Oh Mr Thompson                                        
(Ron Baxter)
Tune: Traditional

Please, Mr Thompson, Dad's home in the morn,
So mi Mam has sent me round to you, to get his suit from pawn;
She says she has no money, can you wait till he's back at sea?
And that if you want a pledge, instead of t'suit, keep me!

Please, Mr Thompson, here's mi Dad's gold watch;
Mi Mam was counting on mi Dad, but the fish he didn't catch.
The rent man he is coming, we're three weeks overdue;
Please, Mr Thompson, won't you give us a bob or two?

Please, Mr Thompson, can you help us out?
The housekeeping brass it is all gone, mi Mam's been on the stout;
The grocer and the coalman won't wait till next payday;
And if mi Dad finds out, well, there'll be hell to pay!

Please Mr Thompson, Dad's gone back to sea,
So Mam has sent his suit again, please give the brass to me;
He'll be back home in a fortnight, but the night before he's due in -
I'll be back with your brass, to get his suit for him.

Sung by Sue Bousfield

Fishermen's wives would get a weekly subvention (an advance on expected wages)from the trawler agents while their husbands were at sea. The pawnshop could also cover a gap in finances, but woe betide the wife if the best suit wasn't hanging up at home when the man of the house returned.

Ross