John Short (1839-1933), known locally as “Yankee Jack,” was a sailor and shantyman from Watchet, Somerset, in southwest England. The son of a ship’s master, he began on coastal Bristol Channel cargo boats before spending over forty years in deep-water ships sailing to North America and the Far East. His strong, tuneful voice led him to serve as shantyman aboard ship, leading dozens of songs to keep the crew working in rhythm. In the 1860s, his ships ran the blockade during the American Civil War, earning him the nickname “Yankee Jack” from his fellow townsfolk.

In April 1914, Cecil Sharp visited Short, then 75, and collected 57 shanties from him. Sharp described his voice as “rich, resonant and powerful.” Of the 60 tunes published in English Folk-Chanteys, 46 came from Short, many of them printed for the first time. Richard Runciman Terry later visited Short as well, drawing on his repertoire for The Shanty Book (1921, 1926). After his sailing years, Short served as town crier of Watchet, where he lived until his death at 93. A bronze statue by sculptor Alan Herriott stands on the Esplanade in Watchet in his honour, erected in 2008.