BBC - Lancashire - Spooky - Lancashire's haunted pubs You are in: Lancashire > Spooky > Haunted Houses > Lancashire's haunted pubs Lancashire's haunted pubs The story of ghosts and goings-on of an old pub in Clitheroe - the Swan and Royal Hotel, told by Simon Entwistle... The county of Lancashire has some very old public houses and hotels - in fact I find tourists get very upset if certain pubs don't have any ghost stories relating to them! One such hotel has a very interesting and ghostly past, The Swan and Royal Hotel in Clitheroe. This gorgeous building dates back to 1786, and stands proudly in the centre of Clitheroe. Way back in the year 1878 the cotton workers of Lancashire went on strike and in towns such as Burnley, Colne, Blackburn and Preston, riots took place. As a direct result of this, troops were sent to all these towns. Clitheroe town council always met in the Swan and Royal, and the Mayor addressed his fellow councillors...

"Gentlemen if we have a riot in Clitheroe we cannot quell it as we have only 12 police officers." One bright councillor shouted "Sir let's contact the war department!" The war department sent them a section of troops from the 24th Regiment of Foot, under the command of 19 year old lieutenant, Darren Hutchinson, and his men were billeted in the Swan and Royal building. The same week a group of Manchester cotton workers came to the town to meet their fellow brothers through the trade union. The town alderman had all the pubs closed apart from the Swan and Royal, in the hope that the cotton workers would have no access to alcohol. But rioting started. Windows were smashed and then the Mayor stood on the steps of the Hotel and shouted the Riot Act. In five minutes they had regained full control of the town, though sadly some cotton workers lost their lives. The troops were never used again and spent the next month just patrolling the town. During this time two troopers became very friendly with two local young ladies and both couples agreed to a double wedding at St Mary's Parish Church.

Letters were sent back to the barracks, relatives were informed and two days before the double wedding was going to take place, Hutchinson received a letter informing him that his regiment was going to be sent overseas. The double wedding was cancelled and the troops left town leaving two girls heart broken. The 24th Regiment were then sent to South Africa to invade Zulu land, a disastrous campaign. Their commander Lord Chelmsford was a novice in tactics and split his Infantry from the Cavalry and on the 21st January 1879, King Catcewayo defeated the 24th Regiment at the Battle of Isandlwana. Hutchinson and his men died 16 weeks after leaving Clitheroe. Word got back to Clitheroe that both girls had lost their future husbands, and one of them, 17 year old Anne Druce, found to her horror that she was carrying a child. Her parents disowned her and she tearfully made her way to the Swan and Royal Hotel, the last place she saw her husband-to-be and she committed suicide in the room her child was conceived.

Anne's ghost has been seen on many occasions always on the top floor, duvets are pulled off the beds, windows slam shut, toilets flush by themselves, curtains close and according to the Clitheroe Advertiser and Times, an American gentleman having his breakfast in this room suddenly became aware of the sound of running water. He looked at the bedroom sink and the taps were both running... he watched in amazement as the soap left the soap dish, rotated and was then placed back in the dish. He then saw both taps turn of by themselves. Bedroom number five was the most upsetting room as guests couldn't sleep as they were constantly being woken by the sound of a baby crying. This went on year after year, with many complaints from guests. The problem was solved in 1957, when renovation took place in the Hotel's attic, and workmen came across a huge amount of Victorian newspapers, and a package wrapped up in newspaper. A thick crust of dust from many years covered the package, sheet after sheet of newspaper was removed and to the horror of the workmen the last sheet of paper revealed a baby skeleton. The newspaper was dated March 1879. Many famous people have spent a night in the Hotel.

It is said Ghandi spent a night there on his tour of the Lancashire cotton mills. For me personally the most famous man ever to enter this building was Sir Winston Churchill. He came to visit the world's first jet engine built and designed in Clitheroe by Sir Frank Whittle. Some 15 years ago the Ribble Valley had a by-election, and along with the serious candidates came the not so serious candidates in the form of Screaming Lord Sutch and a fantastic lady called Miss Whiplash. She made her headquarters in the Hotel, and although she was not elected, she proved a big hit with a lot of gentlemen! Article sent in by website user Simon Entwistle The views expressed on this page are those of the contributor and the opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the BBC. ------ Do you like local history? We're looking for articles for our new history section and want you to join in! We want features on local landmarks and Lancashire's heroes and villains! So if you've got an interest in local history, send us an article along with a picture and a bit of info about yourself!

Email the BBC Lancashire website email: lancashire@bbc.co.uk > last updated: 27/05/2008 at 15:10 created: 02/05/2008 Trouble at mill, lancashire,dialect,recipes shives - slices (shives of bread) sich - such sin - seen sirloin - as in SIRLOIN STEAK could be deemed a Lancashire Term because it was at Hoghton Towers that King James knighted the Loin of Beef. (I'd love to know what he was drinking!) sithee - behold shoines - shines shoon - shoes - a Lancashire noun plural finishing with 'n' "sin 'es arse" describing someone who is angry about something Ian Lumb from Barrow sent this one, he also mentioned "'es thrown his toys out of his pram" meaning something similar, but it might be a saying specifically used by the police, in Barrow.

side 'table - clear crockery etc after eating sken - look (Sometimes used to describe a crosseyed person "er skens" - she is crosseyed) skroikes - cries slopstone- draining board (on sink) smook - smoke smuft - narrow passage between houses(Freckleton) sneck - door catch ("Put sneck on") sneck - nose snicket - narrow passage between houses sodjur - soldier "Ah cud eyt a buttered frog"- I'm hungry "Ah'm fur clemt! Weers mi jackbit?" - I'm quite hungry. Where did I leave my packed meal? " Ah wurr cawd goin't'shops burra forgeet" "It was my intention to go to the shops but I forgot" (I was called) (TM. Leigh) "Ah'm bown't faw owt wi' thee, lad" (Quote from Tony McCormacks' Father in Law, when he caught Tony in a compromising position with daughter - Karen - before they were married) "I am bound to fall out with you young man" "'As't purrup mi snap?" - Have you prepared my sandwiches, for work?

"Bin mon bin mon?" - Probably from Wigan - "Has the Dustbin man been?" "Bread etten is soon forgetten"Said about an ungrateful person "Con'ta lend a hond mon" - "Can you please help me" "Don't stand on'th edge o't'cut, mon, th'art teed faw in"- Don't stand on the edge of the canal, my friend, you are certain to fall in "Ees fair bowlegged wi brass" - "He's very rich" "Faitin dogs come limpin whoam" -(Fighting dogs come limping home) "Don't quarrel" "It's a luvly shade o' black o'er t'mother-in-laws" It's about to rain (From T & K McCormack, collected from a chap named Brutus, who was from Leigh.) "Jow thee fat yed" - "Shut up, you always think you're right" (S Cook) "Keep yer 'and on yer haupney" Warning to young ladies "Don't let young men take liberties) (Andy G) "Mi belly thinks mi throats bin cut" - I'm very hungry "

Monny sondy greaunders" - Reference to natives of Blackpool or Southport (Sandy beaches) "Once every Preston Guild" Not strictly dialect, but a phrase that means "Not very often" (Preston Guild occurs every 20 years) "Pigs wain't follow an empty bucket" - "People will not work for nothing" " Put Th'wood in'th'ole" - (Put the wood in the hole) - "Close the door" "Stondin theer like one a' Burtons dummies" description of an idle person "Tha's bin aytin vinnigger offa knife" - a response to a sharp phrase or scolding remark "Tha's no oyl in thi' lamp" said to a 'fool' "Thick enough t'chowk a donkey" A reference to a wad of notes in a rich mans wallet.

"Tintintin"- It is not in the metal container "Mi belly thinks mi throoats cut" I am ready for something to eat "Yer weren't made at Pilks" A St Helens term for "You are obstructing my view" (Pilks - Pilkingtons Glass Works) "Wertibenfur" Where are you bound for or "wurt ti gewin" "Tha meks a betta doower than a winda" You are obstructing my view (usually the TV). "Bet tha cud eyt an appul thro a beard wire fence" My you have got big teeth "Thaz a face like a line a wet weshin" Stop sulking "Sawreetferthee" It is all right for you "Standin theer leyke cheese at fourpence" Hanging around - Having nothing better to do. "'Es spat is dummy out" He is angry (childish like tantrum).

"Tha cunt sto a pig in a ginnel" You are very bowlegged "Thes getten a face leyk a bulldog chompin a wassap" God you're ugly (" Thes geete a face leyke a bulldog likkin piss off a nettle") A1. Whose are these clogs? A2. What is the matter with you? A3. I bet that it does not work. A4. Frozen to death. (A lanky expression for being very cold). A5. It is not what it was. A6. Hold on a bit old lad. A7. Did he get it home? A8. I ought to have brought him A9. If it is yours, say so A10. Throw it into the bin A11. Is your Maggie coming? A12. It's not half right A13. Has he heard himself? A14. Because it is not yours. A15. Has he had his hair cut? A16. Do you mean the dustman? A17. Does it stop here? A18. I have his lighter. A19. She has broken her word.

A20. He has his own way. A21. He must not come in here. A22. She has her faults. A23. Let her go will you. A24. It is not always right. ABOUT THESE PAGES NB generally any Lanky dialect will be in italics The Lancashire Dialect Diary is an on-going project. I am amazed at the level of interest that it has evoked. The main contributions are coming by the way of emails from readers. CONTRIBUTIONS I obtained the basic list from a Glossary at the back of a "FOLK SONGS & BALLADS OF LANCASHIRE" + "GRADELY LANCASHIRE" (A recording by Peter Wright & Derek Stanton) If you would like to make a contribution MAIL ME! <<<CLICK I will publish your email on the sight Don't forget to to let me know how you came by the word(s), wherabouts you come from and have you any "LANKY" connections.

Thanx in anticipation Derek Stanton & Peter Wright (Gradely Lancashire) (For the inspiration) Harry & Lesley Boardman (Folk Songs & Ballads of Lancashire) Ernest Ford (Alberts Easy Teach Yourself Lancashire Dialect) ISBN 1-873873-00-x Tony & Karen McCormack (Exiles fom Leigh, now in Cheshire) Nick Wagg (Stoke on Trent) Stuart Cook (Stockport) David Lamont (Whose email points out links to Norse words) Vicki Parslow-Stafford (Now resident in Australia) Andy G (The Mayflower Folk Club) Womans Own Cookbook (1964) Ian Lumb (Barrow now in Cumbria due to local Govt. changes, but still in Lanky for the purposes of this work) Robin Arzoni N.Z.

John Lewis (Canada) Cathie Garner ex St Helens - Now South Africa Mike Hall ex Darwen (Beneath the 'ills so bleak and barren lies mucky scruffy little Darrun) Now in Australia Jason Kayley & Michelle Walsh (Now in Cornwall) Steve Driver (Clayton le Moors) Carole Wild (Blackburn) LANCASHIRE RECIPES ECCLES CAKES Shortcrust pastry, 1oz ground almonds, 4oz golden syrup, a little nutmeg, a little lemon juice, 4 oz currants, 1 oz ground coconuts. Line some patty pans with shortcrust, put in each a layer of syrup, then currants, spice, lemon juice, coconut & almonds. Cover with pastry. Roll over with the pin very gently. Bake in a moderate oven for about 30 minutes. BRAWN 1 pigs head, 1 tongue, 1 heart, a little lemon rind, cloves, mace, salt & pepper ¼ pint of vinegar. Simmer the meat very gently in a saucepan with enough water to cover. When tender, remove the bones and cut the meat into small pieces.

Return to the water, add seasoning and vinegar. boil up once and pour into a mould and leave to set in a cool place. Turn out when cold. LANCASHIRE HOTPOT 2lb mutton chops, 2lb potatoes, 8oz mushrooms, 2oz ham (or bacon), 3 sheeps kidneys, cayenne pepper & salt to season, 1lb onions, 2oz butter, ½ pint stock. Cut the kidneys, peel and slice the onions and potatoes and chop the ham. Place a layer of chops in a casserole, then kidneys, mushrooms, ham, onions and potatoes - seasoning every layer; the last layer must be potatoes. Pour over the stock and put knobs of butter on top. Cover the casserole and cook very slowly for about three hours. Take the lid off and brown the top before serving. MANCHESTER PUDDING Shortcrust pastry, 2 oz butter, 1oz castor sugar, rind of 1 lemon, jam(stoneless), 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon brandy, ½ pint milk, 2oz breadcrumbs. Boil the lemon rind in milk and pour over the breadcrumbs.

Take the rind out and beat in the egg yolks (after 5 minutes) with butter sugar and brandy. Line a pie dish with pastry and spread some jam over it. Cover with the breadcrumbs mixture and bake in a moderate oven for 45 minutes. Whip the egg-whites with some castor sugar and lay over the dish. Return to the oven for 1 minute to set. Serve cold PARKIN 1½ lb oatmeal, 8 oz brown sugar, 1lb treacle, 1 teaspoonful ground ginger, 8 oz butter, 1 teaspoonful allspice. Mix the dry ingredients. Heat treacle and butter; add to the dry mixture and leave to stand overnight. Place in a well-greased shallow baking tin and bake in a moderate onion for two hours. It is done when the parkin springs back when touched. POTTED SHRIMPS 1 pint shrimps, 1 blade ground mace, a little ground nutmeg, 4oz butter, a little cayenne pepper. Only se the freshest shrimps should be used. melt the butter, add the seasoning and shelled shrimps. Heat through gently but do not boil.

Pour into small pots and eat when cold. TRIPE AND ONIONS 1lb tripe, ½ pint water, 2 onions, ½ pint milk, a little flour, salt and pepper. Wash the tripe well, cut into square pieces and bring to the boil in water. Throw the water away and add water and milk, chopped onions, salt and pepper. Thicken with flour, after having boiled the tripe for a good three hours, by stirring in with a little milk. Bring to the boil again and serve. READERS ADDITIONS & LETTERS <<<Click IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONS/AMENDMENTS - EMAIL ME & I WILL PUT THEM HERE! Email LANCASHIRE AS WAS This page is dedicated to "FELLOW LANCASTRIANS" wherever they are. Many in foreign parts such as New Zealand, The United States of America, Canada, Denmark & Australia, have taken an interest, and made contributions to the content of these pages.

Let us also spare a thought for the people of OLDHAM, BARROW IN FURNESS, WINDERMERE, CONISTON, SOUTHPORT, WARRINGTON, ROCHDALE, MANCHESTER, LIVERPOOL, WIGAN, BURY, ST HELENS, BOOTLE, STOCKPORT ETC, who, thanks to the stroke of some bureaucrats pen, woke up, one day in 1974 to find that they now lived in such places as Merseyside, Sefton, Greater Manchester & Cumbria. To the people who read this page. THEY WILL ALWAYS BE LANCASTRIANS. This was the best example of a pre-1974 map, of the county, that I could find. If anyone has a clearer one, please scan it and send me the file. Cheers Graham READERS ADDITIONS & LETTERS <<<Click IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONS/AMENDMENTS - EMAIL ME & I WILL PUT THEM HERE!

Email Lancs Poetry What ses Lancasheer to thee Is it Blackpoo' by the sea Is it wet ond muggy days, Ships on t'Mersey through the aze, Blackpuddings on a plate in't shops, Industry as niver stops, Is it shawls or whippet dogs, Or is it just the ring o' clogs. Tha maybe thinks o' Pendle 'ill, Or weivers torning out fray t'mill, 'Appen t' Rovers or North End, Weekend when tha's brass to spend.

It's appen t'pits ond slag 'eaps grey, Shrimps ond Southport, Morcambe Bay, Or gorse, ond millstone grit ond bogs, It brings 'em back does t'ring o' clogs Th' owd windmill tall on Lytham Green, Fact'ries and th'ouses in between, Clanging trams and cobbled streets, T'Market lit wi'flares at neets, Gracie when hoo's singing "Sally", Rivington, or t'Ribble Valley, Mill lodges thick wi'newts ond frogs, Mem'ries flood back wi't ring o'clogs Brass bands on Sunda' into t'park, Cooartin'in t' lamp leet efter dark, Treats on Knucknowles, Whit processions, "Lakin", "Witchert", owd expressions, These mem'ries rise up sharp ond clear, When the sound o'clogs Ah'ear, It sweps away the mist ond fogs, Fray memory, does t'ring o clogs! ----------------------- IT DIDNT SEEM REET.

Wen a fella cum walkin deawn eawr road, Is clogs went "erclatt, erclatt." An it struck mi, as Ahd never knowed A pair oclogs tseawnd like that. Soo Ah waited wile ee getten close, Fer tsee wot wer thmatter, Clogs doant "erclatt, erclatt" tha knows Thi should guh "clatter, clatter!" Ah thowt, "Just wen as passes mi Ahll ev a look atgreawnd, Cause Ah wer fair reet wonderin Oer threason fer yon seawnd. Sos wen ee sad, "Nah then theer," Wen ee passed mi i th street, Ah looked, an does ta know Booath is clogs wer otwrong feet.

--------------------- Wherever I may wander, wherever I may roam the greening hills of Lancashire keep calling me back home I miss the moors of Rosssendale and her villages rural charms, With Rawtenstall and Haslingden held fast in beautys arms. The stalwart town of Burnley calls neath hills of East Pennine, Where the hardy race of friendly folk now taste air as sweet as wine . And up above her brackened slopes the windmills whisper and sway Like sentinels guarding the town below With arms outstretched to pray. I stand on top of Accringtons hill the Coppice, now with wooded slope. No chimneys mar the skyline No buildings grimed by smoke. Yes Hynburn now is beautiful, as I always knew she would be, With greening slopes and purpling moors Blessing Lancashires Hill Country. I dream of bustling Blackburn town, remembering Market Days When pools of lamplight gilding stalls would enchant a young childs gaze. Where Darwen Tower raised its proud head defending our heritage and the hillsides blushed with the rowans fire til the woodlands were ablaze.

Yes, no matter where I wander, wherever I may roam My own dear Lancashires Hill Country will always call me home. ----------------------------- Now for some Lancashire chatter with a translation back into English... 1.Thammun gerrit thisen. You must get it yourself.(as in find it yourself) 2.Initot? Isn/t it hot? 3.Giuzit. Ggive me it. (give it to me) 4.Gerritetten. Get it eaten. (told to eat your food)(as in children instructions) 5.Gerofit. Get off it..(leave it alone)(or step down from) 6.Supitup. Drink it up.( consume your drink) 7.Azzee getniteer? Did he get it here?(buying or finding something) 8.Eez gooinwom. He is going home. 9.Ast getnit reet? Have you got it right?( as in understanding) 10.Isit thi mam? Is it(she, this, her,) your mother. 11.Purrimineer.

Put him in here.(ie:-animal to kennal) 12.Eessezitintis burra berritis. He says it isnt hes but it is. 13.Thalaft gerra newun. You will have to get a new one.(replace an old object) 14.Lerrus gerrus answasht. Lets wash our hands or Let us get our hands washed. 15.Summonusul afert gerrof. Some of us will have to get off. (ie:- off the bus) 16.Wi afert gerrus imbooks. We have to get our Hymn Books.(in church) 17.Thamun gerrit lernt. You must get it learned or you must learn it.(as in advised) 18.Shut thigob. Shut your mouth.(as a threat) 19.Owzeenow? How is he now? (as in health enquiry) 20.Buzztop. Bus stop. 21.Aberitinterz. Ah! But it is not hers. 22.Nethen warartdooin? Now then, what are you doing?

23.Ast seenim ont elly? I have seen him on the television. 24.Les gutert pitchers. Lets go to the pictures (cinema). 25.Ast gorratanner? Have you got sixpence?(tanner meaning pre decimal coin of six pennies value) 26.Eenose nowt abartit. He knows nothing about it. (does not realize what he is talking about) 27.Eez gooint gerrit. He is going to get it. (ie:- he is asking for trouble) 28.Lerrer gerontbuzz. Let her get onto the bus. 29.Ee sez ee antadit. He says that he has not had it. 30.Atowdim buree wuntlissen. I told him but he would not listen. 31.Lerrim purrizaton. Let him put his hat on. 32.Eez goriz awom. He has got hes (his) at home. 33.Thakon if tha wants. You can if you want (to do). 34.Thawantsta weshthi eeroleht.

You should wash your ear holes out.( ie:-you should listen, take notice) 35.Izeeonneeturn? Is he on (the) night turn. (is he working nights) 36.Thisulpurrers onthichest. This will put hair on your chest. (this will make you stronger.Into a man.) 37.Weevegorracar We have got a car. (as bragging) 38.Eez nowt burrababi. He is nothing but a baby. (as in acting childish) 39.Tha luks owder barteeth. You look older without (your) teeth. 40.Sithitneet. I will see you tonight. 41.Tint init. It is not in it. (not in there)(trying to find something inside something else) 42.Artawreet? Are you alright?(greeting or enquiry) 43.Worart onabehtall?( Wats tha onabate?) What are you on about (talking about) 44.Eegetten(eegeet) runnoar. He got run over (knocked down by a vehicle) 45.Wellal guttat futovarr sturs.

Well! I will go to the foot of our stairs. (very suprised)(flabbergasted) 46.Nah, dust see yon ace oer theer? Now, do you see that house over there? 47.Nah, Thunder Monager lives theer. Now, the Under Manager lives there. Insulting abusive remarks at their best Th'art as much use as a one-legged mon at an arse-kicking contest. You aren't much use at all! Dust want a leather 'n' timber kiss? (How do you fancy a kick from my clog?) Ah'll tek a bit o' thi wom (home) in me pocket. (There'll be bits of you missing when I've finished!) Thaz a face lahk a constipated bloodhound! (Smile, please.) If tha'd hafe a brain, tha'd be an ape. (You are somewhat deficient in grey matter.) Th'art purrin' (putting thi yed in a dog kennel! (Don't mess about with me or you'll get in trouble.) Tha favvers tha's bin punched gether.

(You look slightly deformed.) Tha skens (squints) enoof ter crack a lookin'-glass. Tha skens enoof ter upset an 'orse an' cart. Tha skens lahk a basket o' whelks. ( Unkind remarks to one with cross-eyes.) Ah'll gi thi some clog toe pie. (Not an invitation to dinner- this is an offer to give you a good kicking.) Thaz a nose lahk a blind cobbler's thumb! (Your nose is a funny shape!) Th'art nor 'avvin' me on a butty. (Don't try it on with me.) Ah'll snatch thi breath! (I'll kill you!) Ah'll tek it eawt thi ribs! (Pay what you owe me or I'll have the satisfaction of giving you a good hiding!) Art tawkin' ter me or chewin' a brick?

(You are conversing rather indistinctly.) ----------------------- Wherever I may wander, wherever I may roam the greening hills of Lancashire keep calling me back home I miss the moors of Rosssendale and her villages rural charms, With Rawtenstall and Haslingden held fast in beautys arms. The stalwart town of Burnley calls neath hills of East Pennine, Where the hardy race of friendly folk now taste air as sweet as wine . And up above her brackened slopes the windmills whisper and sway Like sentinels guarding the town below With arms outstretched to pray. I stand on top of Accringtons hill the Coppice, now with wooded slope. No chimneys mar the skyline No buildings grimed by smoke. Yes Hynburn now is beautiful, as I always knew she would be, With greening slopes and purpling moors Blessing Lancashires Hill Country. I dream of bustling Blackburn town, remembering Market Days When pools of lamplight gilding stalls would enchant a young childs gaze.

Where Darwen Tower raised its proud head defending our heritage and the hillsides blushed with the rowans fire til the woodlands were ablaze. Yes, no matter where I wander, wherever I may roam My own dear Lancashires Hill Country will always call me home. ----------------------------- This came from the St Helens Star Newspaper Sept 2000 IF you have a broad Northern twang, then be proud of it! For it contains the sort of terms that would have been familiar to Chaucer and Shakespeare . . . though, of course, radio and television have now all but wiped out traditional Lanky-speak. I was reminded of just how much has been lost while debating the decline of flat vowel and the unique Northern vocabulary with my old chum Kevin Heneghan, a dedicated delver into such matters. Some customers of this creaky column, might themselves remember humorous anecdotes that typify the Lancastrian character. Anyway, here are a few examples dredged up by Kevin and yours truly, for starters. For instance, what was the doctor from overseas to make of `Ah've getten t'ballywarch' when the patient meant `I have a pain in my abdomen'?

Then there's `Ee, Ah'm powfagged'; for `My brain is weary.' Pow, of course, is a corruption of poll, as in `Ah'm off fer a pow!' (meaning a haircut). And how about, `Owd mon, sirrah , Ah'm clemmed t'dee-uth' for `Old friend, sorry, I am starving to death.' A particular gem is: `Sithee at yond little beggar. His ganzey's bawtered wi' nast.' Properly interpreted this means: `Look at that little boy.

His Guernsey pullover is covered with dirt.' The same little boy, being sent on an errand by his mother, might have been told, `Hie thissen or Ah'st byet thee wi' t' brush-steel,' for `Hurry up, or I'll hit you with the brush-handle.' Kevin's particular favourite, however, is `Umbethowt me as, it's time he were gerrin' wom.' Meaning `I thought to myself, that it's time he was coming home.' He found an echo of that in a treatise on the Ten Commandments by Richard Rolle, a hermit of Hampole near Doncaster, who lived from about 1290 to 1349. This went: "The thirde Comandement es, `Umbethynke thee that thou hallow thy holyday.'"By this he meant "The third Commandment is `Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day.'" But let us press on. How about `His missus con o'erfawse him anytime,' instead of `His wife can outwit him anytime.' This was not always true!

Decades ago a Haydock man suspected that when he went to the pub his flighty wife went about her own affairs. His solution was to take her into the backyard and wind her hair into the mangle. His grim warning was `Tha con stop theer till Ah cum wom.' I bet that attempt at wife-controlling would go down a treat with today's politically correct battalions! No doubt the prisoner of the mangle would have later told her friends: `It weren't jannock!' This translates as `It was unfair (dishonest).' And the friends might have muttered among themselves: `Yond mon's not getten aw his cheers awom.' By this they meant `That man is two sandwiches short of a picnic.' 'not playing with a full deck of cards' 'a couple of bob short of a quid'. 'lost his marbles'. Another favourite old-time term is skrike, meaning cry. In bygone days, a popular venue for settling fights was Banks's Field, behind the Ship Inn at Blackbrook. One contestant, his face as bloody as a butcher's apron, was so small that he had to stand on a mound to reach his opponent.

A bystander shouted: "Hey, Tommy, Ah reckon tha'rt skrikin." This brought the reply: "Happen Ah am skrikin', but Ah'm not skrikin' feart, Ah'm skrikin' nowt (angry)." Did that fight start after the customary warning, `Howd thi noise or Ah'st rattle thi tash.' (`Be quiet or I shall thump you in the face.') It was a well-worn threat in times when moustaches, better known as tashes, were the rule rather than the exception among the Northern menfolk. Another expression recalled by Kevin is `Tha'rt a cropey beggar. Tha' wants talkin' abaht.' (`You have more than your share of good luck. It deserves critical comment.') And he remembers that some old people in his pre-war youth would observe, `Ah'st be awreet if Ah con ger up May brew (brow).' The month of May was regarded as the most difficult one of the year to negotiate. Likewise, when the road underground was steer (steep), some colliers used a brew-stick -- a short stick to help them up the slope.

Each, of course, carried a tin on his belt to hold his `baggin', `snap', `tommy', or `jack-bit.' All of them terms for the snack that helped him through the shift. Kevin tells me: "Once, when an old friend, the late Syd Webster, arranged a visit to Ravenhead Colliery, I noticed a board on which output was marked. So much yield by Snap (mid-shift break) and so much by Cob, short for cobbler and the last of the day. It was also of a collier that I heard say: `He scrat for 'em aw a bit.' By this he meant that he had worked hard to provide for his family." Another old mining expression, `If thi feyther finds out, tha'll think thi coal's come and been kecked (tipped) at t'wrung door,' was a reference to the days when a miner's concessionary coal was delivered unbagged and tipped outside his door. Taking it in by the bucketful was a tedious task, made worse if it was delivered by mistake a few doors away.

It was a common sight once to see miners who were `playing them' (having a shift off work) `carring' (cowering) down at a street corner -- adopting a squatting position that was only possible for those who had spent years underground. Just try it, if you want to do your hamstrings a mischief! I enjoyed Kevin's story of a Haydock man who, some years ago, worked for the Corporation. One day he arrived at work, to be told by the foreman: "Thi mate's gone to Clock Face. Tha'll hetfot goo to Moss Bank." This brought the angry response: "Not so much o'thy hetfot. It's willta?" Some expressions were especially colourful. How about `Aye, he's thin, awreet. If he sups pea-soup they think he's getten t'mumps.' Still on the soup image, `Eawr Sal's as daft as a brush.

If it were rainin' soup hoo'd run ate wi' a fork.' Years ago, a youth whose parents kept a pub in Billinge, greeted an old customer with, `Nah then, Jem, how are ta?' The old man was so angry that he complained to the youth's father. Young people were expected to properly address their elders as `yo' (you) instead of the familiar `ta' (thou). This custom probably went back to Norman times, as the French have a verb for such familiarity, tutoyer, to address as thee and thou instead of as you. WELL, there's a basinful of owd expressions to be going on with. Can any readers provide a few more? ------------------------------ A visit to Aunties house We went t' visit Auntie, me Mam 'n' Dad 'n' me. Cos she'd just 'ad a baby, an' invited us for tea. Aunties 'ouse were really posh, wi carpets on the floor. She even 'ad a cloakroom, not a nail banged in the door.

"Hello young man." She said t' me, "my look how much you've grown." Then she put a shillin' in me 'and an said. "Welcome to my home."

Question: In Lancashire someone is ‘skrikin’ – what are they doing?
Answer: Crying