Byker Hill

A coal-miners' song from the northeast of England, dating back to the early 1800s. Originally titled "Walker Pits", the earliest known example of the song appears in a collection titled Rhymes of Northern Bards, published in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1812.^[1] The words have been set to various tunes, including English fiddle tune "Off She Goes" and dance tune "The Drunken Piper",^[2] though the Johns follow The Young Tradition's lead in setting it to an American folk hymn tune called "Hebrew Children".^[3] This tune was later borrowed for Dave Van Ronk's Vietnam protest song Luang Prabang.

The Longest Johns released their version of the song on YouTube 11 Oct 2023, and it was later included on Caught in the Net Vol 1, released 18 October 2024.

Factoids

Byker was a high pit mine located in the Newcastle district of Byker.^[4] Although no records survive of any mine called "Walker Shore", Walker Collier owned several pits in the neighboring district of Walker.^[5] One theory suggests that "Walker Shore" was thus named or nicknamed by reason of its being coastal and extending out under the North Sea;^[6] this seems unlikely, as the district is is situated ten kilometers inland from the coast, but some of Walker's pits lay quite close to the river Tyne, so the name may be a reference to the river shore.

A gill (pronounced "jill") is a measure of drink similar to a dram, typically 1/4 of a standard English pint.

Bumble: this verse was borrowed from "Elsie Marley",^[7] and the word was originally "bumbo", which referred to a drink made with liquor, sugar, and water, as well as occasionally spices or fruit.^[8] It appears unrelated to modern "bumble" or "bumble bee" cocktails involving honey and gin.^[9]

The Elsie Marley is a jig named for an 18th century alewife who, along with her husband Ralph, ran a successful public house in County Durham and became somewhat of a local celebrity.^[10]

Pitman is a term for any coal miner, while a keelman was a worker who operated a "keel" — a large, flat-bottomed boat used for transporting coal during the 19th century, common to the Tyne.

Trim refers to the process of coal trimming — miners and dockworkers would labour to level out the coal stored in the ship's hold to ensure that it was safe to travel.^[11]

Geordie Charlton and his pig are mentioned in a few other songs (including some versions of Haul Away Joe), suggesting that he may have been a contemporary folk figure.

Lyrics

As with many traditional songs, the song's lyrics vary greatly between artists. The Longest Johns appear to mostly follow the lyrics used by Bellowhead in their 2012 release, with some minor alterations.

If I had another penny
I would have another gill
I would make the piper play
'The Bonny Lass of Byker Hill'

{Chorus}
Byker Hill and Walker Shore
Collier lads for evermore
Byker Hill and Walker Shore
Collier lads for evermore

The pitman and the keelman trim
They drink bumble made from gin
Then to dance they all begin
To the tune of the "Elsie Marley"

{Chorus}

When first I went down to the dirt
I had no cowl nor pitshirt
Now I've gotten two or three
Walker Pit's done well by me

{Chorus}

All the boys from Walker Shore
Drink half a pint then eighteen more
All the way they rant and roar
To the tune of the "Elsie Marley"

{Chorus}

Geordie Charlton had a pig
He hit it with a shovel and it danced a jig
All the way to Walker Shore
To the tune of the Elsie Marley

{Chorus}

If I had another penny
I would have another gill
I would make the piper play
'The Bonny Lass of Byker Hill'

{Chorus x2}

Recordings

Stream/Purchase

Gig Videos

Rescue Rooms, Nottingham, UK (2 Feb 2025)

YouTube Videos

Full Band Streams

[1] ttps://www.gutenberg.org/files/53156/53156-h/53156-h.htm

[2] ttps://mainlynorfolk.info/lloyd/songs/bykerhill.html

[3] ttps://sacredharpbremen.org/133-hebrew-children/

[4] ttps://sitelines.newcastle.gov.uk/SMR/4189

[5] ttp://www.dmm.org.uk/colliery/w046.htm

[6] ttps://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=3265#16079

[7] ttps://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Bishopric_Garland/wK0DAAAAQAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1

[8] “bumbo, n.¹”. Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford University Press, July 2023, <https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/8353859203>

[9] ttps://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/archives/010365.html

[10] ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elsie_Marley

[11] ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_trimmer

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