Origins: We are the Bermonsey Boys/Girls

Subject: Origins: We are the Bermonsey Boys/Girls
From: GUEST,Len Kennington
Date: 10 Oct 22 - 06:22 AM

We are the Bermondsey Boys (Girls)
We are some of the boys
We know our Manners
We save our Tanners
We are respected wherever we go.
When we're walking down the Old Kent Road
Doors and windows open wide
If you see a copper come
Hit him on the nose and run
Cos we are the Bermondsey boys

Somebody must have composed this - it cannot possibly be 'trad' can it??

Subject: RE: Origins: We are the Bermonsey Boys/Girls
From: Lighter
Date: 10 Oct 22 - 01:21 PM

The magazine Aeronautics printed the following in its issue for August 23, 1916, collected "just behind the Somme front some ten days ago."


THE RAGTIME FLYING CORPS

(Tune : Any old ragtime mixture)

We are the Ragtime Flying Corps,
We are the ragtime boys,
We are respected by every nation,
And we're loved by all the girls, I don't think.
People, they think we're millionaires,
Think we're dealers in stocks and shares;
When we go out all the people roar,
We are the Ragtime Flying Corps.

We are the Ragtime Flying Corps,
We are the R.F.C.
We spend our tanners, we know our manners,
And are respected wherever we go.
Walking up and down the Farnborough Road,
Doors and windows open wide.
We are the boys of the R.F.C;
We don't care a damn for Germany;
We are the Flying Corps.

I've a little more info that I'll post later. Gotta run!

Subject: RE: Origins: We are the Bermonsey Boys/Girls
From: Lighter
Date: 10 Oct 22 - 07:37 PM

A bit earlier is the version sung by the 5th Bedfords in 1914-15:


We are the Bedford Boys
We know our manners
We spend our tanners
We are respected wherever we go
When we're walking down the old High Street
Doors & windows open wide
We're the boys to mop our ale
Out of a Dixie or a Pail
We are the Bedford Boys"

(A "dixie" is a 12-gallon cook-pot.)

The Durham Light Infantry:


We are some of the DLI
we are some of the boys
We know our manners
We spend our tanners
We are respected wherever we go.
As we march down the avenue,
Doors and windows open wide,
Pots and pans begin to fly
A pisspot hit me in the eye,
for we are the DLI.


In the second half, other examples have:

"...We're the boys that drink brown ale
Out of a pisspot or out of a pail...."

Or:

"You can hear the sergeant shout,
'Put those blooming Woodbines out.'"

Two other versions will be found here:


https://www.croxleygreenhistory.co.uk/croxley-song-book.html

The tune is "Who Were You With Last Night?" a 1912 hit by Fred Godfrey
(composer of the original, rude version of "Bless 'Em All" in 1918).

The song is No. 10514 in the Roud Index.

Subject: RE: Origins: We are the Bermonsey Boys/Girls
From: Jon Bartlett
Date: 11 Oct 22 - 03:01 PM

Thanks for these variants! Here's one from BC, Canada, collected by Phil Thomas, from an anonymous telephone caller, c. 1965 in Victoria:

We are the boys of the old Rainbow
We are the boys to cut a shine
We know our manners we spend our tanners
We are respected wherever we go
When we're marching down Esquimalt Road
Doors and windows open wide
We can dance and we can sing
We can do the highland fling
For we are the Rainbow boys

Esquimalt Road leads to the Royal Canadian Navy base. The Rainbow was one half of the RCN c. 1915

Jon Bartlett

Subject: RE: Origins: We are the Bermonsey Boys/Girls
From: Greum
Date: 11 Oct 22 - 03:03 PM

It also seems to be a fan chant for Queen of the South Football Club

https://www.fanchants.com/football-songs/queen-south-chants/we-know-our-manners/

Subject: RE: Origins: We are the Bermonsey Boys/Girls
From: GUEST,Len Kennington
Date: 13 Oct 22 - 09:16 AM

Thanks all, looks very much like it has to be credited "WWI - anon" probably penned by some soon-to-be-sacrificed Tommy, very sad.