Owdham edge
John Howarth vocal & banjo; Gerry Kearns chorus & guitar; Larry Kearns chorus & mandolin
Chorus
On Owdham Edge, th’ grass is green,
Th’ nicest view ‘at e’re tha’s seen;
Tha stonds on t’top, an’ tha looks abeawt,
Nowt but mills, wi’ their chimbley spews.
Factory chimblies belchin’ smoke,
Chokin’ men keep shovellin’ coke,
For th’ cotton mills, yo’ see,
Are makin’ clooas, for thee an’ me.
Chorus
O’er to t’ left is Rochda’ Teawn,
Wheer lives a Poet o’ greyt renown,
Harvey Kershaw is his name
And th’ Local dialect is his fame.
Chorus
Straight up front, there’s Crompton, Shaw,
Derker, Delph, Springhead an’ aw,
Neaw we’re touchin’ Yorkshire’s line,
Aw can’t see owt past theer—but grime.
Chorus
At Watersheddin’s it used t’ be good,
T’ see ‘em fieght for t’ ball i’ t’ mud,
Neaw th’ game has changed yo’ see,
Yo’ can’t play “dirty” , on t’ TV.
Chorus
They should come up here fro’ Switzerlond,
If they’ve getten “bad chests”, it’d suit ‘em grond,
For Owdham air – let me tell thee!
Blows up fro’ Royton-by th’-sea.
Chorus
Words: John Howath
© Oldham Tinkers
Chorus
On Owdham Edge, th’ grass is green,
Th’ nicest view ‘at e’re tha’s seen;
Tha stonds on t’top, an’ tha looks abeawt,
Nowt but mills, wi’ their chimbley spews.
Factory chimblies belchin’ smoke,
Chokin’ men keep shovellin’ coke,
For th’ cotton mills, yo’ see,
Are makin’ clooas, for thee an’ me.
Chorus
O’er to t’ left is Rochda’ Teawn,
Wheer lives a Poet o’ greyt renown,
Harvey Kershaw is his name
And th’ Local dialect is his fame.
Chorus
Straight up front, there’s Crompton, Shaw,
Derker, Delph, Springhead an’ aw,
Neaw we’re touchin’ Yorkshire’s line,
Aw can’t see owt past theer—but grime.
Chorus
At Watersheddin’s it used t’ be good,
T’ see ‘em fieght for t’ ball i’ t’ mud,
Neaw th’ game has changed yo’ see,
Yo’ can’t play “dirty” , on t’ TV.
Chorus
They should come up here fro’ Switzerlond,
If they’ve getten “bad chests”, it’d suit ‘em grond,
For Owdham air – let me tell thee!
Blows up fro’ Royton-by th’-sea.
Chorus
Words: John Howath
© Oldham Tinkers
“Oldham Edge” is a peculiar feature of “The Town in the Country Side” or “The Centre of the Universe” as Oldham is often called. It is in fact a piece of moor land surrounded by town. As kids the Oldham Tinkers lived on the fringes of the “Edge”. To them the Edge provided badlands, battlefields, rugby and soccer pitches, cricket pitches and mountains; all improvised. “Oldham Edge” is an amazing vantage point. From it one can see for miles. As kids we could see, on the one hand, a great vista of industry and endless rows of terraced houses and on the other, the wild moors of the Pennines. If asked “Where are you going for your holidays?”, it is not uncommon to be told “Oldham Edge”, this of course, being another example of the Wigan Pier, Royton Sands idea of holidays at home. It is, need one say, a rather facetiousness reply. Speaking of facetiousness, it will be gathered from the song that on the other side of the Pennines from Oldham lies the county of Yorkshire. John Howarth wrote the words of the song while he was actually on the “Edge” watering his dog. Mentioned in the song is Watersheddings. This has nothing to do with John’s dog. It was in fact the home of Oldham Rugby League Club of which Larry is an ardent supporter.
First issued by Topic 1970
Owdham Edge TOPIC 12T204
Popular Song and Verse from Lancashire
Recorded by Sean Davies 1970
Cover Illustration: Owdham Edge, lithograph by E H Buckler. Published by J Coops c1860 reproduced by permission of Local History Section, Oldham Public Libraries
Re-released on C.D. by Pier Records in 2002 under licence from Topic Records Ltd, England.
The C.D. The Oldham Tinkers, ‘Sit Thee Down’ PIERCD 505
A classic Lancashire folk album, available for the first time on CD, with four bonus tracks and full song notes.
Owdham Edge TOPIC 12T204
Popular Song and Verse from Lancashire
Recorded by Sean Davies 1970
Cover Illustration: Owdham Edge, lithograph by E H Buckler. Published by J Coops c1860 reproduced by permission of Local History Section, Oldham Public Libraries
Re-released on C.D. by Pier Records in 2002 under licence from Topic Records Ltd, England.
The C.D. The Oldham Tinkers, ‘Sit Thee Down’ PIERCD 505
A classic Lancashire folk album, available for the first time on CD, with four bonus tracks and full song notes.