Subject: The Cullercoats Fish-Lass from Allan
From:
Conrad Bladey (Peasant- Inactive)
Date: 13 Jun 00 - 10:25 PM
Cullercoats Fishwife
For real audio link-click here I am a Cullercoats Fishwife rosey and free,
And I wear Flannel Pettycoats up to my knee. And I sell my fresh fish
to the poor and the rich Will ye buy?
Will ye buy?
Will ye buy my fresh fish -Connie Rowley Version II
tune- Lillie's Lady Aw's a Cullercoats fish-lass, se cozy an' free
Browt up in a cottage close on by the sea;
An' aw sell fine fresh fish ti poor an' ti rich--
Will ye buy, will ye buy, will ye buy maw fresh fish? Spoken- Finne codlin's hinny; cheaper for hyem consumption
thin butcher meat. There's fine mackerel. come. Mistor, ye shall hae them at yor awn price, but the sea's
up. Aw's sure, fish just noo's as bad to catch iz husbands; and a greet deal warse
ti sell. Sings- Will ye buy, will ye buy, will ye buy my fresh fish? Imitate cries- D'ye want a-n-y fish? Byeth barefoot and barelegged aw trudge mony a week,
Wi' a creel on mee back an' a bloom on mee cheek;
Aw'll supply ye wi' flat fish, fine skyet, or fresh ling,
And sometimes pennywilks, crabs, an' lobsters aw bring. Will ye buy, will ye buy? etc. Aw work hard for mee livin', frev a frind aw ne'er begs,
An' aw huff the young gents when they peep at my legs;
Aw's hilthy an' hansom, quite willin' and strong,
To toil for my livin', cryin' fish the day long. Spoken- That's what aw cawl fishin' for a livin'. But tawkin'
aboot fish, thor's as queer fish on land as there's in the sea--
Gladstone, Tom Sayers, and Blondin-aw cawl them star-fish,
that baits the public ti sum tuin. Folks that neglects to buy
the Illustrated Tyneside Songs, aw consider them flat-fish. Mackey's
men they're dry fish; ye can tell by their gills. Sailors, they're
salt fish, that shund always keep a wether eye on land-sharks.
Volunteers, they're fresh fish, who, with wor sowigers and sailors, myek
up wor sole defenders. As for me, with yor kind favours, aw'd be like a fish
oot o' wetter-aye, whei! Aw's a maiden fish oot iv her teens
in sairch ov a husband to myek me comfortable. Aw want ti teyk
moorins for life in the roads an' channels o' matrimony. Will ye buy, will ye buy? etc. -Edward Corvan, 1862, In: Allan's Illustrated Edition of Tyneside Songs and Readings....,
Thomas and George Allan, NewcastleUpon Tyne, 1891.
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