Lyr Add: Pitman's Visit to Stephenson's Monument

Subject: Lyr Add: The Pitman's visit to stephenson's Monum
From: *#1 PEASANT*
Date: 22 Jun 04 - 06:57 AM

The Pitman's Visit to Stephenson's Monument

Tuine-"Tallygrip."

Oh! wor pit was laid in, and we had nowt te de,
Says aw te Tom Hoggers, "Let's off te Newcassel;
Thor's fine things te de-the toon's all astir;
Newcassel, they say, 'ill be quite in a bussel.
For Stephenson's Monument's gawn te be shown
By fine lords, and gents tee, and nobbies;
A greet lairge purcession's te mairch throo the toon;
Gox! the noration 'ill myek sum fine wark for the bobbies.

Rite fal the dal la,

We'd scarce getten te toon when the music struck up,
An' St. Nicholas's bells wor set ringing';
The folks in greet croods war a' flockin' aboot,
The patters war threshin' away at the singin',
Says Tomy te me, "Let's see what we'll de,
We'll strike off te the place in a minnit;
For if we stay here till the purcession gets clear,
Smash! we'll not heh the least chance te get in it."

We got te the 'Spital by drivin' amain,
An' knockin' the folks on one side, man:
A dandified fellow he lifted his cane,
An' thretten'd te pummel maw hide, man;
But aw up wi' me fut, an' aw got him a fling,
That suen myed the dandy a sloggers,
For amang a' the lads from Bill Quay te Tyne Main
Thor's nyen can cum up te Jack Slack or Tom Hoggers.

Te hev a gud luik we suen moonted a sstyen,
When we heerd the purcession wes cummin';
An' feyks! but the music suen myed the folks run,
An' sairly sum heeds got a bummin':
For the folks they cam runnin' like waves o' the sea,
Sum one way an' sum tiv anuther;
A dandy yung buck got a rap on the scaup,
An' one went reet off in a swuther.

An' faiks! but the seet it suen dazed me, aw's sure,
Te see the greet croods o' folks mairchin' se fine;
Wor fitters an' viewers in greet numbers war there,
An' enginemen an' workmen, the pride o' the Tyne.
But the volunteer riflers frightened us a',
When they went past where Tom an' me stud;
An' queerly dressed fellows war there cummin' thick,
Besides, te, the men o' bowld Robbin Hood.

An' when the purcession got up te the styen,
A chep began for te rowl up a cloot;
A gentleman nob gat reet up aloft-
The people aroond set up a greet shoot;
An' aw wes the forst the figger te spy,
An' aw said at wonce it wes Geordie the daddy;
But aw thowt te mysel when they played "God save the Queen"
Aw wad weel he liked for to hear the "Pit Laddie."

Ah, Man! but the monument itsel it luiks grand,
Te see the canny aud fellow up there;
An te hear a' the fine things the gentleman said,
It varry near myed maw heart for te blair.
An' a wee trapper lad wes stuck in a corner,
An' monny mair figgers se fine,
An' aw said lan might it stand here te Stephenson's glory,
The wee trapper laddie, the pride o' the Tyne!

When the fray wes a' ower Tom an' me had a gill,
An' loodly the haverils war tawkin':
They said sic a seeet they'd ne'er seen afore,
Sic heeps o' fine folks thor wes walkin'.
Says aw, "Tommy, man, let's tyek wor ways hyem,
An' tell te wor awn foks the story;
For pit lads far an' near, frae the Tyne te the Wear,
Lang may they rejoice in aud Stephenson's glory.

-William Henderson Dawson,1862.


The Stephenson Monument Inaugural October 2nd 1862 in Newcastle and Gateshead there was a general suspension of business in honour of the occasion.