page_title: Joe Wilson (Geordie singer)
section_title: Biography
hierarchical_section_title: Joe Wilson (Geordie singer) / Biography
caption_attribution_description: English: Commercial Hotel, Winlaton The Commercial Hotel, Commercial Street, Winlaton, Blaydon on Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE21 5QX. My grandfather was the publican here during the 1920s. At that time the pub had an upstairs gym.
context_page_description: Joe Wilson was a Tyneside concert hall songwriter and performer in the mid-19th century. His most famous song is "Keep yor feet still Geordie hinny". He was a contemporary of George "Geordie" Ridley. He wrote and sang in the Geordie dialect of Newcastle upon Tyne, his native speech.
context_section_description: Joseph "Joe" Wilson was born just before his twin brother, Tom, in Stowell Street, Newcastle upon Tyne. His father was a cabinet-maker, his mother a bonnet-maker. He enjoyed singing from an early age and had a fine treble voice, which led to his becoming a choir boy at All Saints' Church.
  At age 14, he went to work as an apprentice printer with Howe Brothers of Gateshead.  He started writing songs as a hobby, and by age 17 published his first book, managing to publish and distribute it independently. He later arranged for the printing to be done at Howe Brothers.
  Wilson started performing professionally in 1864 and became a regular at the Wheat Sheaf  in the Cloth Market.  He later moved to the newer, larger Tyne Concert Hall. He then toured the North of England, selling his home-produced song-books like most artists of the day (for a halfpenny each).
  He married in 1869, and two years later tried settling down to a less itinerant lifestyle.  In 1871 he became publican of the Adelaide Inn on New Bridge Street, Newcastle. He was a publican for about a year, then he went back on the road, singing and writing.  His act now included many "teetotal" songs, as he had taken the pledge.
  His health failed when he contracted tuberculosis, as his father had. A friend and colleague Rowly Harrison, publican of The Commercial in Winlaton, allowed Wilson to stay with him, as his pub was at a higher elevation, and therefore thought to have cleaner, more bracing air.
  Joe Wilson died of tuberculosis in Railway Street, Newcastle, survived by his wife and three young children. He was buried in the Jesmond Old Cemetery where a monument marking his grave was erected sometime afterward. The inscription on the monument is in his own words: "It's been me aim t'hev a place i'th' hearts o' the Tyneside people, wi' writin' bits o'hyemly sangs aw think they'll sing."
caption: Commercial Hotel, Winlaton
exif: {}