Pony Driver's Song

Lyrics

Chorus
(For) I am a driver, these are me tubs, Ah’m up the road, old (lads) boys, my pony rubs,
Where is the doggie? Nobody knows. He’s dahn by the pass-by a picking his nose!

1
Ah shall be glad when this shift is done; Ah shall be up there out in the sun,
Tha’ll still be down here in this dark ’oil, a grunting and groaning and pulling the coil.

2
All t’ corn’s in t’ manger and watter’s in t’ trough, tha’ll pull thi noase aht when tha’s enough,
Ah’ll tek thee in t’ standing and drop off thi gear. When Ah comes back Ah know tha’ll be here.

This is a traditional song about Yorkshire, collected in Yorkshire.

Provenance

Mick got this song from Bill Hill of Castleford who was a miner at Wheldale Colliery, Castleford.

Mick stated that the first five pit ponies were named after the saying: ‘Tom, King, Shot, Dick, Turpin!’
His dad had been a miner at Wath-upon-Dearne and the family had lived at Broomhill, near Wombwell.

Notes: “my pony rubs” - its side against the low seam (wall) of the road way.

The doggie is the little lad employed to lift and open and close the doorway, also part of the ventilation system.