Last New Year's day eawr Nan hoo sed
Why Joan¹ we'n bin near three yer wed
An sin the day to church I're led,
Theaw ne'er wur th chap to treat one,
Awhoam this day aw will not stay,
Awl ha me play - so aw moot say,
Theast see th' Railway this very day,
So bless the dunna fret mon.
Aw took an sowed me seawkin pig
For ready brass¹ to Billy Brigg,
An looast¹ me jacket just to rig
Me'sel in decent fettle¹,
Eawr Nan buck'd up¹ ith best hoo cud,
An off we peg'd¹ thro' Hollinwood
O'er Newton Yeoth past Robin Hood
And stopt at Crown and Kettle.
We seed sich lots of Jerry¹ shops,
Boh we'd na stay to drink ther slops,
Eendway we went and made to steps,
An just in toime we nick'd um,
For helter skelter¹, sich a crew,
Wur cumin in fro Liverpoo' [Note 199.2]
Awm sure they cud no faster goo
If the devil in hell had kick'd um
Aw shouted eawt an whirl'd me hat,
An whizz they coom at sich a bat,
Aw run so hard an puff'd an swat,
Boh aw cud naw keep with waggins,
When thinjun stopt an seet um deawn
Aw wundert wher they aw wur beawn,
They road in callivans 'oth teawn
Aw think to get ther baggins¹,
They coo awm sure at least aw guess,
Two hundred mile it's eawr or less,
Neaw Ben, theaw loughs an winks at Bess
Becose theaw thinks awm loyink,
Theaw seed the' ballons fro Sawford goo, [Note 199.3]
Theaw seed foke run deawn Tinkers broo,
Boh it bangs um aw th'races too -
Ecod it's next to floyink.
We seed that coach wot Wellington¹
An awth greyt foke on day coom on,
They'll show it thee or any mon,
An tell thee aw ist axes. [Note 199.4]
Eawr Nan sed they'd ha sarv'd him reet,
To drag him on thro dry and weet
An ridd'n him on both day and neet,
If he'd naw ta'en off the taxes [Note 199.5]
Boath Nan an me to roide had meeont,
Boh th'brass yo seen wur welly spent
So straightway up Knotmill we went,
An at th' sign oth Railway bated¹.
We cum by th'Star in Deansgate too,
An th'coachman theor look'd woeful blue,
Awm sure ther jaws han had nowt to do,
Sin th'Liverpool Railway gaited¹. [Note 199.6]
We stopt tot see that noice clock case
Leet up wi gas ith Firmary place,
A chap coom staring in my face,
An puff'ed me een up fairly
Says Nan theawd best naw doot agen,
Aw gript me fist an look thee Ben.
If awd boh had me clogs just then,
Awd purr'd¹ ribs O rarely.
We coom straight whoam geet choilt in bed,
Aw fetch's some beer fro th'owd Nag's Yed,
While Nan reach'd eawt some beef and bread
An bravely we mow'd away mon,
Its rare proime ale an drinks loike rum,
One pint a that's worth two of some
Aw had naw quite three quarts¹ bu gum
Boh me yed warch'd¹ aw next day mon.
Aw yerd me uncle Nathan say,
They're gooink to make a new Railway,
For Manchester to Owdham - Eh. [Note 199.7]
Aw wish it wur boh gated.
For weavers then th'warehouse soon,
May tey ther cuts¹ buy twelve at noon,
An then theaw knows theyn save ther shoon¹,
An not be awlus bated².
Theres waery wark ith papers - some
Say t' revolutions beawn to come, [Note 199.8]
An very loike to morn, by gum
Fo th'news is come by th' mail road
They feeor eawr Nan to deeoth these chaps
Hoo says - eh Joan awl wash me caps
Do thee tey thee looms an traps
An we'n cut eawr stick¹ bith Railroad.
Aw awlus sed yo known it too,
No mon cud tell what steam ud doo,
An if toth Owdfield lone yo'll goo
Yo'll find awm non mistaken.
Aw ne'er struck storke this blessed day,
Aw know naw that eawr Nan'd say
Its dinner toime an if aw stay
Hool ate awth beoons an bacon