This song has driven me mad since hearing a Ewan McColl version not so long back. I would love to sing it myself but on the principle of only singing that which I understand, this song has been barred to me for some three months. My questions:

a) What is a gauger? (profession?, district Scotland, Northumbria?) b) What is the garb of a gauger? (and while we're at it, what's wrong with being a sailor?) c) Where is "the town of the gaugers?"

A recent trip to Yorkshire and untold excursions to reference libraries have brought no relief.

Please, please somebody, put me out of my misery,

Yours eternally grateful,

Geoff