Rhymes of Northern Bards (full title – "Rhymes of Northern Bards: being a curious collection of old and new Songs and Poems, Peculiar to the Counties of Newcastle, Northumberland and Durham – Edited by John Bell 1812") is a book of North East England traditional and popular song consisting of approximately 200 song lyrics on over 300 pages, published in 1812. It was reprinted in 1971 by Frank Graham, Newcastle upon Tyne with an introduction by David Harker.
The publication It is, as the title suggests, a collection of songs which would have been popular, or topical, at the date of publication.
The front cover of the book was as thus :-
Rhymes Of Northern Bards: being a curious Collection of old and new Songs And Poems, Peculiar to the Counties of Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, & Durham.
Edited by John Bell, Jun.
“Northumbria’s sons stand forth, by all confest “The first and firmest of fair freedom’s train; “Each brave Northumbrian Nurses in his breast “The sacred spark, unsullied by a stain.”
Newcastle upon Tyne: (printed in an old English style) Printed for John Bell, by M. Angus & Son, and sold by them, and other Booksellers in Town.
MDCCCXII
Contents Are as below :-<br/ >
pagetitlesongwritertunenotes1Front fly2Lines – Sent to the Editor and Printer3Preface4Verses on Northumberland MinstelryH RH R is Henry Robson5Weel may the Keel Row5The new Keel RowT Tthe old tuneT T is Thomas Thompson7Bonny Keel Laddie8The Little Pee Dee9Ma Canny Hinny10Dol Li AA song famous in Newcastle about 1792, 1793 & 179411The TyneJ. Gibson of Newcastle12Blackett's FieldJ Shield of NewcastleJohn Anderson My Jo14River Awa'15Britannia's Volunteers The Newcastle Volunteers Quick March16John DiggonsJ Stawpert of NewcastleOld England's Roast Beef18Trafalgar's Battlethe same (assume J Stawpert)Chapter of Kings19Chester WellGeorge Pickering, late of Newcastle21Newcastle BeerJohn Cunningham23My Lord 'Size (or Newcastle in an uproar)J Shield of Newcastle25Bob Cranky's 'Size SundayJohn Selkirkset to music by Thomas Train of Gateshead27Bob Cranky's Complaint29The Bonny Geatsiders 1805Bob Cranky31Bob Cranky's Adieu John Shield of Newcastleon going with the Volunteer Association from Gateshead to Newcastle on permanent Duty33O No, My Love, NoJohn Shield of Newcastle34Delia's Answer35The Collier's Rant36Walker PitsOf She Goes36The Bonny Pit Laddie37The Pitman's Revenge against Buonaparte38The Collier's Pay Week43The Quayside ShaverAt this time, on the Quay were people, mainly female, who carried out the trade of barber, out on the street45Swalwell HoppingJ S of GatesheadPaddy's WeddingJ S is John Selkirk48The Sandgate Girl's Lamentation49A Curious Description of the City of Sandgate"wrote" some years ago53The Crow's Nest56A Song – An Address to the Good People of Bur-Castlepublished Dec 179157Sons of the Tyne – 180558Jesmond MillPhill Hodgson of Newcastle59Pardon Denepublished Sept 1776 with title of "Rosalinda"60Nanny of the TyneJ M Wedderburn of Newcastleset to music by J Aldridge Jnr of Newcastle61The Blue Bell of GatesheadW B of Gateshead62The Newcastle SignsCecil Pittsung at Newcastle Theatre Royal by Mr Scrifen, 4 June 180663The Newcastle Bellmansung at Newcastle Theatre Royal by Mr Noble 180366Oxygen GasJohn Shield of Newcastlesung at Newcastle Theatre Royal67The Bards of the TynePublished in the Tyne Mercury under initials C PNewcastle BeerC P (which was Charles Purvis)68The Answer to the ForegoingJames Stawpert70The Raree Show Manan election song 20 Sep 178073Barber's News (or Shields in an Uproar)a new songO' the Golden Days of Good Queen Bess77Song (on the flight of the young crows from Newcastle Exchange79A Rare Curiosity (or Crow's Nest in Gateshead)a new song81The French Invasion"published" 10 May 179484Blyth Camps (or The Girl I Left Behind Me)85Beaumont's Light Horse86A Song in Praise of the Keelman VolunteersWhite Cockade87The Sons of the Tyne (or British Volunteers)Hearts of Oak88Mary of the Tyne89Newcastle Fair – October 1811 (The Pitman a Drinking of Jacey)J SDrops of BrandyJ S is James Stawpert91The Newcastle Beautiesdesigned to be sung to the Harpsichord or Spinet &c94Song – on the Address of the Newcastle House of Lords on turning out Lord North and Mr Fox97The Address of Sir J Duncan and Co on the "Scale of Cross Bank"98Sketch detailsone of Sir James Duncan's Bank Notes99An Elegy to the Memory of the Right Honourable Lord Ravensworth100Lines on the Death of John, Lord Delaval M Harvey101The Wallsend Rifle Corps102Song – Written on the King's Birthday 1808Sons of the Tyne103The Token Monger – A SongErin go Bragh105The Following Dialogue in Bad Prose was Overheard by the Person who now Attempts it in Bad VerseDecember 1811106Footy Again The WallA song long sung by the Pitmen of Long Benton107The Battle of Otterburnfrom an old MSSbattle fought 9 Aug 1388111A Fytte116The Battle of Otterbourne118The Hunting of Chyviat122Fit The Second128The Hunting in Chevy Chase136An Old Song on the Battle of Flodden137The Flowers of the Forest (or Flodden Field)battle fought 9 Sep 1513142Verses on James IV of Scotlandwho fell at the Battle of Flodden)143The Battle of Reid Squairbattle fought 7 July 1576147Fair Mabel of Wallington150Verses (on the view of Roadley Castle, Wallington, etc.)152The Battle of Humbledown HillE Wbattle fought 5 Aug 1791156The Laidley Worm (of Spindleston Heugh)by Duncan Frasier (this version by Robert Lambe, Vicar of Norham)from an old MSS161The Fisher Laddie161The Kye's Come Home162Song – A Lamentable Ditty made upon the Death of a Worthy Gentlemen A Delicate Scottish TuneGeorge Stoole who died c1610166Epitaph on William BellSamuel BarrasLate a resident of Gateshead Fell166An Excellent Ballad on the Sickness, Death and Burial of Ecky's Mare171Stanzas – Addressed to NorthumbriaBothwell – 2 January 1807173short bio of authorThomas Whittle174Engraving of a Midford Gallowayspelt Mitford on page 173175The Midford Galloway's RambleThomas WhittleRanting, Roaring Willy180The Insipids (or The Mistress with her Multitude of Man Servants)Thomas Whittle184Sawney Ogilby's Duel with his WifeThomas Whittle185Song – On William Carstairs, SchoolmasterThomas Whittle188Thomas Whittle, his Humorous Letter to Master Moody, the Razor-SetterThomas Whittle189The Little Priest of Felton190The Felton GarlandMaggy Lauder195From the Swains of Felton to the Shepherds of Lanthernside, Northumberland 1787General F—r---'s March 196On the Departure of Mr Grey of Felton197Carr of Etal198Callaly Castle, seat of the Claverings200Bedlington Tragedy – A Fragment202Hotspur, A Ballad – In the Manner of the Ancient MinstrelsMr William Richardson206Legend of Sewen Shields Castle209An Old Northumbrian Ballad about the Lead-Miners of Alston Moor210From a Tombstone in Haltwhistle Church Yard211Lines – written at an Inn on the Banks of the AllanGeorge Pickeringromantic part of Northumberland211Lucy Gray of Allendale212Haltwhistle Fair214Anna of the Tyne215The TyneHenry Robson215short bio of authorHenry Robson216The SpringHenry RobsonWritten the beginning of May 1809217The Banks of the TyneJames Wilson217short bio of authorJames Wilson218Ode – "Addressed to Sir Walter Blackett, Bart.James Wilsonwas "wrote" by the author on the very day the building of Hexham Bridge was undertaken219A Few Lines on Laying the Foundation Stone of Hexham BridgeJames Wilson220A Song by Mr James Wilson of Cawsey Park James Wilsonon Mr Coughan and family, leaving Hebron Hill221Hobby Elliottmaybe James Robson221short bio of authorJames Robson222The Rising of the Clans in 1715223On the First Rebellion – 1715225A Fragment of a Song on the Lord of Derwentwater225Verses on a perspective view of Dilston Hallhome of the Lord of Derwentwater227Hexham Wood228The Loyal Hexham VolunteersJasper Pottsa new song229The Jolly Parson231The Cockle Park Ewe's Ramble – Part IJohn of Badenyon233Part II234Part III236Song – 5 July 1810J C237The Ploughman237The Flower of Rothbury Forest238The Piper of Capheaton239Mary Gamal, the Vicar of Kirkwhelpington's Daughter is gone off with Nichol Clark, his Servant Man240Song – To Buy241The Water of Tyne241Andrew Carr242Song – Eppie242Lines – on John Thompson, who was hanged on Town Moor for Horse Stealing---- Ogle, Schoolmaster of Gateshead242The Pitman---- Ogle, Schoolmaster of Gateshead243A Song about the Conclusion of the Hunt season of the Forest Hunt, Newcastle 1786245Lord Framlington Fair (or Tryst)247Go All to Coquet and Woo248The Fractious Farmer – A Song 1792250Satyr Upon WomenJames Robson250short bio of authorJames Robson251Tweed Side252A Song – Pasted on the Walls and scattered about the Town of Rothbury, several years ago253Answer – The following answer was handed about at Berwick upon Tweed and the Neighbouring Villages256Song – (maybe called My Eppie)257Little Billy257Sair Fail'd Hinny258The Hare SkinGeorge Knight, ShoemakerHave you heard of a frolicsome ditty261LimboGeorge Knight, ShoemakerOn a time I was great, now little I'm grown262A New Song – for the Year 1764William Sutton (songwriter)264Stockton's CommendationSir John Fenwick's The flower amang them265The New Way of Stockton's CommendationBenjamin Poye L.L.D. Archdeacon of Durhamto the old tunewas actually Benjamin Pye 1791–1808267Hark to Winchester (or The Yorkshire Volunteer's Farewell to the good folks of Stockton)Push about the Jorum269Stockton's Commendation – 2271The BarnardCastle TragedyConstant Anthony274A Song in Praise of the Durham MilitiaThe Lillies of France275The Lass of CockertonLow down in the broom276Rookhope Ryde – A Durham border song, composed 1569281The Sedgefield Frolic283Bobby Shaftoe 283The Pleasures of Sunderland284The Frolicsome Old Women of Sunderland (or the disappointed young maids)They'll marry tho' threescore and ten285Sunderland Bridgeby M W of North Shields285Elsie Marleyto its own tuneAn Alewife of Picktree near Chester-le-Street287Chester Lads Forever288Lumley Leads to Glory288Chester VolunteersThere's na luck about the house290The Durham Volunteers291King James I – On his Visit to Durham on Good Friday 1617292Durham Old Women292Epitaph on John Simpson, Hamsterley, WoolcomberIsaac Garner293Ode – To the River Derwent294The Hexhamshire Lass296The Northumbrian's Sigh for his Native Country296A You A, Hinny Burd297Up the Raw298Broom Busoms299Extra Verses to the ForegoingAdded by "Blind Willy"300The Waggoner300Brandling and Ridley301My Laddie301Sandgate Lassie's LamentHenry RobsonBonny Pit Laddie302The Invitation304A Song at the opening of Jarrow Colliery written & sung by H F HOpened on 26 Sep 1805306A South Shields Song – of the Sailors306A North Shields Song307Monkseaton Races – 1 July 1812by a Spectator309The Alarm (or Lord Fauconberg's March)310The Patriot Volunteers (or Loyalty Display'd)by Clarinda312short bio of Silly Billy312Cull, Alias Silly BillyJ SPublished in Newcastle Chronicle on 28 Aug 1802313another short bio of Silly Billy314Canny NewcasselT T of NewcastleT T is Thomas Thompson316Croakum RedivivusA Crow's account on her return to Newcastle 1812319unnamed – but about the "Lost" Sheriff's Gown A Verse about the gown stolen from the Town's Court320The Antigallican Privateer321a New Song on the Opening of Jarrow Colliery Opened in 1803322The Peacock and the Hen322The Tyne – A FragmentJ L323ContentsFrom the Press of M Angus and Son, Newcastle
See also Geordie dialect words A Beuk o’ Newcassell Sangs Collected by Joseph Crawhall 1888 Allan's Illustrated Edition of Tyneside Songs and Readings Northumbrian Minstrelsy Music of Northumbria
References
External links Rhymes of Northern Bards by John Bell Junior