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4
Good Owd Wrigley Yed |
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From The poems of Herbert Shaw 1897—1985. “The New Moston Poet.” “A
tribute to the people in the old loom houses, for the grand way in which they
worked to welcome the local churches for the Annual United Sing on Wrigley Head
Green each Whit Sunday.”
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4
Death of James Whittaker |
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Written by poet Samual Laycock (1826 — 1893), c1889. ON THE
DEATH OF JAMES WHITTAKER, THE POPULAR AND WELL-KNOWN VOCALIST. An excellent poem
which I have 'translated' from Lancashire Dialect for easy reading.
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4
Wait while we get another Pole
|
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Turned into a local song. WAIT
WHILE WE GET ANOTHER POLE. Words by McKenna (To the tune of “Boys of the Old.
Brigade). 1955. |
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4
The Village Festival
|
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Elijah
Ridings 1802 — 1872. From “The
Village Muse” of 1854. Elijah was born in Failsworth near where Old Road turns
sharply, leading up to the present—day Oldham Road.
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4
Up the Failsworth Pole
|
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Poem written by Edwin
Banks of Stretford. 1992. A
celebratory ode for the bi—centenary of Failsworth’s symbol of civic unity.
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4
A Reply to a Ben Brierley Query
|
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REPLY TO AN IMAGINARY LETTER RECEIVED RE BEN
BRIERLEY. Anon 1995 |
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4
Why can't Failsworth have a
Pole again?
|
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Failsworth had no pole from 1950 to 1958, and the locals wanted a new one.
Various songs on the theme were composed, this one by Herbert Shaw of 5 Eastwood
Aye, New Moston, music by his nephew Ronald. Shaw, of 53 Hale Lane, Failsworth.
(Piano score available). It was written for the pantomime “Little Red Riding
Hood,” held. at Failsworth Methodist Church in 1955. They offered it to the FUDC
to help raise funds for a new pole, but it was declined.. |
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4
Lament for the Failsworth Pole
|
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Written by Ben
Brierley. 1825—1896. This
ancient landmark, so well—known throughout the country, has been taken down, as
it is deemed unsafe on account of decay. “Ab” overhears the wail of the wooden
relic on his return one evening from “The Old. Bell.” (Manchester Guardian).
This must refer to the second. Failsworth Pole, erected 1850. The third Pole was
erected in 1889, the principal speaker at the inauguration being Ben Brierley.
“Th’ Owd Bell” is the present—day Crown and Cushion.
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4
Failsworth Re-visited
|
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Joseph
Burgess. (1855—1954) .First
published in the Oldham Express 12th Feb 1881.
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4
Donkey Cart
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We cannot
exclude a poem from Edwin (Ned) Wright, of Failsworth, born in/by Holebottom pre
1853. He emigrated to America in about 1881, and settled in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania. Joseph Burgess called him “the eldest of our band.” It seems no
matter where Failsworthians' go, they always seem to have a soft spot for home,
as his “My heart is far Away,” “Past and Present,” and “Home Memories” show. Ned
didn’t write in the dialect, so far as I know, but his “Donkey Cart” is
well—worth a read. It was first published in “Ben Brierley’s Journal” of 12th
June 1886. |
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4
The Crow of the Clock |
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Wynford
Brierley, a member of the Failsworth Industrial Society, wrote the following
lines in 1889, as his tribute to the “new” pole. |
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4
Tommy
Upkeep, a Tale of Old Failsworth |
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Written by Fred M Bickerton |
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4
The Ugliest Man in
Failsworth |
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Taken from Sim Schofield's 'Short Stories about Failsworth Folk' published
in 1905. |
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4
A
Failsworth Story |
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Written by Fred M Bickerton |
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4
Cock Fighting in
Failsworth |
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Taken from Sim Schofield's 'Short Stories about Failsworth Folk' published
in 1905. |
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4
Characters
of Long Ago |
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Written by Fred M Bickerton |
