Subject: Shields Chain Bridge
From:
Conrad Bladey (Peasant- Inactive)
Date: 22 May 00 - 07:41 PM
Shields Chain Bridge
Humourously Described by a Pitman. Now, Geordy, my lad, sit as mute as a tyed,
An' aw'll tell ye 'bout Chain Brig at's gaun to be myed;
Aw'll begin at the furst, an' gan on till aw cum
To the end o' my story--and then aw'll be deun.
Some folks tell a plain, simple story at times,
But aw'm nothing like them, aw tell a' things iv rhyumes.
Smash, Geordy, sit quiet--keep in thaw great toes,
An' aw'll gan as straight forrat as waggoners goes. Wey, ye see, the folks thought, i' gaun over the water,
'Stead o' crossing wi' boats, at a brig wad be better;
So the gentlemen gather'd a great congregation,
The syem as folks de at the heed o' the nation;
Then they some things brought forrat, an' some they put back,
So they sattled a Brig sud be built iv a crack.
'Twasn't lang efter this, aw gat haud if a paper,
Tell'd the size ist should be, just as nice as a taper. How! says aw to mysel, but they haven't been lang,
Dash! a fellow like me may stite myek up a sang,
Or some such like thing-- just to myek a bit fun:
So it's ne seuner said that it's cleverly deun.
Folks thought me a genius when first aw was born--
But what is aw deein?--aw mun tell ye the form
O' this said Iron Brig 'at aw's talking aboot,
When aw pull up me breeches, and blaw out me snout. Huge abutments o' styen, aw think they are call'd--
When aw com to that word aw was avarry near pall'd;
On each side o' the river yen o' thor things is myed,
To fit intiv a hole they howk out wiv a spyed.
Frae the tops o' thor pillars to the edge o' the banks,
Varry strang iron chains, myed o' wrought iron links,
Hingin' ower the house-tops o' byeth sides o' the river,.
Thor chains is continued frae pillar to pillar. Frae the big'uns is hung some inferior in length,
To the bottom of which a foundation of strength
Is first, wrought wi' iron and cover'd wi' styen,
Then surmounted wi' railing--it's deun, skin and byen.
Now, Geordy, what de ye think ov it, my lad?-
Wey, speak--what's the maiter--or ye tyen varry bad?
Or extonishment is it that's sew'd up yor mouth?
But aw divent much wonder, so aw'll tell the real trugh. Aw wonderwor owners disn't see into it,
And myek a Chain Brig for to gan down wor pit.
A! man, but it's cliver--it's use 'ill be great;
For to what lad o' Shields wad the thought not be sweet,
To cross ower the water without danger or fear,
As aw've monny a time deun i' gawn ower the Wear.
When we cross ower the water i' boats we're in danger,
But the hazard is warse tiv a man 'at's a stranger. While this hang'd ugly sailing o' packets survives,
We're in very great danger o' losing wor lives.
But it's ne use to tell the unnumber'd disasters
Which happen to 'prentices, workmen, and masters,
On crossing the Tyne i' them sma' sculler boats,
Or ony thing else on the water that floats.
At ony rate, the Chain Brig is a fair safer plan,
And would save mony lives-contradict it whe can! Besides ye knaw, Geordy, it's easier and better
For the Canny folks 'at leaves on the banks o' the water.
To walk straight afore them 'stead o' gaun doon the street,
And when the're iv a hurry running doon a' they meet,
Forbye being kept myest an hour in suspense,
By cairts, that sometimes myek a plague of a fence,
Then the folks are a' stopt, tho' they be iv a hurry.
Now, ye blithe lads o' Shields, let it be a' yor glory, To get this Chain Brig rear'd on high in the air,
Then we'll hae to soom aman steam-boats ne mair
Smash their great clumsy wheels! aw like nyen o' their wark,
They once cowpt me owerboard, an' aw was wet to the sark;
But catch me gaun ony mair near them again--
If aw de, say aw divent belang Collingwood Main!
Oliver-In: The Newcastle Song Book or Tyne-Side Songster., W&T Fordyce
Newcastle Upon Tyne.
|
sj
