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.
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