A version published in John Bell's, Rhymes of Northern Bards (1812) gives these additional verses: Other publications have made changes to some of the words, including the spelling of the last name: The Opies (folklorists) have argued for an identification of the original Bobby Shafto with a resident of Hollybrook, County Wicklow, Ireland, who died in 1737.

[1] However, the tune derives from the earlier "Brave Willie Forster", found in the Henry Atkinson manuscript from the 1690s,[3] and the William Dixon manuscript, from the 1730s, both from north-east England; besides these early versions, there are two variation sets for Northumbrian smallpipes, by John Peacock, from the beginning of the 19th century, and by Tom Clough, from the early 20th century.

[1] Supporters used another verse in the 1761 election: The song is said to relate the story of how he broke the heart of Bridget Belasyse of Brancepeth Castle, County Durham, where his brother Thomas was rector, when he married Anne Duncombe of Duncombe Park in Yorkshire.

[4] Thomas & George Allan, in their illustrated edition of Tyneside Songs and Readings (1891), argued that the "Bobby Shafto" of the song was in fact his son, although his father fits the description of the lyrics better.

[5] In reality, it is likely that his grandson, Robert Duncombe Shafto, also used the song for electioneering in 1861, with several of the later verses being added around this time.