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Two lovely Black Eyes
Posted by George on 1/1/2025, 11:00 am
I recently renewed a friendship with a work collegue after almost 70 years. Bill Macdonald was born into the district of Felling, went to Jarrow Grammar School, was apprenticed at Noble & Lund and after Natonsl Service in the RAF worked at Reyrolles in Hebburn. As a young man, he emigrated to the USA where he lives to this day. Now aged 92, Bill has many aecdotes to tell of his parents, grandparents and other characters of times long ago. I offer you this one he sent to me which you may have heard before but, if you will excuse the pun, Bill puts a liitle bit more meat on the bones of an old tale - or should that be "tail." I wonder who the culprit was. Does anyone know?
George Watt --- and --- A Happy New Year to everyone. ************
Two Lovely Black Eyes - by Bill Macdonald
Street musicians and singers were a source of entertainment during the years of the Great Depression. They made almost daily appearances in the street, but why they wasted their talents in such a poor locality as The Felling must remain a mystery. Some of them were quite good entertainers and I am told of one couple who used to sing a parody of a Music Hall song very popular at the time, and very appropriate for Felling in particular. It went like this …
Two lovely black eyes,
Oh! What a surprise.
Only for selling,
Scotch hares in The Felling,
Two lovely black eyes.
This referred to an episode which, temporarily at least, brought Felling its only claim to fame, although the local inhabitants would have been very pleased to remain in obscurity. The episode itself which was the subject of the song had apparently happened before I was able to understand it, but I often heard the story from my parents.
It appears that one of the more enterprising local ladies decided that what the people of Felling needed was a little variety in their menu and proceeded to cash-in on the popularity of Scotch hares a delicacy which she was able to supply at very favorable prices. I am told that these became a very popular addition to the menu and were in fact, voted a great success at the regular pie suppers held at the local pub.
Unfortunately, coincident with the sudden influx of Scotch hares, numerous inhabitants began to complain about the equally sudden disappearance of their cats, and if the culprit had considered the benefits of cremation as opposed to burial she might have continued to build up a thriving business. The enterprise came to a sudden end when the skins of the missing pets were dug up by dogs scavenging in a garden allotment. Consequently, the locals, and the police began to realize that two and two added up to four. The culprit was arrested and in due course the magistrates decided that for a period of at least six months, Scotch hares would not appear on the menus of Felling's pubs.
For many years the people of Felling were not allowed to forget the affair as passengers on the Sunderland and South Shields trains would lean out of the windows as the train stopped at Felling Station and keep up a continuous cat-call of 'Meow', to the embarrassment of the local railway porters. No doubt many ladies mourned the loss of their pets, but it just goes to prove the truth of the saying (with a slight variation) “You can't both have your cat and eat it."
Happy New Year George. Ive heard that song many years ago. I can just imagine Jarrow & Hebburn folk 'taking the micky as they passed Felling station ) I read that story a while ago and here it is from when it was in the Evening Chronicle.
Ann Little was 54 when, in 1885, she was charged with theft. While in police custody, other charges were brought against her and her house was searched. Police made a disturbing discovery. A large number of dead cats were found buried in the garden and around the property. Interestingly, large numbers of local people had been buying “Scotch hares” for food from the same woman. Ann had reassured curious buyers about the difference in taste to regular hare soup, saying it was due to the animals’ nationality. Over 50 people turned up at the police station to look for their pets, and many people began digging in Ann’s back garden. When charged with the offences she remarked: “I have sold several, and we have eaten several ourselves; they are very like a rabbit when cooked.” She was sentenced to three months imprisonment.
In the Geordie Song "Wor Nannies amazor" her husband makes reference to his wife trying to sing "The Cat Pie" I have traced this song and it is worth an attempt at reading. Difficult because of the written accent but worth a try. Stick with it! but keep your Kangol safety pants on.
THE CAT PIE Tommy Armstrong Tune, Weel Bred Cappy
Thore's been a grand dinnor not far frae Sheel Raw At a place th'call Stanley for testen th'jaw Tiv a hoose ivory Sunda' sum cheps used to gan An' eat all th' meat thit wis boil i th' pan
These cheps used te gan an' sit doon on a seat Thae knew thit Jack alwis had plenty i meat But Coxon an' Charlton went oot for te try Te catch an awd cat for te muaik them a pie
Th' cat thit thae gat wis elivon eer awd Thae knew w' th' pie thit these cheps wad be glad So thae kill'd it, an clean'd it, an teuk off each lim When th' pie wis awl riddy thae shoved pussy in
Th' cat being se awd thae thowt 'twad be dry So thae put potted heed in te gravy th' pie Then inte th' yuven th' pie wis then put Th' yuven wis het an th' door wis kept shut
Wen th' pie wis awl riddy an nicely keukt Into th' pantry Bob Charlton then teukt Th' crust he broke inte se cunnen an sly Te muaik them believe they'd been eatin th' pie
So in cums Joe Peel, Joe Witfield, an Bob Like other times thae wor ment for th' gob Bob Charlton then whispered te Witfield se slee "If thoo lucks in th' pantry a pie thoo can see"
Thae thowt 'twas a rabbit, an hoo te muaik thares Charlton got Coxon te gan up th' stairs Bob Witfield then thowt a grand trick he wad try So he into th' pantry an off wi th' pie
He off alang th' raw an doon intiv a field He thowt he'd deun clivor th' pie for te steal Him an Joe Peel se contentedly sat Enjoyen thorsels wi th' lims iv a cat
Charlton an Coxon buaith laft fit te brust Te see them on chowen th' cat an th' crust Joe Peel gat a leg thit he thowt wis eneuf He sais,"Bob it's nice but it's terable teuf"
Thae eat sum iv pussy an drove a bit crack Until thae agreed for te tuaik th' pie back Wen thae gat te th' hoose, thae went at it aguain Till in th' pie dish thor wis ardly a buain
Ye wad a laft if ye'd only ben in Wen Bob Charlton held up befor them th' skin As seun is th' skin iv th' pussy thae saw Thae ran te th' door an thae started te thraw
Th' cat wis awl eaten but just th' cat skin But it wad been eaten had thae puten't in Poor pussy is guain but thor's men iv its place Th' mice dorsent luck these young cheps in th' face ***************************************************
I have writen this song in the North West Durham accent from the original writings of Tommy Armstrong. If you pronounce the words as you read them you should be near enough the understand the accent.
Re: The Cat Pie
Posted by Malcolm on 1/1/2025, 10:03 pm, in reply to "The Cat Pie"
Loved that. Thank you George. Not TOO difficult to read, but I'll re-read it tomorrow, and probably see more in it.
Re: The Cat Pie
Posted by George on 1/1/2025, 11:30 pm, in reply to "Re: The Cat Pie"
Malcolm, there are many gems to find such as;-
"Him an Joe Peel se contentedly sat Enjoyen thorsels wi th' lims iv a cat"
Fill your boots. George
Re: The Cat Pie
Posted by Tom Barker on 3/1/2025, 11:48 am, in reply to "Re: The Cat Pie"
I remember in th late 1950s the Commercial pub on ELLISON ST in Hebburn Quay was a haunt for me and my mates drinking in the back room snug and some time times having a sing song a couple of old dears from William st would join us they used to bring with them home made stottie cakes filled with meat etc we would buy there drinks this went on for a long time till one of them died she was the old dear that made the pack up' sit was then we found out the stottie cakes were filled with none other than KITTY CAT.
Re: The Cat Pie
Posted by Geordieboy ns on 5/1/2025, 5:04 pm, in reply to "Re: The Cat Pie"
After the misuse of cats was common knowledge, butcher shops had to leave, rabbits they were selling, heads and tails on the rabbits.
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