The Tyne Songster (W & T Fordyce, 1840)

The Tyne Songster is a chapbook style songbook, giving the lyrics of local, now historical songs, with a few bits of other information. It was published by W. & T. Fordyce of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1840.[1]

The Tyne Songster
AuthorW & T Fordyce
LanguageEnglish (Geordie dialect)
GenreChapbook
PublisherW & T Fordyce
Publication date
1840
Publication placeUnited Kingdom
Media typePrint
Pagesapprox. 340 pages

Details

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The Tyne Songster (full title – "The Tyne Songster – A Choice Selection of Songs in the Newcastle Dialect – "No pompous strains, nor labour'd lines are here, But genuine mirth and sportive wit appear; Northumbria's genius, in her simple rhymes; Shall live an emblem to succeeding times – Newcastle: – Printed and sold by W & T Fordyce – 1840) is a chapbook style book of Geordie folk songs consisting of approximately 225 song lyrics on over 300 pages, published in 1840.

The publication

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It is, as the title suggests, a collection of songs[2] which would have been popular, or topical, at the date of publication. There is very little in the way of biographies of any of the writers or histories of the events.

The front cover of the book was as thus :-

THE
TYNE SONGSTER
A CHOICE SELECTION OF:
SONGS
IN THE
Newcastle Dialect
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
"No pompous strains, nor labour'd lines are here,
But genuine mirth and sportive wit appear;
Northumbria's genius, in her simple rhymes;
Shall live an emblem to succeeding times
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
Newcastle:
PRINTED AND SOLD BY W. & T. FORDYCE
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
1840

Contents

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Are as below :-

page title songwriter tune comments Notes Ref
v Contents (pages "v" to "x")
5 Canny Newcassel T Thompson
7 Quayside Shaver (The) Wm Stephenson
9 Jenny Hoolet (The) (or Lizzie Mudie's Ghost Armstrong usually called "The Jenny Howlet"
10 Glister (The) Armstrong
11 Eagle Steam Packet (The) Wm Midford
12 Jemmy Joneson's Whurry T Thompson
14 Skipper's Wedding (The) W Stephenson
16 Amphitrite (The) R Gilchrist
17 My Lord 'Size John Shield
19 Cappy (or The Pitman's Dog) Wm Midford
21 Pitman's Courtship (The) Wm Midford
23 Baboon (The) Armstrong
23 Billy Oliver's Ramble (Between Benwell and Newcastle)
25 Parody on Billy Oliver's Ramble (A)
26 X. Y. Z. At Newcastle Races, 1814 (or Pitmen's Luck) Wm Midford
28 Newcastle Fair (or The Pitman Drinking Jackey)
30 Little Pee Dee (The)
31 Tyne Cossacks (The) Wm Midford
33 Pitman's Revenge (The) (Against Buonaparte) Shield – attributed erroneously Actually written by George Cameron
35 Bob Cranky's 'Size Sunday John Selkirk
37 Bob Cranky's 'Leum'nation Neet John Shield
39 Pitman's Skellyscope (The) Wm Midford
40 Bonny Keel Laddie (The)
41 Maw Canny Hinny
42 Bob Cranky's Account W Midford
45 Bob Cranky's Adieu John Shield
46 Mayor of Bourdeaux (The) ( or Mally's Mistake) Wm Midford
48 Swalwell Hopping Selkirk
50 Winlaton Hopping John Leonard actually spelt in the index "John Lennard"
52 Sandgate Girl's' Lamentation (The)
53 Collier's Rant (The)
54 (Weel May) The Keel Row
55 New Keel Row (The) T Thompson
56 Sandhill monkey (The)
58 Skipper's Dream (The) T Moor
59 Skipper's Account of the Orange-Men's Procession (The)
60 Politicians (The)
62 Till The Tide Came In H Robson
62 Sandgate Lassie's Lament (The) R Emery
63 Hydrophobie (or The Skipper and Quaker) R Emery
64 Keelman and the Grindstone (The) Armstrong
65 Newcastle Wonders (or Hackney Coach Customers) R Emery
66 Quayside Ditty (for February 1816)
69 Shields Soliloquy (A)
70 Green Wive's Lamentation (The)
71 Petition (A) (From the Women of the Vegetable Market to the Mayor of Newcastle)
71 Fish-Wives' Complaint (The) (on Their Removal from Sandhill to the New Fish Market on 2 January 1826) R Emery
72 Sunderland Jammy's Lamentation (December 1831)
73 Cobbler O' Morpeth (The) (Cholera Morbus) John McLellan Bow Wow Fr-Tune1
75 Canny Sheels John Morrison
76 Permanent Yeast John Morrison
77 Pitman's Ramble (The) (or Newcastle Finery)
79 Coaly Tyne
81 Newcassel Races W Watson
82 Quack Doctors (The)
84 Peggy's Leg H. R.
85 Bonny Keel Laddie
85 Tyne (The) John Gibson
86 Nanny of the Tyne Gibson
87 Bonny Gyetsiders (The) J Shield Bob Cranky
89 Water of Tyne (The)
89 Newcastle Signs (The) Cecil Pitt Sung at the Theatre-Royal, Newcastle by Mr Scriven, 4 June 1806
91 Wonderful Gutter (The) Wm Midford
92 Local Militia-Man (The) Wm Midford Madam Fag's Gala
94 Masquerade at Newcastle Theatre (or The Pitman Turned Critic) Wm Midford
96 Nancy Wilkinson H Robson
97 Green's Balloon Barbara Bell
99 Newgate Street Petition (The) (To Mr Mayor)
101 Burdon's Address To His Cavalry (A Parody) Jas Morrison
102 Collier's Keek at the Nation (The) R Gilchrist
104 Blind Willie Singing R Gilchrist
105 Bold Archy & Blind Willie's Lament (On The Death of Captain Starkey) R Gilchrist
107 Voyage To Lunnin (A) R Gilchrist
110 Newcassel Props (The) Oliver
111 Newcassel Wonders
112 Tim Tunbelly Oliver Canny Newcassel
114 Keel Row (The) T Thompson
115 Barber's News (The) (or Shields in an Uproar) J Shield
119 Bonassus (The) Oliver Jemmy Joneson's Whurry
120 Shield's Chain Bridge (Humorously Described by a Pitman) Oliver note archaic spelling of Humorously
122 Colliers' Pay Week (The) Henry Robson
128 Tyne (The) Henry Robson Written in 1807
129 Spring (The) Henry Robson Written early in May 1809
129 Parson Malthus H Robson Ranting Roaring Willie Written in 1826 (not in index)
131 Peter Waggy Henry Robson Written in 1826
132 Bessy of Blyth (A Virtuous Woman is More Precious Than Rubies) H Robson Written in 1826
132 Kelvin Grove – The Lassie's Answer Henry Robson Written in 1827
133 Peter Watson (To Mr) – (Who lays powerful bats on the knaves with fire-shovel hats on) Henry Robson Written in 1824
133 a mention of Peter Watson Opposed the claims of the Government Clergy for the Easter Dues or "Clerical Tax"
135 Newcastle Subscription Mill (The) H Robson Newcastle Ale 1814
136 Lizzie Liberty Henry Robson Tibby Fowler i' the Glen
137 New Fish Marret (The) William Midford Scot's Come O'er The Border Fish Market
138 New Year's Carol (A) (For the Fishwives of Newcastle) M Ross Chevy Chase
139 Jesmond Mill Phill "Primrose" Hodgson also "Phill" and "Primrose"
140 Tommy Thompson Robert Gilchrist a tribute to T.T.
140 Farewell to the Tyne Robert Gilchrist
141 Northumberland Free O' Newcastle Robert Gilchrist On the Duke of Northumberland being given the freedom of Newcastle
142 Dutchess And Mayoress (The) Written in Sept 1819
144 Newcastle Assizes (Dutchess verses Mayoress) (or A Struggle For Precedence)
146 Coal Trade (The)
148 Tom Carr And Waller Watson (or Tom And Jerry at Home) Oliver There Was A Bold Dragoon
150 Johhny Sc-tt And Tommy C-rr – A Dialogue
151 Tommy C-rr in Limbo Oliver Scots Wha Ha'e
152 Kitty Port Admiral at the Bench (The) (or Dogberry in the Suds) The Opera Hat
153 Owl (The) R Emery X. Y. Z. Written Feb 1826
155 Lovely Delia Sleeping Maggie
156 Pandon Dene The Banks O' Doon
157 Newcastle Hackneys (The)
158 Newcastle Hackney Coaches Oliver The Bold Dragoon
159 Newcastle Improvements R. Charlton Canny Newcassel
160 Come Up to the Scratch (or The Pitman Haggish'd) R Emery Calder Fair
162 Piman's Dream (The) (or A Description of the North Pole) R Emery Newcastle Fair
164 Piman's Dream (The) (or His Description of the Kitchen) R Emery Hell's Kitchen
166 Famed Filly Fair (or A Peep into Pilgrim Street)
168 T—lly's Best Blood (A North Shields Song) Written in 1820
168 Newcastle Noodles (The) James Morrison
170 British Justice (or Newcastle Privy Court)
172 Misfortunes of Roger & His Wife (The) J. B. Calder Fair This could be Joshua L. Bagnall
173 Newcastle Theatre in an Uproar
175 Farewell Archy Chapter of Donkeys Written in 1820
176 Sir Tommy Made An Odd Fellow R Gilchrist
178 Wreckenton Hiring
180 On Russel The Pedestrian Russell the pedestrian
180 Short bio George Wilson Blackheath Pedestrian
180 Short bio John Simpson Cumberland Pedestrian
181 On Simpson The Pedestrian's Failure Barbary Bell
182 Victory (The) (or The Captain Done Over) O The Golden Days of Good Queen Bess
184 Alarm (The) (or Lord Fauconburg's March) Chevy Chase
185 a mention of The Shields riots of 1793
186 Half-Drowned Skippy (The) Chapter of Donkeys
187 Newcastle Worthies (The) Wm Armstrong We've Aye Been Provided For
189 PART II Humanum Est Errare
189 Old Nick's Visit To H---'s Kitchen The King of The Cannibal Islands
191 PART III On George the Fourth's Coronation
191 Invitation to the Mansion House Dinner Armstrong Scot's Wha Ha'e Wi' Wallace Bled (In honour of the Coronation)
191 Newcastle Swineherd's Proclamation (The) (not in index)
193 Golden Horns (The) (or The General Invitation)
194 Loyal Festivities (or Novel Scenes in Newcastle) Sung by the "Swinish Multitude" in full chorus on Thursday 19 July 1821
196 Picture of Newcastle (or George the Fourth's Coronation) William Midford Arthur McBride
198 Newcastle in an Uproar (or George the Fourth's Coronation) W Midford Come Under My Plaidie
201 Coronation Day at Newcastle
203 Coronation Thursday – 19 July 1821 W Midford The Third Epistle From Bob Fudge to his cousin Bob in the country
203 a mention of The 1st and 2nd Epistles
209 PART IV Continuation of general songs
209 Bob Fudge's Postscript (to his account of the Great Town Moor Meeting Mon 11 Oct 1819)
210 Blind Willy's Flight R Emery Betsey Baker
211 New Markets (The) Oliver Canny Newcastle
212 Changes on the Tyne (The) Mitford Galloway
216 PART V On The Attempt To Remove The Custom House From Newcastle To Shields in 1816
216 Custom House Branch (The)
217 Custom House Tree, &c (The) The Quayside Shaver
218 Custom House Branch (The) Yo Heave O
221 PART VI Continuation of general songs
221 Mechanic's Procession (The) (or A Trip To South Shields) R Emery The Bold Dragoon
223 Gipsy's Song (A) H Robson
224 The piper, Sandy Brown (correct title unknown) – Extract from unknown Extract from a poem appearing in a Kelso newspaper c1795
225 Verses Written for the Burns Club H Robson Held at Mr Wallace's "Nags Head", Newcastle Jan 1817
227 Parody Written on Hearing A Report That The Newcastle And Northumberland Yeomanry Cavalry Were To Be Disbanded (A) William Greig The Soldiers Tear
228 Thomas Whittell, His Humorous Letter To Good Master Moody, Razor Setter
229 Natural Philosopher (The) (or The Downfall of Learned Humbugs) Canny Newcassel
230 Gateshead Rads (The) to an old tune
232 Election Day (The) W Watson There's One Luck About The House
233 Mary Drew The late Thomas Houston
233 Short bio The late Thomas Houston
235 Opening of the New Markets
236 New Markets (The) (or Newcastle Improvements) Midford
238 More Innovations R Gilchrist
239 Humble Petition of the Old House in Shieldfields (The) – To John Clayton Esq R Gilchrist
241 Euphy's Coronation Thomas Marshall Arthur McBride
243 Sandgate Wife's Nurse Song Nunn A Sailor's Wife Has Nought To Dee
244 Bold Jack of the Journal H. R. Newcastle Sept 1836
244 Steam Soup (or Cuckoo Jack's Petition) R Emery X. Y. Z.
246 Sandgate Lass on the Ropery Bank (The) Nunn The Skipper's Wedding
247 Old And Curious Song (An) (On The Late Mr R Clayton Being Made An Alderman) Mr James Davison The Vicar And Moses
249 Short bio Mr James Davison
249 Newcastle Landlords 1834 W Watson
252 New Song For Barge-Day 1835 (A) Robert Gilchrist Sung on board of the Steward's Steam-boat
254 St. Nicholas' Church Nunn
256 Paganini The Fiddler (or The Pitman's Frolic) R Emery The Kebbuckstane Wedding
257 Oyster-Wife's Petition (The) (or The Removal of the Oyster-Tub From The Quay) R Emery The Bold Dragoon
259 Broom Busoms
259 Extra verses to the last song Written by Blind Willie Blind Willie
260 Thumping Luck W Watson Gang Nae Mair To Yon Town
261 Dance To Thy Daddy W Watson The Little Fishy
263 Friar and the Nun (The) A midnight colloquy of the Nun's Field
264 St. Nicholas' Great Bell
265 Lukey's Dream Caller Fair
267 Jocker Nunn O? Gin I Had Her
269 Corn Market (The) – A Lament The Bold Dragoon
271 Skipper's Account of the Mechanic's Procession (The) R Emery (R Emery of the Nelson Lodge, Newcastle)
272 Drucken Bella Roy O Duncan McCallaghan
274 Bonny Clock Fyece (The) The Coal-Hole
275 Music Hall (The)
277 Tyne (The) Joe Wilson Banks and Braes O' Bonny Doon
278 Newcastle Old Country Gentleman (The) Old Country Gentleman
278 Unnamed song about the Tyne The Keel Row (not in index)
279 Walker Pits Off She Goes
280 Beggar's Wedding Quayside Shaver
281 Do Li A Sung in Newcastle about 1792-3-4
281 South Shields Song (A)
282 North Shields Song (A)
282 Commit No Nonsense
283 New Nursery rhyme (A)
285 Cookson's Alkali
286 Pitman's Ramble (The) R Emery The Kebbuckstane Wedding
288 Worthy Rector (The) (Sung at a Farewell Dinner Given By His Parishioners)
290 Battle of Spitaloo
291 Battle on the Shields Railway (Between A Town Councillor and an Architect and the Pollis) Cappy's The Dog
294 Blind Willie's Death Jemmy Joneson's Whurry Died 26 July 1832
296 Geordy's Disaster (not in index)
297 Jossy's Nag's Head A Rampant Lion Is My Sign
299 April Gowk (The) (or The Lover's Alarmed) Jenny Choak'd The Bairn referred to as "A Castle-Garth Ditty"
301 Skipper's Mistake (The) Armstrong A Chapter of Accidents
303 Newcastle Beer versus Spaw Water (or The Pitman And Temperance Society) R Emery Mr Frost
304 Pitman's Pay (The) (or A Night's Discharge To Care) Thomas Wilson
316 Newcastle Blunderbuss (The) (or Travelling Extraordinary) R Emery Calder Fair
317 Pitman's Visit To Newcastle on Valentine's Day (A) Newcastle Fair
319 Skipper in the Mist (The) Armstrong Derry Down
321 Miraculous Well (The) (or Newcastle Spaw Water) R Emery Rory O' More
321 a mention of The alleged spring in Sandyford Dene
322 Skipper's Fright (The) "J. N." – but Index attributes it to "Bailey" Skipper Carr And Marky Dunn
324 Sandgate Pant (or Jane Jemieson's Ghost) R Emery I'd Be A Butterfly
325 Birthday of Queen Victoria (The) R Gilchrist intended to be sung on Ascension Day 24 May 1838
326 Donocht Head The late George Pickering of Newcastle
327 Herbage Committee (The) R Gilchrist The 'Jewel' of a committee
328 Bear Club (The) R Gilchrist
329 Lass of Wincomblee (The) Nae Luck About The House
330 Death of Bold Archy (On The) R Gilchrist
331 Blind Willie's Epitaph R Gilchrist
332 Acrostic _ on the Death of Blind Willie R Emery
332 short bio Blind Willie


John Simpson the pedestrian

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John Simpson (lived c.1822) the pedestrian was a Cumbrian competitive walker/athlete.

Simpson was a Cumbrian character who was referenced in The Tyne Songster published in 1840, in the song "On Russell The Pedestrian". While not written in a Geordie dialect, it has a strong Northern connection. The notes to the song mention that Russell walked 101 miles in 23 hours, 56 minutes and 30 seconds on 25 and 26 June 1822 on Newcastle Racecourse.[3]

On Whit Monday, and again on 29 and 30 July 1822, Simpson[4] attempted to walk 96 miles, but failed in both attempts.

Russell the pedestrian

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Russell the pedestrian, who (lived c1822) was a Newcastle character who was mentioned on page 180 by W & T Fordyce (publishers) in The Tyne Songster published in 1840, in the song "On Russell The Pedestrian" written in his honour. It is not written in a Geordie dialect, but has a strong Northern connection.

The song is a tribute to Mr Russell who walked 101 miles in 23 hours, 56 minutes and 30 seconds on 25 and 26 June 1822 on Newcastle Racecourse.

Notes

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Fr-Tune1 – according to J. P. Robson's Songs of the Bards of the Tyne (Newcastle: France,[1849]) the tune is "Bow Wow".

See also

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Geordie dialect words
W & T Fordyce (publishers)

References

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  1. ^ Songster, Tyne (1840). Fordyce's "Tyne Songster".
  2. ^ "Wor Geordie Songwriters".
  3. ^ The Tyne Songster by W & T Fordyce 1840. p. 180
  4. ^ Songster, Tyne (1840). The Tyne Songster by W & T Fordyce 1840. p. 181.
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