• Home
  • About Us
  • Gallery
  • Gigs
  • Shop
  • Media
  • Lyrics
  • Contact Us
  • Blog
THE OLDHAM TINKERS

ten oldham men


Ten Oldham Men

TEN OLDHAM MEN by Gerry Kearns

Chorus
No pasaran
These words they ran
From the lips 
Of each Oldham man

In Nineteen hundred and thirty six
Ten men from Oldham to Spain up’d sticks
To share a cause to keep Spain free,
And strike a blow for democracy.

Chorus

Mechanics, workers in the mills,
Repairing boots, riding bikes for thrills,
The young men left these Oldham trades,
To join the (famous) fifteenth brigade.
 ( international )

Chorus

              Of these ten Oldhamers six were slain,
At Spanish places with strange sounding names,
Jarama,(River) Belchite (Town)and Terhuel (Town)
At Brunete (Town) near Gendesa (the Ebro River) as well

Chorus

It’s often said that the good side lost,
They fought the fight and paid the cost,
Lets not forget these ten Oldham men,
Who lost their lives or who came home again.

Chorus

Survivours:- Albert Charlesworth, Charles Armitage, Joseph Buckley and Charles Hanson.



The alternative title for this song is ‘No Pasaran’ which was the slogan of the Republican side in the Spanish civil war and would have been adopted by the Oldhamers who went to fight with others from towns and cities across Britain to join the International Brigade.
The most famous of the ten from Oldham was Clem Beckett who started work as a blacksmith but went on to be a motorcycle champion and dare devil rider. He died at Jarama.
The ten were:
Albert Charlesworth, Kenneth Bradbury, Clement Beckett, Clifford Wolstencroft, Charles Armitage, Joseph Buckley, Joseph Maynard Lees, Harry Rowland Heap, William Jackson and Charles Hanson.

​

TEN OLDHAM MEN.
‘A LANCASHIRE GRACE’ LFCD031
THE OLDHAM TINKERS
Recorded by Dave Howard at his studio in Bury, Lancashire
Mixed and mastered  by John Ellis and Will Falkiner at Limefield Studio, Middleton, Manchester
Vocals; verses 1 & 3 Gerry Kearns, 2 & 4 John Howarth.
​Instruments:- John Howarth banjo, Gerry Kearns guitar, Dave Howard mandolin.





We're Social

HOME

VIDEO'S
ABOUT US

LYRICS
GALLERY

CONTACT US
GIGS

BLOG
SHOP
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Gallery
  • Gigs
  • Shop
  • Media
  • Lyrics
  • Contact Us
  • Blog