Edward Corvan (c. 1830 – 1865) was a Tyneside concert hall songwriter and performer, and a contemporary of George "Geordie" Ridley.Allan, T. (1972) Tyneside Songs, ed. David Harker, pp. 387–94. Newcastle: Frank Graham (Orig. published 1862). His songs were printed in a modified English orthography designed to represent the traditional dialect of Tyneside in the middle of the 19th century, and are examples of Dialect Literature.Wales, K. (2006) Northern English: a Social and Cultural History. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; Beal, J. (2002) "From Geordie Ridley to Viz: popular literature in Tyneside English". Language and Literature 9, 343-359.
Biography Corvan was born in Liverpool some time around 1830, but his family moved to Newcastle upon Tyne when he was four years old. His father died three years later.
Corvan was raised by his widowed mother who struggled to feed the family of four on her meagre earnings. After a brief career as a sail-maker Corvan joined Billy Purvis's Victoria Theatre. Here he tried his hand at a number of things, but found most success in the performance of local and comic songs. Ned then went on to join the Olympic where he enjoyed great success with songs such as "Astrilly". With this popularity he travelled the North singing his Tyneside songs, eventually settling in South Shields where he operated Corvan's Music Hall. After a number of years he gave up the establishment and returned to local singing.
Playing successfully at concerts "of the free and easy type ... not specially noted for their refinement", he was respected as "a really expert violinist" and "unequalled ... as a comic singer of local ditties"."The Monthly Chronicle of North Country Lore and Legend", Walter Scott, 1891
He also "possessed very considerable gifts as an artist", often creating chalk likenesses of contemporary celebrities and local figures as part of his act."The Monthly Chronicle of North Country Lore and Legend", Walter Scott, 1891
Corvan sang about survival on the edge of poverty and other working class experiences. He supported the seamen's strike of 1851 and gave money from his performances to seafarers charities. He sang not only for workers, but also "on behalf of – and in effect, from within – that network of communities" from which he came, and with which he still felt an attachment.Allan, T. (1972) Tyneside Songs, ed. David Harker, pp. 387–94. Newcastle: Frank Graham (Orig. published 1862).
Corvan was married to Isabella Arrowsmith and they had three children.
Corvan died of tuberculosis on 31 August 1865 at the age of 35.
Works Corvan's songs were published in four Song Books, a collection called Random Rhymes, in various Broadsides, and in editions of Allan's Illustrated Edition of Tyneside Songs and Readings.Harker, D. (1984) Review of Corvan: A Victorian Entertainer and His Songs by Keith Gregson. Popular Music, Vol. 4, Performers and Audiences, pp. 344–345. Cambridge University Press.
Random Rhymes (1850) The Queen's Second Visit Billy Purvis turned Ranter Preacher The Curds and Cream-house GhostAllan's Tyneside Songs ascribes this song to Robert Emery He wad be a Noodle Yer Gannin to be a Keelman The Happy Keelman The rise in Baccy The Shades Saloon The Goose Club Bella Gray – A Parody on Rosa Lee O, maw bonnie Nannie O Parody on She Wore a Wreath of Roses Sweating System Tom Johnson Campbell's grand Saloon, North Shields The Folks of Aud Shields The New Mayor of South Shields South Shields Corporation Blyth in a Breeze
Broadsides (1850–1865) Warkworth Feast Toon Improvement Bill; or, Nee Pleyce Noo to Play The Sandgate Lass The Rise in Coals The Pitman and the Kippered Herrin'''The Keel on FireThe Stage Struck KeelmanBella GrayAstrilly's Goold Fields; or, Tommy Carr's LetterThe Unfortunate ManThe Factory Lass or Pally JonesSwaggering at the RacesHe Wad Be a NoodleTrip to Marsden RockMaw Stepmother or, Billy Bag the GluttonDays When I was Hard UpHairy Gobs! an' Fine Moosecatchers!The Queen's Second Visit, or, The Openin' o' wor Greet Central StationPrince Alberts' Babby Hoose, or The Greet Exhibition of 1851The Cullercoats Fish-Wife£4. 10s. or, the Sailors' StrikeThe Funny Time CominCorvan's Song Books (1857–1866)Corvan's Song Book No. 1Swaggering at the Races The Keel on Fire The Rise in Coals Astrilly, or The Pitman's Farewell Nee Pleyce noo to Play The Pitman and the Kippered Herrin Warkworth Feast Astrilly's Goold Fields, or Tommy Carr's Letter The Unfortunate Man The Sandgate Lass Pally Jones the Factory LassCorvan's Song Book No. 2He wad be a Noodle Maw Step-Mother; or, Billy Bags the Glutton Days when I was Hard Up Tommy Carr's Adventures in Astrilly Deeth o' Billy Purvis Stage Struck Keelman Lads o' Tyneside Hairy Gobs an' fine Moosecatchers Trip to Marsden Rock Gallowgate HoppinCorvan's Song Book No. 3Bella Gray The Queen's Second Visit Prince Albert's Babby Hoose; or, the Greet Exhibition of 1851 The Cullercoats Fish-Wife Peep at Newcassel Widow Winks Snooks, the Artist O, ha'e ye seen wor JimmyCorvan's Song Book No. 4'''Newcassel Pluck, or Recruitin' for DelhiSoup KitchenGossipin' Nan ToddsPerils of the Mine, or Collier's DeathSunday Mornin's Fuddle – a parodyWork for One Thousand MenJimmy Munro's TroublesPea StrawTom SayersBobby Walker's Visit to the LeviathanOur Mary Ann – a parodySword Dancers' LamentIn Allan's Tyneside SongsThe CallerHe Wad Be a NoodleThe Toon Improvement Bill, or, Ne Pleyce Noo te PlayThe Rise in CoalsAsstrilly; or, The Pitman's Farewell Asstrilly's Goold Fields; or, Tommy Carr's LetterTommy Carr's Adventures in AsstrillyThe Cullercoats Fish-WifeBobby the BoxerWarkworth FeastThe Kipper'd Herrin Deeth o' Billy Purvis The Greet Bull-dog o' Shields The Fishermen Hung the Monkey, O! The Comet; or, The Skipper's Fright The Fire on the Kee Chambers and White The Deeth o' Cuckoo Jack Wor Tyneside Champions The Queen Has Sent a Letter; or, The Hartley Calamity The Queen's Visit to Cherbourg Stage-struck Keelman The Soop Kithcin The High Level and the Aud Bridge Cat-gut Jim, The Fiddler (The Curds-and-Cream House Ghost)See Note 4
Other Mally's DreamThe Songs of the Tyne: Being a Collection of Popular Local Songs, No.10 (c.1846) Tyne Lads For Ever!Selkirk's collection of songs and ballads for the people, original and select (1853) Jimmy McKennyNewcastle Weekly Chronicle, 20 November 1880
Corvan's dialect
Although Corvan was not born a Geordie, he was considered "a consummate master of the patois of Tyneside"."The Monthly Chronicle of North Country Lore and Legend", Walter Scott, 1891 Almost all of Corvan's works are examples of the traditional dialect of Tyneside (known as Geordie) in the mid-19th century.
References
External links https://web.archive.org/web/20100206175536/http://www.asaplive.com/archive/browse_by_collection.asp FARNE – Folk Archive Resource North East