Matthew Tate
Early life. Matthew Tate was born on 5 September 1837 in Benton Square, Benton, Newcastle. His family were miners as were many of their antecedents. He began writing seriously in 1854 when only 17 years old and in c1874 published his first book of poetry, followed later by "Poems, Songs and Ballads by Matthew Tate". He was also a contributor to the arts sections of the local newspapers and periodicals. He lived all his life in Northumberland. He lived in Waterloo, Blyth for many years. Works. These include :- A book of 184 pages entitled "Poems, songs and ballads  by Matthew Tate" published 1898 and printed by Alder & Co., Ridley Street, Blyth. This book begins with a story of conditions in the mines and also contained "The Hartley Pit Disaster." Notes. An old mining tradition was for the horn of a tup (a male sheep, a ram) to be sent to the surface with every twentieth waggon of coal, as a way of counting the loads. A further tradition was that the last corve or corf (being a basket, tub, waggon or other container full) to be taken to the surface ion the last day of the year, also  called "the tup" involved great ceremony. The young boys working underground would light candles and after the tup’s horn had been affixed to the top of the coalk, the load was "buss’d" or "drest" when the lads placed their candles into the coal. The whole lighted tup was then, on instruction from the onsetter of "send away" would be raised to the surface. The word "tyup" in the song refers to this last corve. Long before this song was written, This tradition had all but died out around the middle of 19th century, and would have been a thing  of the past long before this song was written See also. Geordie dialect words Allan's Illustrated Edition of Tyneside Songs and Readings