Lyr Req: Song about Hardwick Sheep

Subject: Lyr Req: Song about Hardwick Sheep
From: GUEST,Attendee
Date: 27 Aug 18 - 01:29 PM

Last Saturday afternoon at a session that was part of the Irvine Marymass Folk Festival someone sang a song about a Hardwick sheep the last line of each chorus goes something to the effect of it being hard to live in the wind and cold when someone's stole your coat.

Does anyone know the lyrics and where I can find both the lyrics and the tune?

Thanks.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song about Hardwick Sheep
From: David Carter (UK)
Date: 27 Aug 18 - 02:26 PM

Herdwick surely. From the Old Norse herdvyck.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song about Hardwick Sheep
From: peteglasgow
Date: 27 Aug 18 - 03:02 PM

herdwick indeed - but they're hard

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song about Hardwick Sheep
From: David Carter (UK)
Date: 27 Aug 18 - 03:21 PM

They are, I've seen them on Countryfile. Perhaps not quite as hard as North Ronaldsay, which are kept to the shoreline by a wall.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song about Hardwick Sheep
From: GUEST,jim bainbridge
Date: 29 Aug 18 - 12:37 PM

There used to be a shop in Kendal where you could buy wool from any breed for spinning into wool.
My wife Francie is a spinner, and made me a sweater of Herdwick wool- but unlike other lovely sweaters she's made from Jacob & Welsh Black wool, it wasn't a success- if you can imagine a jumper made from Brillo pads, you wouldn't be far off...
she tried to spin some cotton grass one day, but that didn't work either!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song about Hardwick Sheep
From: Jack Campin
Date: 29 Aug 18 - 04:29 PM

When I was growing up in New Zealand my father was an architect for the Ministry of Works. I think his biggest ever job was an agricultural research laboratory, which had all kinds of exotic features like Pyrex drains that could resist chromic acid and giant sprinklers in the hallways for drenching people who'd had acid-spill accidents. They had a long running project investigating the possibilities of new breeds of sheep. As it happened one of his hobbies was spinning and weaving; my mother also knitted. There was lots of spare wool from the Experimental Sheep and he was given all he wanted. So I got a series of woollies knitted from Frankensheep (never found out what the breed was called) They were all like scouring pads. Years later they worked out that the stuff was ideal for carpets.

This place was a pioneer in the development of the electro-ejaculator, as displayed (though not demonstrated) by one of their scientists when he came to talk at our school. And at the more pure research end, they built a milking machine for mice.   Sadly my dad was never offered samples of mouse butter or enough mouse fur to knit anything.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song about Hardwick Sheep
From: GUEST,Sue in Cumbria
Date: 29 Aug 18 - 05:45 PM

Herdwicks ... ah yes, our native Lake District sheep. Famous for having their own ‘heaf’ or bit of the fells which they stick to without hedges or walls: they’re ‘heafed’ or ‘hefted’. ‘Gorgeous animals - and very tasty - but their wool is indeed like Brillo pads! Make great hard-wearing carpets though. So yes, they’re hard, and hardy. But I don’t know any song about them. Jake Thackeray has a great one about Swaledales though...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song about Hardwick Sheep
From: GUEST,Roger
Date: 30 Aug 18 - 03:18 PM

Got half of one in the freezer.
Best lamb and mutton you’ll ever taste.
Roger

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Song about Hardwick Sheep
From: GUEST,Attendee
Date: 30 Aug 18 - 04:28 PM

I think that was how the sheep in the song ended up as well Roger.

Any way thanks for the assistance, not a complete and utter waste of time, I at least now know how to spell Herdwick.