William Henry Watts was born in Cheltenham where he married and then moved to live in Tewkesbury. Cecil sharp  mostly noted songs from him, but he also whistled this tune and Cissiter Fair.

William Watts said that he had learnt the “Morris Dance” from an old pipe and tabor player, a bricklayer, who often used to whistle the tune, making the rhythm of the tabor with his trowel and a tin. The tune is a version of Saturday Night.