Lyr Add: Factory Workers Song (Lancashire)

Subject: Lyr Add: Factory Workers Song (Lancashire)
From: GUEST, Sminky
Date: 15 Aug 08 - 06:40 AM

The Factory Worker's Song

Come carders an' spinners an' wayvers as weel,
Stop yo'r frames an' yo'r jennies, strip roller an' creel;
Let yo'r lathes cease to swing, an' yo'r shuttles to fly,
For there's gone through owd England a leaud battle-cry,

Derry deawn !

They'n turned eaut at Ratchda' an' Owdham an' Shay
An' th' Stalybridge lads are at Ash'n to-day;
"Fair wage for fair wark" is the motto they'n chose,
An what'11 be th' upshot no mortal man knows.

Derry deawn !

Eaur mesthers are screwin' eaur noses to th' dust,
An' if we don't strike we'n no' maybe seen th' wust;
They've cheeant up eaur bodies to slavery's wheel,
And they'd sell, if we'd let 'em, eaur souls to th' deil.

Derry deawn !

................

He's mesther, an' londlort, an' baker likewise,
An' he finds me i' clooas though ne'er th' reet size;
He praiches o'th' Sunday at th' Factory Fowt Skoo,
So chus what else I'm short on I've sarmons enoo.

Derry deawn!

................

It's stop't ov a Saturday eaut o' my wage,
So I'm like an owd brid ut's shut up in a cage.
When I send deawn to th' shop for my butter an' bread,
He looks into th' wage -book to see 'ut he's paid;


I never know th' price on't it's nothin' to me,
For he tells me t' ne'er fret, I'se be straight when I dee.

...............

What's a mon if he conno' stond up in his shoon,
An' say, "I'm as free as owt else under th' moon."


==========================================================


Source: 'Some Lancashire Rhymes' (ed John Mortimer), Manchester Literary Club Papers, vol.16 (1890), p.55

Abridged versions also appear in The Faber Book of Vernacular Verse (Tom Paulin) and Songs of the People: Lancashire Dialect Poetry of the Industrial Revolution (Brian Hollingworth).

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Factory Workers Song (Lancashire)
From: Paul Burke
Date: 15 Aug 08 - 07:15 AM

My first thought was that this had to predate the Truck Act of 1831- but as subsequent acts were passed in 1837, 1887, and 1896 it seems that the practice did not stop so early. But the cooperative movement had become well established by the 1850s, so I'd still date the song before then.

The repeal of the Truck Acts in 1986 has led to an increase in abuse of employees, especially domestic servants, au pairs, nannies and the like.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Factory Workers Song (Lancashire)
From: GUEST, Sminky
Date: 15 Aug 08 - 07:50 AM

Hollingworth dates it to the 1840's. Unfortunately, John Mortimer doesn't quote the full song, although one of the (missing) verses refers to the mill owner as "Twitcher at th' Shoddy Croft Mill" which might offer a clue.

BTW Verse 5 refers to the worker's rent.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Factory Workers Song (Lancashire)
From: Paul Burke
Date: 15 Aug 08 - 10:29 AM

BTW The Factory what School?

This kind of control wasn't confined to industrial areas- at Kedleston near Derby, when they rebuilt the hall in the 1750s, the village was shifted out of the way, but the church was kept by the hall. A long drive connects the new village to the church, so Lord Curzon, or more likely some lackey, could keep count of exactly who was going to church, and who wasn't.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Factory Workers Song (Lancashire)
From: GUEST, Sminky
Date: 15 Aug 08 - 11:02 AM

Paul,

At first I thought there must have been a scanning error, but I checked the original and it's definitely "Factory Fowt Skoo".

I assume 'Fowt' is pronounced the same as 'owt' as in the last verse; if so it's a new word on me. Isn't dialect wonderful?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Factory Workers Song (Lancashire)
From: Mark Dowding
Date: 15 Aug 08 - 12:47 PM

"Fowt" is the dialect pronunciation of "Fold" or "yard" so the line makes sense as the "Factory Yard School"

Cheers
Mark