ARI Smart Content - Data Table

Click to show on right, Sources for Song below
Bargery Number 577
Music Notation n/a
Music (Given or Suggested) Poem
Printer or Publisher Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants
Author T. Lewis, 4, Mill Terrace, Pantyffynnon,
Composer n/a
Earliest Date 1888
Evidence for Earliest Date No announcement of the competition has been found but it is not likely to have been more than a year before publication.
Latest Date 1898
Evidence for Latest Date Publication date
Source of Text Railway Review, 18th March 1898; p9
Roud Not in the Roud Index
Parsed Title Why I Joined the A.S.R.S.
First Line Ready for sea the good ship lies,
Source of Music n/a
Source Title Why I Joined the A.S.R.S.

Why I Joined the A.S.R.S

A rallying cry for the union encouraging non-members to join. Likens the union to a ship and its members to the crew.

COMPETITION. [Note 577.1]
The following have been awarded prizes in this week's competition, and 5s has been sent to the authors :— [Note 577.2]

 THE CAUSE.
Ready for sea the good ship lies,
The captain waits the crew.
Non-unionists, oh, come ! he cries,
And to yourself be true.
Right gallantly she'll skim the wave,
The banner floating high ;
And he who'd sail not counts a knave,
Fit but a slave to die

THE WORK.
Our object's to emancipate
All those in bondage ground ;
Our mission's grand and good and great,
We'd scatter joy around.
Then, why in mists of doubt ye stay ?
Why play the coward's part ?
Stand valiantly amid the fray,
And show a hero's heart.

 THE DOUBTER.
Oh, ye ! so callous, heartless, base,
Who play the traitor's role!
Oh, ye to manhood a disgrace,
Abject, and mean of soul !
Arise ! arise ! ye truant crew,
And take the hurrying gale ;
Stand with the mariners brave and true,
And then ye cannot fail

 THE VICTORY.
Out in the distance, dim and grey,
A glorious day doth dawn.
Proud Labour's sons in war array
Doth slay the devil's spawn.
The oppressor's hand, deep-steeped in blood,
For blood now victims prey,
And Capitalism's gory flood
Is food for dogs this day !

 

3 across Articles in this Category: click a link

Women's Rights in Southville

bar572: Dates 1898~1898|

Satirical description of a meeting organised by women to discuss votes for women.

Dr Beeching

bar092: Dates 1963~1969|

A protest against the proposed closure of the railway in Fife, Scotland.

Epitaph on a Deceased Railwayman

bar368: Dates 1887~1887|

Synopsis:  Mock epitaph recording the failure of the 1887 Midland Railway strike.

Watkin the Matter Be?

bar453: Dates 1887~1887|

Satirical jibe against the poor dividends paid to shareholders by the South Eastern Railway and attributing blame to the chairman, Sir Edward Watkin.

Absent-Minded Chairman

bar568: Dates 1900~1900|

A poem criticising the Chairman of the South Eastern Railway for the poor quality of the service

Appeal to Non-Society Men, An

bar007: Dates 1872~1888|

Appeal to non union men to join the amalgamated society of railway servants

Carters and Railway Servants Strike

bar052: Dates 1872~1872|

Expresses confidence that the workers can win if they stick together and accuses the masters of wishing to do down the workers.

Brief Respite

bar567: Dates 1900~1900|

Contrasts the easy life of the company board members with that of the railway workers.

Nail It Down

bar575: Dates 1872~1898|

Celebrates the integrity, honesty and independent mindedness of an archetypal character called John Littlejohn who is presumable intended to represent the membership of the union.

Railwayman's Lament

bar353: Dates 1963~1974|

Autobiographical account of working life and lay-off of railway workers consequent on the Beeching report.

Redundant Railwayman, The

bar358: Dates 1963~1974|

The author deplores the mass lay-off of railway workers consequent upon the Beeching Report and, in particular, the replacement of steam by diesel power.

Strike Ditties I

bar573: Dates 1900~1900|

Probably about the Taff Vale dispute.

Strike Ditties II

bar574: Dates 1900~1900|

Satirises the actions of the company management. The failure of the strike is acknowledged but a final note of defiance is struck.

Sunday Working at Cheltenham

bar570: Dates 1872~1900|

A complaint about the demands on the engineering staff to work long hours. 

Why I Joined the A.S.R.S

bar577: Dates 1888~1898|

A rallying cry for the union encouraging non-members to join. Likens the union to a ship and its members to the crew.

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