sleeve-notes, the song owes little to Van Diemen's Land, but is clearly derived from a much earlier song called Virginny (a fragment of which was collected from Mrs Goodyear, of Axford, Hants, by George Gardiner in 1907), with the transport's destination having been changed to Australia when this became current (i.e. post “First Fleet”). This explains why the song is unusual; in the 18th century highwaymen were transported to Virginia—in the 19th they were topped!" Rod Stradling, sleeve notes to Oak Country Songs and Music. Broadside versions from the 19th century seem to be exclusively of the Virginia version. A single version of "Virginny" was collected from a 74 year old singer, Mrs Goodyear, in Basingstoke, Hampshire, England in 1907. Versions of "Australia" were collected from four singers in Suffolk in the 1960s and 70s. Recordings by Suffolk singers Bob Hart and George Ling are available at the British Library Sound Archive. London prentice boy/The Convict (Roud 1501) A young man is persuaded by a girl to murder and steal money from his master, but at the last minute decides against the murder because of his master's kindness. He takes the money, is betrayed by the girl, tried and transported. This song was frequently reprinted by broadside publishers and has been collected from 3 singers in Suffolk, one in Gloucestershire and one in Australia. Broadside version. Two versions, by Suffolk singers Dick Woolnough and Bob Scarce, are available online at the British Library Sound Archive. Van Diemen's Land/Gallant Poacher (Roud 519, Laws L18) One of the most widely collected transportation ballads, this song deals with the fate of a poacher rather than a thief or highway robber. Poaching was not always seen as a crime by country people, and country singers (who were more often informants for early collectors) may well have had some sympathy for a poacher transport. Also, poaching was carried out in rural settings rather than the urban environment inhabited by apprentices gone to the bad. Roy Palmer argues that this song was written to chronicle the first cases, soon after 1828, when "it was enacted that if three or more men were found in a wood after dark and one of them carried a gun or a bludgeon, all were liable for transportation for fourteen years". Broadside publishers throughout England, in Scotland and in Ireland printed and reprinted this song, and it has been collected from