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The Durham Pant​-​Wife's Petition

from A Shandy Ballad by Julian Gaskell & his Ragged Trousered Philanthropists

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about

The Durham Pant-Wife's Petition (To the Corporation), written by Bella, from the Durham Chronicle, Feb., 16th 1854. Roud Number: V16190
Intended to be sung to the tune "There's nae luck about the house” but instead given a minor key calypso here in an attempt at heightening the sense of grievance.

The ‘pant’ in question is the public water fountain in Durham market place.

lyrics

Oh, Corporation, will you hear
This sad complaint frae me ?—
It's not about the brewers' beer,
Nor the brine frae the sea ;—
Of Neptune's water I complain,
Relief, I hope, you'll grant,
I pray yon let us have again
Pure water frae the Pant.
Oh, Corporation, think of this, Oh think again, canny Mayor ;
Oh, Corporation, think of this, And grant an awd wife's prayer !

Our skins and duds are yellow dyed
With iron, lead, and ochre,
Besides, our nerves are stiff and dried,
Just like a kitchen poker ;
You call yourselves Board of Health,
I dinna want to flatter,—
There cannot be much health, I think,
In pois'nous, dirty water.

Poor Geordy Dickie's trade is gane,
The awd wives' tea is spoiled,
Our eggs are just like a duck's foot
When in this water boiled.
There's Aqua Vity, Aqua Pure,
And Aquas—it makes ne matter ;
And now I ask you, one and all,
What Aqua's our Pant water ?

The water's pure, I'm very sure,
Still at the Fountain's head.
Therefore you must find out the cause—
From metal pipes or lead.
If not, ther'll be row, my lad,
Wiv tins, and pails, and skeels ;
And if we wives once set on ye,
Ye'll soon take to your heels.

credits

from A Shandy Ballad, released November 3, 2023
Recorded in Penryn, October 2023 by Julian Gaskell - vocal, banjo, accordion, bodhran
Music by J. Gaskell ©2023

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Julian Gaskell UK

Described by angry locals as the bastard son of Waits, Strummer, Reinhardt and Rachmaninov, Julian Gaskell’s music over the last 20 years has followed a wayward path of withering agricultural-folk, klezmer accordion, overly-lyrical punk, gypsy-jazz guitar, tangos, waltzes, rhumbas and skiffled-up boogie-woogie piano. ... more

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