Hessle Road
(Keith Marsden)
Recorded by Cockersdale on CR CD 001

Going back to walk the old beat, down on Hessle Road,
Going back to see the old street, down on Hessle Road.
Street once loud with braiders' gossip only echoes now with pain,
Soon they'll come with cranes and hammers, knocking down memory lane.

Andrew Dock once full of trawlers, down on Hessle Road,
Cutters, snibbies, old side-haulers, down on Hessle Road
Quayside rang with clogs and hobnails, fishlads barrows rushing by,
Now there's only desolation left to greet an old man's eye.

On the docks they'd never need you, down on Hessle Road,
Till they'd Cyprus ore to bleed you, down on Hessle Road,
Got the egg through humping timber then on the beach and out of luck,
Foul-mouthed foreman ruled with curses- bought his beer or lost your book.

Sunk off Iceland once and stranded, down on Hessle Road,
How we pleasured when we landed, back on Hessle Road.
Cruising round the pubs with lasses, three days off with cash to spend
Every day another pay day, time ashore too soon to end.
Moved out when Sam Allon came lad, far from Hessle Road.
Bransholme Towers aren't the same lad, far from Hessle Road.
Still the old road , like a magnet, draws us back from near and far,
Do the shopping Sat'day morning, have a pint in Rayner's bar.

Going back to walk the old beat, down on Hessle Road,
Going back to see the old street, down on Hessle Road.
Street once loud with braiders' gossip only echoes now with pain,
Soon they'll come with cranes and hammers, knocking down memory lane.

This is the story of the decline of the fishing industry in Hull, and the 'slum clearance' policy that saw the gradual demolition of much of the area, and dispersal of many of the local families to new tower blocks on the other side of the city. Cutters, snibbies, side-haulers were vessels. Men on the merchant docks handled many heavy cargoes, including timber and mineral ores.