THE WORKING MAN'S A.B.C.

A Alphabet that we used to learn at school,
You'll find a dealt of truth in it, tho' written by a fool.

B British Workman, there are thousands here to-day.
The Eight-Hours Movement we must have, and that without delay.

C Country. Ours is governed by the swells,
The rich man eats the oysters, the poor man gets the shells.

D Donkeys- the masters are we say,
But when the men begin to strike, the Union made them bray.

E Eight Hours we want to play,
Eight to work and eight to sleep, and get eight bob a day.

F Freedom. We have it here no doubt,
If you haven't got a dinner you are free to go without.

G Greed and that precious stuff called gold.
Our capitalists possess it, and tight enough they hold.

H House and Home, alright when we've got tin,
But when out of work and can't pay up, they put the brokers in.

I Improvements, which our rulers seem to shirk,
Why don't they act about it, and give shorter hours for work?

J Justice- the poor they seldom get,
And though the good time's coming, it has not come as yet.

K Kind relations, when a bob you want to borrow;
I haven't any cash today, pray call again tomorrow.

L Lies.- I'm sure the lot they tell,
It's very near enough to send the blooming lot to--- Spain, well, well.

M Masters; but then you see there's Missus,
Some Missuses wear drawers, but my one wears the breeches.

N Number that have to emigrate,
And leave their native country to avoid a pauper's fate.

O Old Times, which our father's said was good 'uns,
When instead of dining on faggots, we get roast beef and puddings.

P Parliament. When members they get there,
For the working-men who got them in, the devil a bit they care.

Q Question? Let them answer if they can,
Do the masters care a little bit how they slave the working man?

R Royalty- it also stands for Rot-
As long as they get their money, we can all of us go to pot.

S Strikes there's been throughout the nation,
We boldly stuck up for our rights though threatened with starvation.

T Trade Unions, they'll come it pretty think,
And make the masters jump about like a monkey on a stick.

U Uncle's, where our clothes go up the spout,
But when they're there it's jolly hard sometimes to get them out.

V Victory, which we hope soon to attain,
And every man employment find, not seek for it in vain.

W Wealth. But when a man gets skinned,
He finds what sort of friends he's got when he wants to raise the wind.

X Ten Hours, men very often toil,
But eight I think is quite enough throughout the British soil.

Y Young Men, the masters they will tickle
If they don't get what they want they'll put them in a pickle.

Z Zealous- which one and all should be,
And stand by one another, to bring prosperity.


Bodleian Collection, Firth c11(204). Dated [1891].