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22 Dec 08 - 05:25 AM (#2522043) Subject: Review: Blackleg Miner revisited From: Richard Bridge The remarks about "blackleg librarians" got me thinking a bit. The expression doesn't scan easily, to start with. Then I was drawn by the vituperation WMD (sorry, WLD) heaps upon the middle classes in general and those at teacher training college in particular - now joined by Romany Man - (although I don't know where they get the idea that teachers are in the higher echelons of society) - and then it sort of happened. See what you think: The Trainee Teacher Tis in the morning, still quite dark, When the blackleg teacher gets the bus Threadbare elbows, threadbare cuffs There goes the trainee teacher. He grabs his chalk and in he goes To quell the children's rioting rows There's no woman, nor town whore Will look at the trainee teacher. So don't go near the Swanscombe schools The children don't obey the rules They terrorise and then abuse The quaking trainee teacher Swanscombe is a terrible place Where evolution ne'er took place Pale chimps from tattoo parlours race To mock the trainee teacher. They grab his lesson plans to throw Them in the Swanscombe pit below A whole year's work – but down it goes Poor quaking trainee teacher So be a banker while ye may The bailouts support their pay Learn to steal: child's play You stupid trainee teacher. |
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22 Dec 08 - 05:39 AM (#2522054) Subject: RE: Review: Blackleg Miner revisited From: Newport Boy I like it, Richard. I'm not sure about the word 'blackleg' in the first verse. It doesn't seem to fit with the rest, which shows the trainee as quaking and stupid, but not a traitor. Phil |
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22 Dec 08 - 05:43 AM (#2522057) Subject: RE: Review: Blackleg Miner revisited From: Les in Chorlton And so to the Blackleg Lawyer? He, he L in C It's just about lunchtime in the sun When the Blackleg Lawyer gets to work With his curly wig and the strangest shirt There goes the Blackleg Lawyer |
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22 Dec 08 - 05:50 AM (#2522064) Subject: RE: Review: Blackleg Miner revisited From: Newport Boy That's much more like it, Les. [I think you set yourself up for that one, Richard.] Phil |
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22 Dec 08 - 05:53 AM (#2522067) Subject: RE: Review: Blackleg Miner revisited From: Richard Bridge oh yes, that did not get updated when the concept evolved - it should be "trainee". Thanks Newport Boy Les - there are conceptual problems. First I don't see how a lawyer can be a blackleg - neither the Law Society nor the Bar Council have ever called a strike. Second, when I was a central London solicitor I rose at 5 every day! |
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22 Dec 08 - 06:14 AM (#2522071) Subject: RE: Review: Blackleg Miner revisited From: Les in Chorlton The term is Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT)for what it's worth fair number of which rise at all sorts of antisocial hours and work late also. Fair enough Richard. I guess many of us feel the Miner as Blackleg is much less likely than lots of other jobs and professions. I will ponder this one awhile. However, what did the Miners of Yorkshire feel about their comrades in Notts around 1985? Cheers L in C |
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22 Dec 08 - 12:35 PM (#2522221) Subject: RE: Review: Blackleg Miner revisited From: meself This reminds of something I read perhaps in Musical Traditions - or perhaps here - about striking Pennsylvania coal-miners being involved in a union-sponsored project to collect songs from teachers ... |
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22 Dec 08 - 01:24 PM (#2522269) Subject: RE: Review: Blackleg Miner revisited From: McGrath of Harlow "...neither the Law Society nor the Bar Council have ever called a strike." Or come out in solidarity either, I dare say. Blackleg unions both of them... |
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22 Dec 08 - 01:39 PM (#2522284) Subject: RE: Review: Blackleg Miner revisited From: Leadfingers Les - At least the Notts miners had a ballot and voted against a strike ! Loony Scargill didnt give most N U M members a chance to have their say ! |
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22 Dec 08 - 02:11 PM (#2522317) Subject: RE: Review: Blackleg Miner revisited From: Les in Chorlton Don't get me wrong, I don't think Scargill did anyone any good. I was just exploring the idea of who was most likely to be Blackleg. L in C |
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22 Dec 08 - 04:28 PM (#2522444) Subject: RE: Review: Blackleg Miner revisited From: Musket This forum has many threads where people have pointed out words and names that are offensive. Mainly about ethnicity. I was a miner. In a Yorkshire area pit that happened to be physically in Nottinghamshire. We voted not to strike. The Yorkshire area delegates conference then said that Yorkshire pits had voted unanimously to strike. So, you see. The questions posed in some of the posts here are irrelevant. There were no blackleg miners as there was no strike. A couple of the lads at our pit had the union funds sequestrated, hence we didn't recognise the strike. Not even when lads from Rotherham came knocking on my door telling me I had a baby and a wife who walked to the shops without me at 10am... In the meantime, I went to folk clubs, where social workers and lecturers were getting up and singing The blackleg miner. I have no hesitation these days using terms such as sandal wearing tree huggers, weird beards and looney society failures. (After telling Roy Bailey my view of his so called workers champion self styled role, I never visited a folk club again for years.) If folk music is intertwined with workers struggle issues, then there are more object lessons in 1984 than any other UK domestic issue since. So... just be careful. Blackleg is a very nasty word, and is derogatory to many genuine people. I was called one, despite being "on strike" for 9 months before leaving altogether to till my own field. |
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22 Dec 08 - 04:56 PM (#2522465) Subject: RE: Review: Blackleg Miner revisited From: GUEST, Richard Bridge on another part of the netwo It's the title of a song of some antiquity even if there is some argument about its exact origin. So we use the word when referring to the song? Should I re-write Inuit Nell next? (sarcasm) |
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22 Dec 08 - 05:39 PM (#2522507) Subject: RE: Review: Blackleg Miner revisited From: Les in Chorlton I feel that Ian's post makes, much more effectively than I can, the point about the appropriateness or otherwise of singing The Blackleg Miner when lots of other people have been or are more likely to be "Blacklegs". L in C |