Ryhope Colliery; or, The Black Diamond
Wallsend
A NEW SONG- TUNE, "DOG CAPPY.”
They may talk of their pits on the Wear or the Tyne,
Of their Primrose so good or their Wallsend so fine;
I care not to brag but I'll drink no both rivers,
If Ryhope coal beat not their best samples to shivers.
Chorus-
Weel done Ryhope, canny place Ryhope,
Ryhope's the place, Tally O! Tally O!
It's as bonny a coal as the world ever saw,
As clean as a sixpence, as black as a craw;
So bright that like sunshine it dazzles us a',
So roundey, folks axes "what's getten the sum ?"
Chorus.
It burns with a lowe the blind can admire,
And serves us at night both for candles and fire,
What's better, it makes neither ashes nor smoke,
But dwindles away into capital coke.
Chorus.
And then tis' so lasty, the we'est bit spark
Will blaze like a comet from morning till dark;
A handful of round makes a bedroom so warm,
It acts on rheumatics almost like a charm.
Chorus.
In cooking of dinners it cannot be bet,
In making them ready or keeping them het,
When roasted with it an old cow oats so weel,
There's never a body can tell it from veal.
Chorus.
For getting tip steam, or making of gas,
No coal can it equal much less it surpass.
Let the companies try it, they'll never repent,
It will pay their shareholders a hundred per cent.
Chorus.
The more they're turned over the rounder they grow,
The further they're carried the better they love;
With dispatch and big measure we'll fill your ship's hold,
It will quickly return all loaded with gold.
Chorus.
When loaded with it a ship sails so fast
Fair weather or foul it cannot be pas ed,
What's more in a storm it never will fail,
With the utnrnst of safety, to ride out the gale.
Chorus.
Of all sorts of coal that they send on the Wear,
The Tyne, and elsewhere, 1 can make it appear,
As plain as the nose on your face, (plain enough)
That compare them with ours they're shocking bad stuff.
Chorus.
Then send your big ships (mind I don't mean to mock).
Be sure then to send them to Sunderland Dock,
It's near to our pit, there's plenty of watter,
At Spring tide or neap not a bit does it matter.
Chorus.
Now good health to the owners of Ryhope-Wallsend,
One and all may the owners ne'er want a friend,
Nor their families coal their firesides to keep warm,
Nor any thing else to protect them from harm.
Chorus.
(c) This page copyright The North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers, 2005