips into a lee.

Chorus:
There's rum in the holds of the Nellie J. Banks, Prince Edward Island Bound.

Late in the night when the moon don't shine, you'll find her off Georgetown
On an August night in the pale moonlight, with the Banks off Short point shore

A shot rang out and a man began to shout, "Heave to, or we'll fire more!"

And the morning light saw a terrible sight, the Banks was towed away.

No more will the Nellie J Banks run rum, no more will the fishermen say.

Chorus:
"There's rum in the holds of the Nellie J. Banks, Prince Edward Island Bound.

Late in the night when the moon don't shine, you'll find her off Georgetown.

Yes, there's rum in the holds of the Nellie J. Banks, we saw her sail today.

You'll find her on the night when the moon don't shine, three miles off Tracadie Bay."
Various web sites
St Pierre SG604
Attachments
SG604
SG604

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