happy? – Feb 18 (Lewiston Factory Girl)

Subject: happy? – Feb 18 (Lewiston Factory Girl)
From: Abby Sale
Date: 18 Feb 06 - 10:20 AM

Lewiston, Maine was first settled in 1770 as a plantation. It became the 94th Maine town on 2/18/1795. In 1819 Michael Little established a small carding and fulling woolen mill. By the Civil War it was a major US textile center, a total "company town" & effectively controlled by one consortium. The Lewiston Bagging Mill announced its 13-hour day (45 minutes off at noon.) It may have been considered liberal…they had Sundays off.

          The factory bell begins to ring
          And we must all obey;
          And to our old employment go,
          Or else be turned away.
          And since they've cut my wages down,
          To nine shillings per week,
          If I cannot better wages make,
          Some other place I'll seek.
  
                  "Lewiston Factory Girl," Hedy West and Songs of New England, Jim 
                  Douglas; 1992.  Basically same as "The Lowell Factory Girl."  In Lowell they
                  have a good free folk festival there instead of near-slave labor.
                  Last weekend of May.

Copyright © 2005, Abby Sale - all rights reserved
What are Happy's all about? See Clicky

Subject: RE: happy? – Feb 18 (Lewiston Factory Girl)
From: GUEST,Julia
Date: 18 Feb 06 - 02:34 PM

I was given a song on a field tape about 10 years ago called "Lewiston Factory girl" The singer was not identified. I'd love to know more about it as I am collecting trad Maine folk songs

Here's the first verse

Come all you Lewiston factory girls
I want you to understand
I'm going to leave this factory
And return to my native land

Sing dumdee dickerty dumdee way
Sing dumdee dickerty dumdee way

Cheers- Julia

Subject: RE: happy? – Feb 18 (Lewiston Factory Girl)
From: Abby Sale
Date: 19 Feb 06 - 12:00 PM

"Lewiston Factory Mill Girls" on Hedy West vol 2

Subject: RE: happy? – Feb 18 (Lewiston Factory Girl)
From: GUEST,julia
Date: 20 Feb 06 - 12:20 AM

great- can you provide more details?

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Most of the discussion of this song is here (click).
-Joe Offer-