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Poem/Play by W C Day of Wooler
All names of people referred to were residents
of Wooler and Alnwick
THE LOSS OF THE GOOD SHIP "WOOLERITE
Photos by Steve Thompson
Check out Steve's own websites at
http://www.stmedia.org/index.shtml
http://www.virtualgeordieland.com/index.htm
My husband Bill Donaldson is
W C (Bill) Day's nephew, his mother &
W C (Bill) Day were brother & sister and were Fruiterer's in
the North East. |
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"Noo" Listen me lads, A'll tell yer a tale.
Of a canny bit ship, that was caught in a
gale,
She was manned by a crew, that live in this
toon,
When she went on a voyage to capture the moon.
Built like a liner at Middleton Docks
She made a grand sight as she lay in the stocks,
Engined by Peacock and Walker alone,
She was like Cleopatra aseat on the Throne.
********************
The Fairn'tons and Diamond and Orracks as
"weel"
Painted her perfect, from funnel and keel,
While Cowans and Redpath, and Fairnington
too,
Made a job of woodwork, all the way through,
Heckles had boilers, Tully had stoves,
And Veevers and Ford brought pipes in the
droves.
McDougal and Smarts sent barrels of plaster
And a suit from McQeens for Freddie the Master.
Little and Glaister did all the ironwork
And a Nom-de-plume Farmer, gave two legs o'
Pork,
A carpet from Douglas, the Rector sent Hymes,
Beds from Bill Miller for resting their limbs.
They'd "ne" need for perms, "ne" ladies aboard,
They would see plenty "waves" by the time
they reached Ford.
Mrs. Young of the Ryecroft sent china
and ware
And glass from the Glendale, labelled
"WITH CARE".
********************
She loaded her stores at Middleton Quay,
Plenty of butter, sugar and tea,
The "bread" was from Bryson's, fifty bags
full,
Bacon from Bug lass and beer from the "Bull",
There was ices from Fox and more came from
the Cocks
And Neesom and Curry sent chocolate blocks,
What wi' stuff from the Glendale and boots
from the Smarts,
It seemed "ivvorybody" had opened their
hearts.
Jim Bird sent some Epsoms and Rutherford
pills,
Brand supplied books and biro refills,
Young, Newton and Tully stood up to the day
Television and wireless and records to play.
The "Angel" sent whisky, the "Lions" sent
rum
To warm the crews bellies when e'er they felt
numb,
There was more from the "Sheaf"
and "Max" from the "Anchor"
And a wallet of notes from Martin the Banker.
********************
Frank Hill obliged with wellingtons new,
Jack Smart gave a hammer, nails, and some
glue,
Holmes gave some hair oil, Dixen sent combs
And a well-to-do resident sent them some poems,
The Doctors 'aren’t' left 'oot',
they gave them a cure
For 'booze' and sea-sickness that they'd have
to endure,
There wasgroceries from Strangeways 'Taties'
from * Day's,
Craig Miller sent 'overalls' to save their
'claes'.
(* Day's
were Fruiterers in the Notheast)
Bill Close sent paraffin, Burgess sent
oil,
The Tweedside gave lino wrapped in coil.
Henderson's crackers made for a bang
Calenders from Martin, they 'cud'nt' gan wrang.
Geordie the sweep 'lent' half of his workers
To help load the ship and kennel and
porkers.
The Chartering Agents, Campbell and Sale
Gave a week's wages before they set sail.
********************
Fairn'tons of High Street, Eb Atkinson too
Made uniforms for the heads of the crew,
Little Jack Patterson 'alang' at the Bank
Gave a cheque to each one, exclusive of rank.
Husky Cliff Gallonwas nearly left 'oot'
With custard and jellies and pickled beetroot.
Transport was free by Stranghan and Smart
Redpath and Morton they all played a part.
Young Geordie Tully carved a wood sheild,
The cobblers Free Gratis, did boots soled
and heeled.
Jim Hall sent milk, honey in sections,
The telephone lasses were 'tops' with connections,
Ducks' from United, brought small Dolly mixtures
And Jim Redpath gave a free night at the pictures.
With saving ideas, came the Alnwick Trustee
Lemonade and buns from Morton's café.
Garrett and Co. gave each man a nip
And Tom Scott provided the flags for the trip.
********************
Donald the Plumber and 'all' his men 'wrowt'
For three solid weeks and did it for 'nowt'.
Th' lads at the Mart and Railway Station
Dressed up and caused an oration,
The 'Cooncil' men swept as 'nivvor' before
Wi' the scavenging waggon, full 'ti' the door.
********************
Next came the butchers wi' Beef, Lamb and
Veal
To see that the crew got a 'fower' square
meal.
Little Mop Atkinson sent calor gas
And the Cottage obliged with bottles o' Bass.
A clock from Jack Gray, some books from the
Vicar
Advising the crew to keep off strong liquor.
In fact 'ivvorybody' right 'doon' to the Vet
Made it a day, they 'wad' 'nivvor' forget.
There was tar from the gas-house to plug
any holes
And then she was bunkered with Cassidy's coals.
The 'neet' before sailing they held a big
dance
With Douglas and Smart providing the plants.
Hume sent some flowers and Bishop sent fish
For an after-dance supper, a wonderful dish.
The taxies were running right up to the dawn
With half of the crew wishing they'd 'nivvor'
been born.
********************
Jimmy Jones played the pipes,as the guests
left the ship
For tomorrow was THE day, the start of the
trip.
What wi' Hall's cigarettes and matches galore
It 'wad' take a good week to clean up the
floor.
Then dawn arrived 'wi' the sun shinin 'oot',
There was 'all' sorts o' people from miles
'roondaboot'.
Schoolmaster Pratt, wi' 'all' his assistants
Marshalled the 'bairns' 'wi' little resistance.
Manager Cairns and all of his staff
Had the day off and " that's ne chaff".
********************
"Twas a glorious day, there wasn't a 'doot'
Slater turned up with his "Roondaboot",
Cadona had stations and choice of a prize
And plenty of guns for shootin' Bulls Eyes.
There was Tellers of Fortunes, But Oh what
a price,
And Rueben did tricks with his little white
mice.
Roll Ups and Houpla stands on the bank
And then the High Diver to dive in the tank.
Shotguns wi' darts and coconut shies
And a fellow from Bedford wi' chips and hot
pies.
********************
From Alnwick and Berwick they come 'all' the
way
Ti was like a Cup Final in Wooler that day.
At ten o' clock prompt she slid 'doon' the
ways
Some 'shootin' "GOOD LUCK",
and some "HAPPY DAYS".
Tom Curle was reportin' and cameras galore
Were all takin' photos amid the uproar.
So all hands on board she made for the Till
Wi' 'thoosands I' people'on Humbleton Hill
Dancing and singing, 'bairns' waving flags
While the crew met a shower of 'baccy' and
'fags'.
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END OF PART 1
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