THE GRINDERS' HARDSHIPS
(Written for the Grinders' Misfortune Society of Crookes, Sheffield; c. 1804)

To be a Sheffield grinder it is no easy trade;
There's more than you'd imagine in the grinding of a blade.
The strongest man amongst us is old at thirty-two,
For there's few who brave such hardships as we poor grinders do.
For there's few, &c.

It happened in the year eighteen hundred and five,
From May-day to Christmas the season was quite dry;
That all our oldest grinders such a time never knew,
For there's few who brave the hardships that we poor grinders do.
For there's few, &c.

In summer time we can't work till water does appear,
And if this does not happen the season is severe:
Then our fingers are numb'd by keen winter frosts or snow,
And few can brave the hardships that we poor grinders do.
And few, &c.

When war is proclaimed our masters quickly cry,
"Orders countermanded", our goods we all lay by;
Your prices we must settle, and you'll be stinted too-
There's few suffer such hardships as we poor grinders do.
There's few, &c.

There seldom comes a day but our dairy-maid goes wrong,
And if that does not happen, perhaps we break a stone;
Which may wound us for life or give us our final blow,
For there's few that brave such hardships as we poor grinders do.
For there's few, &c.

There's many a poor grinder who's thus been snatched away
Without a moment's warning to meet the Judgment day.
Before his Judge he must appear, his final doom to know;
There are few who brave such hardships as we poor grinders do.
There's few, &c.

Thus many a poor grinder, whose family is large,
That with his best endeavours cannot his debts discharge;
When children cry for bread, how pitiful the view,
Though few can brave such hardships as we poor grinders do.
Though few, &c.

So now I must conclude these few humble rhymes
With "Success to all grinders" who suffer in hard times;
I wish them better fortune, their families the same,
And may we never experience such hardships again.
By being further stinted and paying discount too,
There are few who brave such hardships as we grinders do.
There are few, &c.


The above text is quoted from  The South Riding Song Book  (South Riding Folk Network, 1998).  I don't know to what tune the song was originally set; nowadays it is usually sung to  Come All You Tramps and Hawkers.  Dairy-maid was grinders' slang for a piece of equipment, but I don't know what.

J. Edward Vickers (A Popular History of Sheffield, 1978) noted that "One of the most dangerous occupations was that of the grinders, who, because of the dust inhaled from the grinding process, had a life expectancy of only thirty-five years."