Dirty Dick and Little Nell?

Subject: Dirty Dick and Little Nell?
From: Elise
Date: 02 Mar 01 - 04:05 AM

Mark Knopfler has a new song playing on the radio, and the last line is "the ghost of Dirty Dick is still in search of Little Nell". The only thing I could find that this might be a reference to is a dirty song called Eskimo Nell. Sounds kind of like something from Robert Service. Anyone know the reference?

Subject: RE: Dirty Dick and Little Nell?
From: Lady McMoo
Date: 02 Mar 01 - 04:32 AM

Well Dirty Dick's is the name of a pub in Bishopsgate, London, famous in Victorian times and named after Nathaniel Bentley, who reportedly earned the nickname due to his reluctance to wash or clean up after him.

Little Nell is the character Nell Trent in Charles Dicken's novel The Old Curiosity Shop, also written in Victorian times.

This is my guess at the origin of Mark Knofler's song.

Regards,

mcmoo

Subject: RE: Dirty Dick and Little Nell?
From: Fiolar
Date: 02 Mar 01 - 05:17 AM

The words of Eskimo Nell are to be found in the Digibase and there is a mention of "Deadeye Dick."

Subject: RE: Dirty Dick and Little Nell?
From: GUEST,Noel
Date: 02 Mar 01 - 10:36 AM

I think this has somthing to do with two people out of the T.V.soap eastenders.

Subject: RE: Dirty Dick and Little Nell?
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 02 Mar 01 - 11:35 AM

That was Dirty Den.

Subject: RE: Dirty Dick and Little Nell?
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 07 Feb 02 - 10:54 PM

There is a fully extended version of Eskimo Nell in the DT, but it has been contaminated by some Eng----man, with uncouth words such as arse (or should I write that "a--e" for the squeamish) rather than the genteel ass, and with some words a few letters short of a definition such as quim, etc. There is also, on the part of Abby Sale, a failure to recognize words and phrases that are North American as well as Brit such as "get the wind up" and "queue" (well-nigh universal among those of us who speak the only Chosen language). Harrumph!
For a purer version of this steal from poor old Robert Service (See Touch-the-Button Nell and a dozen or so of his other poems) hit on: NELL
The damn thing is too long to copy and the website manager, Pete Bevin, has done a good job, so go to the above to peruse it.

Subject: RE: Dirty Dick and Little Nell?
From: GUEST,Skiboo
Date: 08 Feb 02 - 05:07 PM

Poem from school days....not taught IN school!!

At the well sat Little Nell Was she waiting for her lover? Was she! ******* hell! Along the road came Dirty Dick He worked upon a lugger He wasn't fit to shovel **** The dirty ******* bugger. He took her up a shady lane Although it was unlawful And when he took her knickers down The smell was ******* awful.

Does anyone know the rest of this 'poem'?

Subject: RE: Dirty Dick and Little Nell?
From: GUEST,Limey
Date: 06 Nov 10 - 12:23 PM

The verse you quote "He took..." is often rendered differently in order to fit in with the next few lines
He took her to a wayside inn where everything was lawful
But when she took her knickers down the stink was **** awful.

He laid her on the bed that night, the sheets as black as charcoal
He f*****ed her till her tits were blue and sparks came out her ****hole.

Subject: RE: Dirty Dick and Little Nell?
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 06 Nov 10 - 05:01 PM

The moon shone on the village green
It shone on little Nell
Was she picking buttercups?
Was she bloody hell!
She was waiting for her lover,
The mucky lord and bugger.
He wasn't fit to carry shit
From one arse to another.
He laid her on the grassy turf,
He knew it was unlawful,
And when he pulled her knickers down
The smell was bloody awful.

Three months later belly swells,
Six months later all is well,
Nine months later, what a shock,
Out jumped a bastard with a paralysed cock!

This is by no means complete, but all I can remember from my 50s childhood in Hull. Delivered in true monologue style a la 'The Green Eye of the Little Yellow God'.

Subject: RE: Dirty Dick and Little Nell?
From: GUEST,Derek
Date: 01 Jan 12 - 03:43 PM

the version I remember although not complete went like this;

The moon sone on the village green
It also shone on nell
Where she pumped the water
Where she fucked liked hell
Now Nell she had a lover
He was a filthy bugger he wasn't fit to shovel
shit from one place to another
He took her to the village inn, which he knew was not lawful
And when he pulled her pants down the stink was ruddy awful
Now Nell she ran across the village green
The bastard he pursued her
The white of an egg rolled down her leg
The bastard he had screwed her
3 months later all goes well
6 months later she begins to swell
9 months she went pop out came a bastard with a cast iron cock


I CAN'T REMEMBER THE MIDDLE PART. HOWEVER IN FINISHES

In the court nowt to say'
10 at home and one away

???????????????????

On his tombstone plainly lacquered
The epitaph, " Just fucking knackered"

Subject: RE: Dirty Dick and Little Nell?
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Aug 12 - 05:11 AM

He laid her on a snow white bed, his hand as black has charcoal.
and in the dark he missed his mark and shoved it up her arsahole.

Subject: RE: Dirty Dick and Little Nell?
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 14 Aug 12 - 07:36 AM

A version also here: Mess Songs and Rhymes of the RAAF 1939-1945

Mick

Subject: RE: Dirty Dick and Little Nell?
From: Snuffy
Date: 14 Aug 12 - 12:32 PM

I've always associated the ... as black as charcoal couplet not with Little Nell, but rather with

There was a priest
A dirty beast
His name was Alexander

Subject: RE: Dirty Dick and Little Nell?
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Oct 12 - 07:22 PM

Though it could have something to do with dickens or these old dirty poems I think it is a reference to a london pub (and its owner)

Wikipedia

Dirty Dick's is a venerable pub in Bishopsgate, London, United Kingdom, a short walk from Liverpool Street station. The Young's tied house pub sells a range of real ales and other beers on draught and in bottles and boasts three separate bars on different levels. [edit] History
Its name refers to its original owner, an ironmonger called Nathaniel Bentley, who suffered a nervous breakdown after his fiancée Nell died the day before their wedding. He locked the room in which the wedding feast was laid out and never cleaned the house again. When he died in 1804 his shop was sold, eventually being converted into a pub. His dead stuffed cats and other possessions were put on display. It was cleared up in the 1980s for health and safety reasons, although it still retains much of its character.

Subject: RE: Dirty Dick and Little Nell?
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Nov 12 - 05:28 PM

the moon shone on the village green,
it also shone on Nell.
Was she waiting for her lover?
Was she bloody hell.
along came Dirty Dick,
The Captain of a Tugger.
He wasn't fit to shovel shit,
The dirty stinking bugger.
He took her to his cabin,
I am sure it wasnt lawful
And when he pulled his trousers down,
The stink was something awfl.
he laid her on his bed
His hand as black as coal
And fucked her till her cunt was raw,
And sparks flew from her arsehole

Subject: RE: Dirty Dick and Little Nell?
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Feb 13 - 07:00 PM

The moon shone on the village green
It shone on little Nell
Was she pumping water from the well?
Was she f***ing hell

She was waiting for her lover
The captain of a luger
Who was not fit to shovel s**t
From on deck to another

He took her to the village inn
It really wasn't lawfull
And when he took his trousers down
The stink was f***ing awful

He laid her on a feather bed
His heart was black as charcoal
And in the dark he missed his mark
And shoved it up her arse hole

Then Nell ran off accross the green
But the bastard he pursued her
The white of an egg ran down her leg
The fithy swine had screwed her

The babe was born on Christmas morn
They called it bastard Nell
Was it worth tupence halfpenny?
Was it f***cking hell!

Subject: RE: Dirty Dick and Little Nell?
From: GUEST,\bob
Date: 07 May 13 - 09:28 AM

I've been trying to find this for ages! The only lines I remember are" Little Nell lay on the bed a sighin & a sobbin, her lover said uncross your legs cos I cant get my nobbin!

Subject: RE: Dirty Dick and Little Nell?
From: GUEST,jim bainbridge
Date: 07 May 13 - 01:34 PM

Little Nell was a Colliers Daughter- innocent, sweet seventeen
Shall I tell you the story of Nellie?

reply... 'Yes, ?? but keep it clean'

plenty more if you want it or look up Billy Bennett's monologues..

just another 'Little Nell'

Subject: RE: Dirty Dick and Little Nell?
From: GUEST
Date: 09 May 16 - 08:21 AM

Its about Edinburgh.

The Garrison Sleeps In The Citadel
With The Ghosts And The Ancient Stones
High Up On The Parapet
A Scottish Piper Stands Alone
And High On The Wind
The Highland Drums Begin To Roll
And Something From The Past Just Comes
And Stares Into My Soul.

Dirty Dicks is in Rose Street, Charlotte Street is just around the corner.

Subject: RE: Dirty Dick and Little Nell?
From: GUEST,Robert of Maidenhead UK
Date: 10 Dec 17 - 06:51 AM

I see here versions similar to the one I recall from the 1950s in England Uk. It goes..

The moonlight shone upon the village green and upon little Nell who was waiting for a boyfriend. Like bloody Hell!

Along came dirty dick the captain of a lugger who wasn't fit for shoveling shit from one place to another.

He took her to a wayside inn - that wasn't really lawful and when he took his trousers down the pong was bloody awful.

He took her to the shagging bed with sheets as black as charcoal and he shagged her 'til her tits turned red and sparks flew out her arshole.

Notes: trousers are pants in USA speak
The implication is that Nell was a prostitute ( lady of the night etc ).
It was made illegal ( not sure when ) to take a women to a licenced premises such as a pub or Inn for the purposes of prostitution. Hence it wasn't really lawful.

Subject: RE: Dirty Dick and Little Nell? Verse 2
From: GUEST,Robert of Maidenhead UK
Date: 05 Jun 18 - 07:18 AM

Up Nell jumped and she did run across the village green.

And Dick did run after her shouting things obscene.

Said Dirty Dick I'm not F inn having this I paid for an all night session.

Said Little Nell you can go to hell I'm off to do confession.

...Along came constable Bill - he really did look ill.

His face was pale and he stank of ale - as he came upon this scene.

Trouserless Dick had caught up with Nell and was taking her from behind.

Her skirt was up over her head and that really seemed unkind.

Constable Bill did a double take and wondered what kind of beast was this.

Had the Ale got the better of him? - he really was quite pissed.

He got his night stick and he did shoved it - right up old Dick's arse. Dick let out a shriek and said gadzooks - I think I've come at last!

Constable Bill pulled out his stick and wiped it on the grass.

And Dick ran off a shrieking with both hands over his arse.

I'm telling this tale as it is the truth or at least that's what I'm told.

And I thought I must share it with you all - before I get too old.

To be continued.

Subject: RE: Dirty Dick and Little Nell?
From: GUEST,Ryan Millen
Date: 31 Jul 19 - 06:54 PM

Here comes Dick dirty Dick
captain of a logger
he wasn't fit to shovel shit
the dirty c**t who screwed her

Subject: RE: Dirty Dick and Little Nell?
From: GUEST,Literature teacher
Date: 25 Sep 19 - 12:00 AM

At last, after all this time, this thread has sorted me out! Being an innocent American female, Knopfler fan, and reader of Dickens, I knew there wasn't a guy named "Dirty Dick" in "The Old Curiosity Shop." I knew there was a Dirty Dick's pub in Edinburgh, but just couldn't put the two together. NOW I know! Love the idea of 1950s tacky school kid's rhyme! Thanks to all the worthy souls who have solved this mystery. Oh, and it's a great, comical story in its varied versions. Worthy of Chaucer.

Subject: RE: Dirty Dick and Little Nell?
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Jul 20 - 09:12 PM

Agree with Dirty Dock's in Rose Street Edinburgh, just next to Charlotte Street.

Subject: RE: Dirty Dick and Little Nell?
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Jul 21 - 02:15 AM

The moon shone on village green it shone on little nell was picking buttercups was fucking he’ll she was waiting for her lover dirty dick the little fucker he wasn’t fit to shovel shit from on cart to another he laid her down up on the ground it wasn’t very lawful and when he pulled her britches down the stink was fucking awful she got up like hell and ran like fuck the enemy pursued her the white of egg ran down her leg to show that her had screwed her

Subject: RE: Dirty Dick and Little Nell?
From: Bill D
Date: 17 Jul 21 - 05:07 PM

After all of the above, someone who obviously didn't bother to read first, types an incoherent, un-punctuated, run-on, semi-sentence.

And so it goes....

Subject: RE: Dirty Dick and Little Nell?
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Mar 23 - 11:49 AM

Correct - the song refers to Edinburgh