author
Stanton H. (Stanton Henry) King
1867–1939
A sailor from Barbados who turned his years at sea into lively books and songs, he wrote with firsthand knowledge of shipboard life and helped preserve the world of sea chanties. His work offers a vivid window into maritime culture at the turn of the 20th century.
1 Audiobook
A bunch of rope yarns
by Stanton H. (Stanton Henry) King
About the author
Born in Barbados on May 1, 1867, Stanton Henry King went to sea as a boy and later drew on those experiences in his writing. His best-known books include Dog-Watches at Sea (1901), A Bunch of Rope Yarns (1903), and King's Book of Chanties (1918), all shaped by a deep familiarity with sailors' routines, stories, and traditions.
After his years afloat, he settled in the Boston area and became associated with Sailors' Haven, eventually serving as its director. That mix of practical seafaring experience and shore-based work with mariners gave his writing an easy authority and a humane, conversational tone.
King is also remembered as a singer and compiler of sea chanties, helping carry that music from working ships into print and public memory. He died on November 10, 1939, in Everett, Massachusetts, leaving behind books that are still valued for their warm, firsthand picture of life at sea.