Alan Dickson Alan has a way with words and paintings that takes us back to an era that we lived. Illustrating the times miners and their families lived in the North East Of England. Simple uncomplicated ways of getting by, for some it was hard, but we all still call them “Happy Days�
Sleep Tight I,m sorry little lass, you have,t a cot But I promise you this,I,ll love you a lot. I,ll guard you and shield you safely from harms You,ll always be safe ,in your Mothers arms And when you grow up and remember ago You,ll realise I loved you, as I watched you grow. I,ll always do best,as a mother can give And as always your sins will forgive. And when years ahead, and time has past Your Mother loved you til the last, But just for now I,ll safely keep And sing to you softly Til your asleep
My Father John My father John Was tall and thin, Kinda stooped through the door When he came in.... Hoyed his cap and his coat On the back of a chair Went for a tab with the back door open A quick sit doon, on the bottom stair. He sat doon for his dinner with the pit in his eyes Another day ower With no blue skies A hard days work, for a meagre pay It would be the same the morning And the next and the next ivvry day!! He was my Dad ,with his big rough hands My forever hero His big tall stories And taking me To wonder lands. And I would kiss the ground To hear the sound Of him saying, howay Hinny come in. My Dad.
Foreshift Week. Us kids didn,t like foreshift did we? Lad am that tired,a hevn,t slept a bliddy wink!! Was said on many a summers day. With us kids outside away to play. They,ve been stottin that Baal For hours on end Against that bliddy netty Waal!! A telt before I went to bed Divvent mek a noise now, that's what I said. And me Mothers reply to aal this gloom With a smile and a wink to us across the room. Ye grumbly bugga were ye not once a little kid? They,re only doing the same as you once did. So sit doon man and get your tea. Just shut your gob man, that,ll de. So with a promise to be quiet the morn We trod a path already worn. But no doubt before the week was out We,d here his angry shout Woman, will ye tell them sods I,ll mek them flee If I get up again before me tea!! It was just part of a real life pantomime A canny few years ago and lost in time But these things kinda stick in the mind. That time has past and left behind!! But we divvent forget do we??.
The Outside Netty Wor outside netty, was just ower the street. A coal hoose attached, White weshed oot, with a wooden seat. It was a place of solitude, ye cud be aal alone When you were sat upon that China throne. You cud read yesterday's papers from behind the pipe, Nivvor the guardian mind!! More likely or the Journal ,y,naa the type. Though I did mek an exception once! There was a picture in the paper of Thatcher grinnin and stannin. And a thowt I knaa where that Lady,s gannin. Man it was champion, ye cud sit there in peace With your feet on the floor. The snib firmly locked on the netty door. Though sometimes the peace was broken And a voice floated in, Usually wor Billy who was still quite little Howay Dad am dancing aboot oot here, a cud do with a pittle.!! Still it wudn,t be lang before I went back in When that woman I married, Y,naa man, the corlers, Hor with the gob!! Was bliddy insistent , On givvin is a job.
I forgot to mention these!! Àm sure you aal remember, And the day that was The long back gardens in the Colliery raa,s There was Mothers sweeping and swilling, Back lanes swept.The Methodist chapel just doon the road, With its scrubby stoned step. Sunday night wud see the preà cher stannin, Neatly kept. Mondays, !!! Ah hated weshing day. Me Mother scrubbin the arse oot me Father's shirts!! Had to be white at any cost, Nivvor grey. Black leading the fire my Father's job. Aim of the Mothers ,the cleanest hob. Dark nights wud see Grannies,working away at their proggy mats Remember the weddings,? Aal the wimmin in fanciest hats. Divvent forget the hawkers and coalmen And ragmen with carts. And us lot Gannin ower the pond!! Usually came yem, covered with clarts. Wor Father's daddin their pit pants oot , for work the morn He started sharp see, first thing at dawn. Then there was Jarmin measles, divvent forget mumps A once had these and was doon in the dumps. Whey man I,ll hev to put the pen doon I cud gan on forrivva But the place I grew up in!! Forget aboot nivva.
Lonely Lonely is that me... When all I ask for Is a friend in thee, Just someone there to share my cup And if I should falter To help me up. Just someone to talk about now, The past gone years To make me smile, To forgive the tears. So I listen daily for your tread So please ,do come in And share my bread For all I ask for Is a friend in thee Take me for what I am For this is me.
Get yor weshin in Missus Get yor weshin in Missus shouted the man on the cart A hevn,t got aal day ye knaa So let's get a start. So aal doon the raa There was muttering and grumbling Bah he,s picked a clivvor day For them to be coming. Howay man ye bugga,s av hord it before Cos it winnit be lang til am back with some more
A Pitman's Mother The things we remember,when we were a kid The things we remember that WOR Mothers did. But where do we start from There's that much to say. Was it keeping the hoose running On a Dads meagre pay. And when there was tears, was it healing the hort. Or being houseproud,and fighting the dort. Mebbies its weshdays,with poss tub and mangle Her face streaked with steam, Hor hair in a tangle Or was it the kettle, hot on the hob. In case a neighbour dropped in. Ye remember man.hor with the gob. Or getting in the lang tin bath and cleaning us up, And afterwards a gentle hint Howay bonny lad, its late ye,d better gan up. These are just some of the things on a lang lang list, Just think of your Mother, Ye,ll get the gist. So if your ivvor doon and feeling sad Just think of the Mother That ye once had.
If If just lately, you,ve been doon the road, And you,ve seen an owld chep, Seems to be looking for something ye cannit see, Tek no notice,!! I guess that's me. Been there lots of times lately, Looking for something that isn,t there Just looking for yesteryear. Daft isn,t it ? Looking for something for something ye cannit hold, For the place when young, and stories told. Of course a always wear some rose tinted glasses Thinkin back to places, faces The folk that a knew,!! The Lads and lasses. The hoose where we were fetched up in, were happy!! That is always yem. I get sad sometimes, remembering them. But it disn,t do any harm to reminisce Thinking sometimes of the place I miss. But ivvry now and again, but just sometimes!! I I get a smile on me face, When somebody mentions my boyhood place.
The Kitchen Sink Bath!!! Jimmy howay in, get yorsel in here But Mother man, Ye knaa am ower little, to climb right up on there. Now listen ye little bugga Your Gannin to get clean. Àm not having you runnin around black Now ye knaa just what I mean. Ah howay Mother, am hardly even Dorty And besides its only Sivvin thorty !! Now ye knaa you need a damn gud steeping, And am determined its clean That ye,ll be keepin. Cos the morn your gannin back to your school class, You shud knaa you cannit put one ower this canny lass. And when yor oot Ye can get strite up to bed Cos you,ve argued with ivvrything Av bliddy said
Sometimes it’s not all dorty black, sometimes.
Howay Me Old Lad. Howay me owld Lad, your bonny and black!! Ye bend ower the bath and wesh yor face, And ,I,ll flannel yor back. As she washed the coal dust gently away, Underneath revealed, aal the scrapes and the bruises Picked up for his day!! My Lad !! She thowt, that's got to hort!! A wished bonny lad ye didn,t hev to do this for me and the bairns, Scraping away in the dark and the dort!! Divvent knaa how he puts up with this , the pain! Nivvor grumbles, disn,t complain. Right when you,ve finished she said There's a clean tool and the soap on the fireside chair, Just give is a caal !! If ye need owt mair. Gis a minute ,I,ll get the dinner put oot, Yor favourite ,!! Broth, and after, a puddin wrapped up in a cloot. She was just aboot in tears, So she torned to her laddie about ten years, She just had to get vent, Just frustration, Nivvor no bad intent. Right bugga lugs get them comics away Ye knaa a hevn,t got aal day. So sit your arse doon, the dinners ready it,ll be here soon. Afterwards ye can get the coals in Before you gan to bed! So pin them lugs back and listen to what I,ve said. Then a might let ye hev 10 minutes reading your comics On the fireside mat!! And get back to your Desperate Dan ,and that bliddy Korky the Kat. She didn,t mean to be unkind She thowt the world of both hor men It was just her way, of getting things off her mind This bonny lass Wud Nivvor Ivvor be unkind..
Sum Womens’ Work is Nivva Dunn
The Tap End Committee. Meggy, Bella, Jinny and Jane. Could always be fund at the end of the lane Dressed in their pinnies and armed with their gobs Went for the wettor,hoosework over, Done aal their jobs. Talk aboot two faced, they had five!! Anybody was lucky to get past them alive. What they didn,t knaa wasn,t worth saying. Aboot who ticked on and who was paying. Aboot who was married and who was deed, Aboot one of the neighbours playing away!! Y,naa Bella, that one, the baldy heed. Of course these lasses were unblemished With characters clean. If ye knaa what I mean. Cos they were the tap end jury, the judges of aal. Didn,t matter a jot if ye wor big or wor smaal. They spread many a rumour and told many a tale In the time it took wettor To fill one bliddy pail.
By Lad By Lad a wished I had two bob For ivvry time doon here, It must be nigh on forty year. Yis said Jack It,ll be aal that on thinkin back. Do you remember we started here As a young ,young Lad And it looks as though we,ll finish together, When we,re aad. Howay man!! divvent taalk like that, There's still a few years to gan, wearing wor hard black hat. We,ll be doon this road a canny few times yet, There's still them at yem to keep, divvent forget. But have,n said this and if God will, And if we,re lucky we,ll be here still. When we're really aad, and so to speak . At the end of wor tether We,ll waalk this road one last time, And hoy the hats away, And gan yem together.
For Years and Years. Wor Father's, Uncles,Cousins ,Brothers Along with countless others. They,d get up in the middle of the night Or gan to work at dawn. A weary walk doon a lang pit road,, a cad and frosty morn. They wud think!! A hev to you see!, It's either us or them, Wor wives and bairns aal cuddled up! Fast asleep at yem. And a love them aal, so much more than me. It wasn,t owt special ye knaa!! Every Dad did it. Ivvry hoose, in every raa. They aal went oot to do their best! As best, as best they cud. So divvent just think of them as ordinary men!! I wud hate to think you shud. Wor Dads and sons,uncles , brothers Aal worked hard and did their best alang with countless others So when yor lookin back at then!! Just divvent think of them, as ordinary men. But it wasn,t til many years later That I fully understood Just how much they loved us Though seldom did it show, And its taken, many, many , years. For me to fully know.
The pay!! They aal queued up!! At the little window that simply said pay!! They had waited aal week for this Like every other week ,the pay on Friday. Some wud be on nightshift, the ones who were clean, Along with the ones just oot the pit!! Tired and Dorty from where they had been. But man!! These pays were mostly spoken for, Before they aal got it!! There was Nivvor much left, to put in the pocket!! Enough mebbies for a few beers in the pub, And if they were flush, a few games of hooseys And a night in the club. Most of the hooses were colliery, so they wor lucky that way! But there was aalways the store bill on a Friday to pay! Oh and aal the ticky men wud caal for some more!! Not forgetting the soddin manager From doon at the store. A nearly forgot the butcher, came on a Saturday!! Stipey apron on, aalways looked smart!! Howldin the horses heed, As he walked alang ,at the front of his cart. The housewives wud be oot as he came doon the lane!! If they were stannin canny, some beef wud be nice!! If they were hard up, it had a crust on!! Rabbit again. But mostly people wor happy, as lang as they got by Didn,t matter if it had a crust for a top hat!! And was baked in a pie!!
Just a daft one!! Are ye ganna have another one? Asked me best pal Jack. No thanks bonny lad, I think I,d better get back. Ye see a promised I wudn,t be late. And the dinners not ower nice ! When it's aal kizzled up and stuck on the plate. And she,s warned is, its nee gud trailing in at haffpast three. Cos at fower , o'clock am clearing the cheble And settin the tea. So I,ve med me mind up, am not gettin tight!! Or ,I,ll be tekkin a blanket doon to the Hen cree And spending the night. Now last Sunday a tell ye Jack!! when I got yem, The air in wor hoose, ye cut cut it with a knife, was thick as fog!! And when I asked aboot me dinner, what,d I get? It's lying beside the back door!! It's in the dog. By that wummins impitent, When she gets in a fettle like this!! Àm sure she,s Nivvor hord of married bliss!! I,ve even tried buying floo_ ers and plantin a kiss. It might be better if a waved a ten pund note In front of her and under hor nose. It's probably a better bet, than planting a kiss! Or buying a rose !!
Nearly Yem
Bah Humbug, Winter!! I,ve always disliked Winter!! since I was a Lad. When aal the warm and sunny days, Put their coats on, Bugga,d off and went away!! Not too bad at forst,when you notice aal the leaves Changin from green to yellow then golden broon. But a knew quite well, the frosty dark nights, wud be here soon. Another few days the leaves were a rich dark red!! And cud picture me Mutha huntin in the cupboard, For aad army greatcoats, And hoying them ower the top of wor bed. As well as aal the leaves changing so wud wor meals and aal of a sudden!! Appearing on the cheble would be broth,and dumplins, Now divvent aal laugh now, hor spotty dick puddins. When it forst snowed, we aal liked it! The way bairns did if ye knaa what I mean. But after a couple of days, a wished it had nivva been seen. Us lot were,単t posh ye knaa, We aal had owld stockings for a mitt or a glove!! But let me say this, Me hands were bliddy frozzen, When wor little Geordie got the sledge oot and wanted a shove. Unsuitable for gloves or mekkin snowbaals were these Cos after we had hoyed a few snowbaals. They had stretched a wincy bit!! And the slack was haffway doon to wor knees. Now aal these cad dark days med a bairn tire We wud aal get the jama,s on,gan into the front room, Hev a cup of cocoa , and me Father wud sit in his seat, Hevvin a tab and powkin the fire. Now over the next few weeks and ready for school and before we went oot!! Now bonny lad mekk sure your warm now and divvent get cad!! If a close me eyes now, I can still hear her shoot. And after aal them years, a still divvent like the snow, the frosty cad, But a still divvent regret those years that a had, In the love of me Mutha and me canny aad Dad.
A had a little Brother!! I had a little brother! But he was born to me Mother,but it was far too late. Like he was poor lad For a quirk of fate , And a must admit a didn,t haff cry when he went!! Cos he was my little brother, my canny little mate. When he laughed, he cud hev bring light In a darkened room. And he brought oot a smile, when he was given owt, He was ower the moon. Sometimes though he wud ask me! Alan!! why is a like this,and why do them silly bugga,s Call me a name? After aal these years , I hope aal them silly bugga,s When they think aboot what they called him. Hanging their heeds in shame. The likes of all these bairns, all they wanted a trouble free life Sadly Nivvor destined for bairns and a wife, So to anyone oot there!! Who had a little brother like this Divvent be so sad when you think aboot him. That little brother, The one you miss. My little Bruv, his name was Kevin. And am sure he,s smiling looking doon on is. Cos he,s he,s heaven,
People gathered, huddled together at the top of the road, On this cad November day!! Til it was time to keep quiet for just a minute. Heeds bowed low , silent pray. Heeds bowed low, With many others, Remembering sadly Of wor lost Father's, Uncles , Brothers, To pay respects to countless others. Listening to Padre Reading words of comfort, from the book of good. People silent!! Tear filled stood. So on this cad November day, Surrounded by poppies on wooden crosses! Respectfully rememember aal the losses. Each poppy for one who didn,t get yem. Each poppy, Remembering them.
Just an aad chep thinking! Mothers, wor Mothers. Now av struggled with this And fund it hard to find aal the right words. The things we,d like to say, Aboot aal our Mothers. To describe another day. Now a knaa your thinking,whey man each one of us Had a different Mother, And am just as sure you wouldn t pick another Now I wud describe them aal as a canny wife!! But a tiger who was wearing a pinny! Nivva frightened to fight their corner, or scared to put troubles aside, Howay in pet, come in lass, wud ye like a cup o tea Hinny. Ivvry day was a daily test!! Big families to see to,cooking, cleaning, Ivvry day trying their best. How many remember yor Mother casting her eye Ower something she wud dearly have liked to buy!! No it's ower much am not hevvin it, she wud nearly always say!! And yet at double the price She wouldn,t think twice. For something for one of us ,another different day. At times with troubled minds, and aal crossed swords The first thing we wud do is seek her out, And she wud advise us With Motherly kindness and wise aad words. Now they let Fatha,s think they were the bosses But if it had been a race, they wud be counting their losses!! Cos wor Mothers cud run rings around them, With a bit of sugar, a canny bit guile!! They were wise canny Mothers them aad lasses, Just remembering fetches a smile. Even when tired after a very lang day, And sometimes at the end of their tether. These bonny lasses were wor Mothers were,nt they!! They held the families together.
Me Mutha,s Gravy.
I,ll Nivvor forget that night!! Me Mutha had given him a pund as a sub, Happy as Larry, he skipped up the road to the pub!! No surprises there then!! When he landed yem tight. Now there wasn,t unusual in that would you believe. But the night am talking aboot was Xmas Eve!! We hord him before we saw him!! As he came doon the Raa, Singing his bliddy heed off, and covered in snaa. Took his cap and coat off,trying his hardest to look sober, Wallk steady if he could, Not a snaa balls chance in hell!! Me Mutha just stood shaking her heed, hor face was made of wood. Hev ye got a bite of supper for is?? He ever so politely enquired. Aye and ye can get yor aan buggalugs, Cos am too bliddy tired!! Off he went into the kitchen, And she closed her eyes for minute, had a little nap. Gave him a few minutes then went to rinse the dishes. Under the cad wettor tap. By now the aad chep was settled doon hevvin a comfortable tab. Thinkin aboot the tasty supper that just had!! But his reverie was broken,when we hord the Mutha shoot! Whey a divvent believe it, He ,s just gone and eaten the torkey giblets!! Including the parsons bliddy nose!! How am I gannin to mek the gravy the morn?? Do ye silly owld sod suppose!! She came back through, by her face wasn,t haff red! That was me signal,didn,t want to be involved with this Went away upstairs to bed!! Now this was true and it was very funny what more cud I say But I divvent knaa yet how she made her precious gravy! On that lang past Xmas day!!
Crackers!! We need some money!!! for crackers, For us lot to buy. So that's when we decided to mek us a guy!! We hunted some aad clays oot, stuffed them with hay,a turnip his heed!! Lying there in the bogey, Ye cud swear he was deed. So we wheeled him aboot,his legs hinging ower the back, He was wearing a coat, me Fatha,s aad Mac!! We med wor way up to the corner,at the end of the Raa!! A cap on the grund, to catch the pennies they thraa. We wor watching like haaks ,aboot how much went in, But after an hour, the takings were thin. There was nowt else forrit , we teld little Tom!! Howay Tommy man, get in the barra Cos your just aboot scruffy enough, to be his marra!! In the dark ye,ll be just like twins, Twice around the block, a tell ye man, we,ll hev full tins! Now we wor doing canny with this, til his Mam came oot!! Howay Tommy its bedtime a hord her shoot!! Bugga !! A thowt, the bliddy foghorn! But nivva mind marras ,there's always the morn. We went to bed, with bangers and jumpy jacks filling wor dreams. On thinkin back, Just yesterday it seems.
Wor Wise Men!! Wor wise men had been oot for the night Mind!! Come halfpast ten!! They were aal bliddy tight. Two had been to the Portland, their favourite pub, The other one had been around the corner!! At the Fellem Doon Club. At closing time they had agree,d to meet. At the top of their Raa!! But what they hadn,t reckoned on,was a fut of snaa!! Whey!! Can ye imagine? Three drunk men. Slithering and sliding aboot, as they tried to get yem. Eve単tually they reached the lamp at the top of the street. When they aal decided to give the neighbours a bit of a treat!! One of them piped up!! Aye man that's a canny idea, So how aboot verses of silent night? Yis said the other two,!! We,ll give them three or fower!! And say gudnight. So they stood under the lamp, with the snow flakes faalin. In just ower an oor, Santy wud be caalin. Surprisingly!! They soonded quite decent Considering what what they had poured doon their throats!! Which was very recent!! One was a tenor, one a baritone, And the little one at the end, he was a bass! As they stood there in the snaa,they soonded forst class. There was a canny few faces peering oot, And aal the hooses lit up one by one! Just hevvin a look, who the bliddy hell was singing that song!! These owld cheps wor detormined, to sing this Xmas in Regardless of aal the hooses, and the people within!! So a likened these aad cheps , to the three wise men, If a lived to be a hundred, Nivvor forget the sight of them!! Singing their hearts oot,under a lamp in a Colliery Raa! They looked bliddy frozzen,and covered in snaa. But after a bit they had sung themselves dry. Up piped the little one,!!we must hev been gud!! Busy wiping his sneck, cos that med is cry. Aye one of the others said in reply And that fella with the big red coat, Him that's always howkin aboot that big bliddy poke If he torns oot ivvry year , climbing doon chimneys In weather like this. A tell ye marras he,s a helluva bloke.
A Black Diamond in Northumbria Alan Dickson has a way with words in poetry and paintings of giving a full visual On how our Northumbrian miners went about their day to day life digging out of the earth as a way of living
If If just lately, you,ve been doon the road, And you,ve seen an owld chep, Seems to be looking for something ye cannit see, Tek no notice,!! I guess that's me. Been there lots of times lately, Looking for something that isn,t there Just looking for yesteryear. Daft isn,t it ? Looking for something for something ye cannit hold, For the place when young, and stories told. Of course a always wear some rose tinted glasses Thinkin back to places, faces The folk that a knew,!! The Lads and lasses. The hoose where we were fetched up in, were happy!! That is always yem. I get sad sometimes, remembering them. But it disn,t do any harm to reminisce Thinking sometimes of the place I miss. But ivvry now and again, but just sometimes!! I I get a smile on me face, When somebody mentions my boyhood place.
Brokken !!! Whey Lad if a owt in me pocket, I wud hev bowt ye a drink!! A tapped wor lass But me feelings got hort,, she said I,m a sink! Aye Harry!! a know what they,re. llke!! Tapped wor lass anaal, and she said away on your bike. Y,see Wimmin divvent understand we men like to gan oot But she likes is shopping And running aboot. A knaa she might like is better if a went to chorch .Howld on marra divvent even gan there I once tried that. But me feet wudn,t tek is ower the porch. Nivvor mind hin単y we get paid the morn We,ll be into the club And if the soddin torns no gud We,ll gan to the pub. Cheers!!
Bobs Retreat Now Bob liked his garden, Doing nowt special, just happy pottering aboot. Dressed in his cords and wellies! Wud Nivvor dream of wearing a suit. He had his bords and his duckett, The tetties and his sproots. He cud even hide his keepy backs!! Without her finding oot. In fact if he had his own way, He wud hev moved into that shed! Along with the dog, his baccy, clays and bed. It would be ideal man he thowt! no hoovering up! No hevvin to dee what she tells is!! Or weshin a bliddy cup. Cos that one across the road is a sod !! When she gets on hor high horse. And if a argee back, it always meks hor worse!! Now if she wud fetch me meals ower, And wesh is a thing or two and put them by the gate A cud shove some money through the letterbox once a week!! By that wud suit is great. But his dreams of sweet utopia were shattered!! By the voice across the road, Bob!! Leave them soddin birds alone And get yorsel back in!! Yor dinners on the cheble!! you,ve got two minutes, Or I,ll hoy it in the bin!! Whey ye bugga !! Bob thowt, That wummins got eyes in the back of her heed. When she gets in a fettle like this!! Sometimes a wished a was deed.
A bit Reflective!!! A do a lot of thinking, Just walking along me and the dog!! And a divvent give a bugga whether it's sunny , Or hoyin it doon or covered in fog. Now today I went through where a pit and the hooses Aal once stood!! The whole lots away now!! aal covered in wood. So a just stood for a minute or two, In the grass right up to me knee, Bliddy hell a thowt! Sivvinty years ago!! That little tree stànnin ower there, It cud have been me. And it took is back to one Friday!! I was just 15 and Gannin oot, And by chance had to cross the pityard!! Aal dressed up, in me ticked on Doggarts suit. And there was a group of Pitmen, who had just come oot the pit In froñt of me Just like Al Jolson!! aal pitch black. A single voice spoke oot to me. Hey wor young,n!! Are ye not ganna let on !! To your Fatha back? Said a Dorty face a didn,t recognise!! The Dorty face,that one with me Fatha,s eyes. Ànd its in me mind yet, after aal these years, They looked a sorry bunch soakin wet and Dorty Shivering with the cad!! Nee wonder a lot of wor lovely Fatha,s Got owld lang before they Ivvor got aad. These things kinda stick in the mind divvent they? When your gettin on and looking back, The forst time a seen me aad Fatha, Blue eyes sparkling at me, Looking for a word off me. His canny face aal black.
I,d like to ask ye ? If you could gan back in time! What wud you have saved? A different job perhaps, a hoose, Or simply the way you behaved. Cos a knaa there's a canny few things I wud change and wud sooner forget, A suppose that's most of us isn,t it, We look back on and regret. Àm not taakin aboot bad things,just the little things, What if a had done this or if a did that It's amazing isn,t it, when you get owlder. The wisdom it brings. The things ye wanted to say, but were tongue tied were,nt you And to scared to voice. Wudn,t think twice now wud ye? Given the the choice. A can think of one or two, who were just too hard to like!! Just wished I cud gan back again and tell them. Àm a lot braver now marra, just bugga off, Away on yor bike. But the things,,!!! And am speaking for ivvry one here! Just to be able to gan back!! To ivvry one that we held dear. Av jist come back to tell ye,s aal, and in my own way!! By man I shud hev towld ye,s aal more often, Just simply I luvved ye,s aal Each and ivvry day.
By we were aal hard up. Do ye remember back in the day? We didn,t have much did we, Aalways waiting for the weekend, and the Fridays pay. Not many of us ivva had owt in the bank!! Not many rich parents or relations to help us oot was there! And even less people to thank. Most young couples were married and stood on their own, Had to do their best, With the seeds the future had sown. Ye see most Mothers and Fatha,s were in the same boat Aalways needing the Dads pay to keep them afloat. Mind ye !! They would hev loved to help! And they wud if they cud!! But it was a canny few years later with bairns of wor aan Til I fully understud. Ivvrything seemed to revolve around a world , Where ivvry thing was bowt on the nivva nivva. Only way to buy owt, unless ye were rich, or really clivva. Simple things were frightening!! Like the light bill or a rent, Didn,t pay these ye were knackered!! Oot the cad ,oot in a tent!! We did get one or things for nowt mind and the wettor cost nowt!! Just as well , cos after paying aal the tick, We Nivvor had owt!! But somehow through aal the years, Aal of us managed to get by, Aal of us looking for better days!! Aalways searching for a bigger blue sky
Games and Things! Do you remember when ye were a kid. The games you played? The many things, I,m sure ye did!! Do ye remember aal the Lads playing cricket in the street, With the lid off a bin? Nowt unusual for your Fatha or uncle , joinining in. And aal the lassies skippin away together, doon the street, Bonny lasses,happy,nimble, Nivvor Ivvor missed a beat. The big ship sails doon the alley alley oh!! A must hev hord it a million times Even now, a can picture them singing them lines. Hidey bo seek, tiggy on high! Nee cheetin now, close yor eye!! Knocky door ginger, and postman's knock!! Did I Ivvor take part in this? Your honour,!! A hev to plead guilty from the dock And making camps and jumping the burn, Gannin yem with wor troosers aal Dorty and torn. And if we had no money for crackers to buy!! We wud shuv wor Geordie aboot in a bogey Shooting, a penny for the guy. On a fireworks night!! Hoying tetties into the fire after we had set it alight. And boiling the arse oot of blackberries in a tin can!! ower wor campfire Rowling doon the hill in a car tire. No wonder we wud be tired after a shift like this. Man!! Looking back ! Childhood bliss. Ready for bed, tired and worn, A gud nights sleep dreaming of adventures the morn.
The Train!! I,ll nivva forget me first sight, Of the Ashington ,Newbiggin Train!! Me Mother and Fatha were taking us lot for a day at the beach, The fare cudn,t hev been more than a tanner each!! To little eyes, it looked big and smokey, Heavy and fast!! By it seemed exciting, looking oot of the window! Seeing aal the places whizzin past. And when it reached Newbiggin, it stud there huffin and puffin. Grinding to a stop with a final wheeze!! If it had been a runner!! It would hev been standin there knackered, With his hands on his knees. But hevvin said aal this, for a lot of years!! It carried, lots of kids, wimmin, and bliddy big blokes!! Despite aal the owld,Ashington, Newbiggin train jokes. Ye wud see Wimmin and men away to the Toon, Mind coming back for the men, was Nivvor too soon. And what med it better!! Ye cud oppen a window and light up a tab!! Miles better than catchin the bus, or getting a cab. On a weekend, aal dressed up to gan to a dĂ nce, If you seen a bonny lass, and took your chance!! Ye cud kiss and cuddle aal the yem,in a empty carriage!! Believe me more than one of them cuddles, ended in marriage!! So when that soddin Dr Beecham closed wor station And stopped the Newcassel , Ashn,tn, Newbigg,n train!! If he had had just haff a brain He wud hev seen, he,d just made life a lot harder, for a lot of us!! Cos ye were bugga,d if you hadn,t a car, or missed the last bus. R.I.P the Ashit,n Newbigg,n train!! A hope ye didn,t.
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