Betsy:

"I'm still convinced for example that the song Dainty Davie ( see a different thread ) has a misspelt word curly "pow" - it makes sense for it to be a curly tow ( rope ). Many many people are trying to justify the existence of the word "pow", however,coming from Middlesbrough I am quite happy to accept a simple spelling mistake"

I like your subtle sense of humour- for a moment I thought you were serious. Or are you? "Pow" for hair was used in Lancashire at least as late as the 60s, "Getting powed" meant having a haircut.