The Pitman's Social Neet
Last updated: 17.12.19
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Printed: 2010 Author: Alexander Barrass
Publisher: The British Library ISBN:  
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Paperback 110 pages.
This is a facsimile of a volume of over eighty pages printed in 1897 by J. Dent at the Derwent Press, Victoria Street, Consett. The original had 96 pages.
The first 64 pages are used to tell the story in song of a night out and is written in a fine Geordie.The remaining pages given over to poetry humorous and sentimental.
Personal remarks:
This is a fascinating work for the modern (2013) reader as it is a fine example of Geordie poetry and gives a valuable insight into the mining community in the 19th century.
The songs contained include:
  • Yor turn'll surely come moralising- about belief in the future
  • Geordie's reminiscences - reflecting on a lifetime in mining
  • Sarah - An overprotective mother and her daughter's successful marriage
  • The Driver - The early years of pitmen, from trapdoor to pony work
  • The Pitman's Dream - At the end of a week of night-shift, Geordie goes to bed and dreams he is killed by a roof collapses at the pit. He is woken by a friend who tells him of his winning bet on the dogs. They both celebrate over a drink or two.
  • The Church Wi' the Lantern Toor - about St. Nicholas Cathedral in Newcastle City Centre
  • The Putter Often a young lad whose job it was to push the (often too heavily) loaded wagons from the face to the shaft - one of the harshest jobs in the pit.
  • The Hewer - The miner who worked at the face, hewing coal, and then loading it. Another dirty, dangerous and extremely physically demanding job.
  • The set rider - The miner responsible for the smooth flow of tubs from the face to the shaft. This job explained by Nancy, the girlfriend of Bobbie, the set rider, as is her love for him.
  • Aw'm a poor aud shifter noo - describing the many tasks involved in the running of a pit.
  • The Deppity - Described as Big, bluff an' blusterin' Burdis Clark
  • When Geordie, thoo an' aw wiz young - Two pitmen reminisce about their younger days