The Little Doffer by Edwin Waugh
From: Complete Works, Poems and Songs, Second Series, pp. 121-123.1889, W. E. Clegg, Oldham.
This poem has been set to music and was sung to a lively tune by Harry Boardman. A version very close to the original is available as The Merry Little Doffer sung by Mark Dowding on Cock Robin Music, CRM 097 from http://freespace.virgin.net/mark.dowding/.
The poem cleverly illustrates the spirit of a lively young boy looking for work as a 'doffer' (collecting full bobbins) in the spinning shed and contains some fine touches of dialect. One of the most interesting is the use of 'I doubt' in the penultimate verse; at the time it meant precisely the opposite of what it does today - i.e. I don't doubt!
The Little Doffer
A merry little doffer lad
Coom down to Shapper’s mill,
To see if he could get a shop;
He said his name wur “Bill.”
“Bill what, my lad?” th’ o’erlooker said;
“Arto co’de nought beside?”
“Oh, yigh,” said th’ lad; “they co’n me things –
Sometimes, - ‘at’s bad to bide!”
“But what’ thi faither’s name, my lad?
Thou’ll surely tell me that!”
Said th’ lad, “Some co’n him ‘Apple Dad,’ –
His gradely name’s ‘Owd Hat.’
“My uncle Joe’s co’de ‘Flopper Chops!’
An’ sometimes ‘Owd Betide!’
They co’n him thoose at th’ weighvin'-shops;
An’ I know nought beside.”
Said th’ o’erlooker, “I know owd Joe, –
He weighvs for Billy Grime;
But, what dun they co’ thee, my lad,
When they co’n at dinner-time?”
Th’ lad grinned, an’ said, “They never han
To co’ me then, – no fear!”
Said th’ o’erlooker, “How’s that, my lad?”
Said th’ lad, “I’M AL’AYS THEER!”
My lad, thou looks a lively cowt;
Keen as a cross-cut saw;
Short yure, sharp teeth, a twinklin’ e’e,
An’ a little hungry maw!
But, wheer hasto bin wortchin’ at?
What’s brought tho down our way?”
Said th’ lad, “I wortched for Tommy Platt;
He’s gan me th’ bag, to-day.”
Thou’s brought thi character, I guess?”
Says th’ lad, “yo’re wrang, I doubt:”
Says th’ o’erlooker to th’ lad, “How’s this?”
Says th’ lad, “I’M BETTER BOWT!”
Said th’ o’erlooker, “I never see
Sich a whelp sin I wur born!
But, I’ll try what I can make o’ thee:
Come to thi wark to-morn!”