Lyr Add: The Durham Lockout

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Lyr Add: The Durham Lockout

18 Mar 00 - 11:11 AM (#197193)
Subject: Lyr Add: The Durham Lockout
From: Conrad Bladey (Peasant- Inactive)

The Durham Lock-out

In our Durham County I am sorry for to say,
That hunger and starvation is increassing every day;
For the want of food and coals we know not what to do,
But with your kind assistance we will stand the struggle through.

I need not state the reason why we have been brought so low,
The masters have behaved unkind, as everyone will know;
Because we won't lie down and let them treat us as they like,
To punish us they've stopt their pits and caused the present strike.

The pully wheels have ceased to move, which went so swift around,
The horses and the ponies too are brought from underground;
Our work is taken from us now, they care not if we die,
For they can eat the best of food and drik the best when dry.

The miner and his marra too, each morning have to roam,
To seek for bread to feed the hungry little ones at home;
the flour barrel is empty now, their true and faithful friend,
Which makes the thousands whish today the strike was at an end.

We have done our very best as honest working men,
To let the pits commence again we've offered to them ten.
the offer they will not accept, they firmly do demand
Thirteen and a half per cent, or let the collieries stand.

Let them stand or let them lie, to do with them as they choose,
To give them thirteen and a half, we ever shall refuse,
They're always willing to receive, but never inclined to give.
Very soon they won't allow a working man to live.

(With tyranny and capital they never seem content,
Unless they are endeavouring to take from us per cent.
If it was due, what they request, we willingly would grant,
We know its not, therefore we cannot give them what they want)

The miners of Northumberland we shall for ever praise,
For being so kind in helping us those tyrannisisng days;
We thank the other counties too, that have been doing the same,
For every man who hears this song will know we're not to blame
.
--Tommy Armstrong, Source: Thommy Armstrong of Tyneside.,^^^

for tune see forthcoming abc file

18 Mar 00 - 07:26 PM (#197401)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Durham Lockout
From: bill\sables

Hi Conrad , when I was a child in Dipton Co Durham I grew up listning to the Tommy Armstrong songs, My father and uncle used to know Tommy very well, in fact as Tommy did not sing so good and my uncle was a good singer they would tour the local pubs of Dipton, Tantoby and Stanley together, my uncle singing the songs Tommy wrote for a reward of a couple of pints Tommy did not write tunes but just wrote his songs to tunes which were popular at the time. For The Durham Strike, as Tommy called the song known as Durham Lockout the tune he used was "Castles in the Air ( also known as Ball of Kerrimuir). However when The High Level Ranters recorded the album "Tommy Armstrong of Tyneside" Tommy Gilfellon sang the song to the tune of Come all ye tramps and hawkers. I was wondering which tune you were using on the abc file. Cheers Bill

18 Mar 00 - 07:57 PM (#197420)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: The Durham Lockout
From: Conrad Bladey (Peasant- Inactive)

This is the one I have.... I have been in some of those pubs while under the disguise as being a student at Durham university. I have found castles and added them to the page and also include the come all ye tramps and hawkers version al la High Level Ranters....

% ABC2Win Version 2.1 3/18/2000

Castles in the air version...

X: 1 T:The Durham Lockout M:3/4 L:1/8 K:C C6|E4E2|D4C2|D2E4|C4A,2|G,4A,2|C4D2|C6|-C4E2| G4G2|E2F2G2|A4A2|G4E2|C4D2|E2D2C2|A,6|-A,4E2| G4G2|E2F2G2|A4A2|G2E2D2|C4D2|E2D2C2|A,6|-A,2C2D2| E4E2|D4C2|D2E4|C4A,2|G,4A,2|C4D2|C6|-C4E2| G4G2|E2F2G2|A2G4|-G4E2|C4D2|E2D2C2|A,6|A,2C2D2| E4E2|D4C2|D4E2|C4A,2|G,4A,2|C4D2|C6|-C6||

% Output from ABC2Win Version 2.1 i on 3/14/2000