IN THE SHADE OF THE OLD 'ARRIS MILL

In the shade of the old 'Arris mill
It's enough to make anyone ill
The reelin' is rotten, and so is the cotton
We'll have to give gaffer a pill.
And then when th'ower-looker comes round
An' he sees all us doffers sat down
He says "Eh ger up and tie yer ends up!"
In the shade of the old 'Arris mill.

Our stockin's are all full of holes
An' our clogs they are losin' their soles
Our shawls are all torn and our petticoats are worn
We'd be better off diggin' coal.
You can't see yer hand for the lint
And by Wednesday we're all bloody skint
But we don't give a jot, we're a bloody fine lot
We're the girls from the old 'Arris mill.

Eh Aw wish pay day Friday would come
By but we'll have some rare fun
Cos each Friday night we go out and get tight
And troubles and cares are all done.
And then when we spent all us brass
And Monday morn comes round at last
Then for me an' our Jack, it's time to get back
In the shade of the old 'Arris mill.


Mike Harding, Folk Songs of Lancashire. Manchester: Whitethorn Press, 1980, p 78.

No source information was given. The tune, of course, is In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree.