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08 Mar 16 - 11:40 AM (#3777400) Subject: She was my gal & she used to be a coster From: GUEST,Mike Tristram From the same Arundel West Sussex source as a recently given version of Dimple Dumple Daisy, comes this request for information about a remembered fragment … any clues? Mike ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OK, I cooked dinner for my mother today and she remembered another song that my fathers father used to sing. He also used to play the old squeeze box. Mum can only remember a few words but I was hoping that one of your contacts may recognise it. Starts off, She was my girl, (or gal) and she used to be a Costa........ [=coster, presumably, for costermonger] The only other bit mum can remember was the last verse which went along the lines of... They found her in the river with her babe against her breast. If you can find anything about this one from just those bits it will be nothing short of a miracle. Mum says that both dad and his dad would have tears running down their faces when they sang the last verse. It was sung in a very strong country accent. ------------------------------------------------------------- Google came up with a gem of a reference on http://www.forgottenbooks.com/readbook_text/Palace_and_Hovel_Ob_1000400386/71 about Bilkin Bet who used to be a coster gal – funnily enough the extract is quoting her talking about a sentimental song she found as moving as my friend's forefathers found the song we're looking for! I'm guessing we may be looking for a song from the same music hall frequented by Mark's grandparents or their antecedents as Dimple Dumple Daisy, if so it may be another scarce one… |