Bedford
Charles Wells and Josephine Grimbley Song
Places > Bedford > Trade and Industry > Charles Wells Brewery
Below are the words of a song created by Graeme Meek, of Life and Times, about Charles Wells and Josephine Grimbley.
1. In the county of Bedford a young man did dwell.
For a young girl called Josephine, soundly, he fell
But he longed to be sailing the oceans as well…Chorus:
So come home, home from the tide,
Josephine waits here to be by your side,
Patient is she with her arms open wide
So come home, home from the tide.2. To Josephine, then, this young sailor did say,
“In this fair county no more can I stay
But I vow to return, we’ll be married one day.”
3. Now Josephine loved this young sailor right well
And unto her father these words she did tell,
“I shall marry this fellow who rides on the swell.”4. Then up spoke her father and this he did say,
“No daughter of mine shall be married, I pray,
To a man who shall spend all his life far away!”5. “But father, he is just the fellow for me,
Your consent to a marriage I hope there will be
When he returns home from his life on the sea.”6. “Your love for this sailor, indeed it is strong,
To forbid you to marry would surely be wrong
But it’s here with his wife he should plainly belong.”7. This young man considered how his life should be,
“A bright future have I if I plough the salt sea
But it’s Josephine’s love that means much more to me.”8. “So it’s back to my Josephine, married we’ll be,
No more is this life on the ocean for me,
I’ll return to my home and a brewer I’ll be.”Last chorus:
So come home, home to your bride,
Josephine waits here to be by your side,
Patient is she with her arms open wide


