# 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.

## Details

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

It is, as the title suggests, a collection of songs 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

Are as below :-
| page | title | songwriter | tune | comments | Notes |
| 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-Wives' 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

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

## Russell the pedestrian

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.