Overview
Note: Mizzen Link is a shanty crew based in South Devon, UK. Mizzen Link was formed by ex members of the now disbanded Old Gaffers Shanty Crew.
Over a period of almost fourteen years the Old Gaffers became one of the foremost crews in the South West, singing traditional and more modern songs at various venues and festivals. They were well-known and respected throughout the shanty crew family and had a great following from far and wide. Crew members came and went but the standard remained.
As often happens, good things come to an end and the Gaffers decided to go their separate ways. However five of the crew wanted to continue with The Gaffers tradition and Mizzen Link was born. We will continue to sing old favourites and introduce some new material but, most of all, we hope to maintain the tradition and standards of The Old Gaffers – good songs, good banter.
Posted on Facebook 5 May 2024: “That’s it the old gaffers are no more. We had an absolutely brilliant crowd at the Salcombe Crabfest , the sun was shining and we had a great set. We would like to thank everyone that has supported us over the last fourteen years, we have really enjoyed meeting you all and singing for you all. Onward and upwards to new horizons.”
Their website (https://oldgaffers.co.uk/) when checked on 23 May 2024 no longer propagates.
We are a group of people who loves singing, and the odd pint or two.
The Old Gaffers are a male singing group based in Kingsbridge, South Devon, who sing sea songs and shanties for the love of it. Some members were born and raised in Kingsbridge and most have had varying associations with the sea; many have been singing traditional songs for a long while.
We can be seen and heard performing from our large repertoire at a number of venues – see the gigs page on our website for more details.
On 1 September 2023 the group posted on Facebook: “Our Last Voyage – The next few months will be the last for “The Old Gaffers”; we’re embarking on our final voyage as a group. We’re looking forward to fulfilling the commitments we have, which’ll take us into next June. We are not taking any further bookings.
We’ve had a blast singing and performing together for nearly 14 years, but we feel it’s time to pay off. We’ve made some great friends, both performers and audiences, helped raise funds for several charities and had some wonderful times doing it. We have become victims of our own success, seemingly in constant demand and this has become increasingly hard to deliver. So, we’ve decided it’s time to step back and quit whilst we’re ahead!
Come along and sing with us at one of our ports of call en route to help send us on our way with good cheer. We’ll Pull buoys together, no sounding of Drake’s Drum, and fondly remember Times Long Gone because, Tis Our Lot!