This poem was written in a newspaper report about the Bargemen's Brotherhood:

 

THE BARGEMEN'S BROTHERHOOD. - There was a crowded "house" and the Bargemen and Lightermen's Red Triangle Institute, Sittingbourne under the auspices of the Bargemen's Brotherhood, on Wednesday evening when a capital entertainement was given, the Rev. A. B. Parry-Evans presiding. There was an interval for refreshments, and a very enjoyable evening was spent. A feature of the concert was a song composed and sung by Captain S. Shrubsall, the Bargeman Poet, the chorus of which was taken up with gusto. The lines ran as follows:

Who'd like to be a bargeman
On the rivers and the creeks?
They do their work and get some rest,
And in little snatches sleep.
But, any way, they're bright and gay,
And like a bit of fun;
Many a time they have their meals
When they are overdone.

CHORUS
If we're on the starboard tack,
If we're on the port,
And have not got a Bradbury,
We can come here for sport;
And when we're bund from London town,
And the Nor'-west puffs they come,
They blow us quickly round Grain Spit,
To home, sweet home.

But now we've got this lovely hut,
Although our time is short
We can come here and spend an hour,
And have a bit of sport.
So join me in the chorus,
And sing with all your might,
And make this concert a success,
It is my heart's delight.

The complete programme was as follows:-
Pianoforte selection, Miss Stone;
vocal duet, "Until we meet again", Miss Farrington and Miss Ede;
Song, "Signora" (Encored), Miss Dear;
recitation, "An anxious Night with a Wolf," Mrs Bones;
song, "That's what God made mothers for," Miss Chapman;
song, Captain S. Shrubsall;
song "Mate o'Mine," Miss E. Pearce;
song, "The Starry Pathway," Miss Toms;
duet, "If I were a song-bird," Miss Farrington and Miss Dear;
song "Until," Miss Hobbs;
selection, Miss D. Denne and Miss D. Downing;
song, "In an Old-fashioned Town," Miss Ede,
recitation, "Big Steamers, "Miss E. Denne;
"God save the King."