The Life and Legacy of Stan Hugill

In June 2024, I completed my PhD in Music at the University of Aberdeen with a dissertation entitled 'The Life and Legacy of Stan Hugill'. For those unfamiliar with Hugill, he was often called ‘the last shantyman’, and for good reason. His name has become virtually synonymous with shanties – those rhythmic work songs sung aboard sailing ships – and his influence stretches across scholarship, performance, heritage tourism and folk revival scenes.

What fascinated me most was how Hugill became such a powerful symbol of maritime authenticity. He wasn’t just a collector or singer of old songs—he actively shaped how maritime music is remembered and performed today. Through archival research, interviews with over thirty individuals who knew or worked with him, and deep dives into unpublished materials, I uncovered the ways Hugill curated and reimagined a tradition. His most famous book, 'Shanties from the Seven Seas' (1961), didn’t simply preserve the past – it helped construct a global canon.

Rather than treating Hugill as a passive transmitter of oral tradition, my research revealed him as a deliberate cultural mediator. He edited, selected and sometimes even altered songs to suit particular audiences or ideals. That editorial power – combined with his performance charisma and institutional partnerships – cemented his status as the go-to authority on shanties. His legacy, while powerful and inspiring, also raises important questions about who gets to define authenticity, and what gets left out in the process.

Although the dissertation is complete, my research on Hugill continues. I’m currently organising the wealth of material I gathered – interviews, letters, recordings, and more – with the aim of creating 'The Stan Hugill Memorial Archive'. This will begin as a dedicated section on my website and eventually grow into a standalone digital archive.

If you have memories of Stan, rare recordings, or personal stories to share – or if you’re interested in reading the dissertation – I would be delighted to hear from you.