"The Caller" (or in Geordie dialect – "The Caaller") is a famous folk song written in the 19th century by Edward 'Ned' Corvan, in a style deriving from music hall.
"The Caller" tells of a colliery official employed as a "knocker-upper".
This job is described in the words of Robert Wilson as "An official at a colliery engaged to call up the men for work. He makes his first round at half-past 12 a.m., and knocks at all the doors with D chalked on them. These are the deputies' houses; they go to work an hour before the hewers. Every man of the fore-shift marks 1 on his door - that is the sign for the caller to wake him at that hour. The hewer fills his tubs, and continues alternately hewing and filling. Meanwhile, the caller having roused the putters, drivers, and off-handed man, the pit 'hings on', that is, starts work at 5 o'clock." in his paper "Coal mines of Durham and Northumberland"
- Why sweet slumber now disturbing,
- Why break ye the midnight peace,
- Why the sons of toil perturbing,
- Have their hours of rest to cease ?
- Chorus-
- Ho ! marrows, 'tis the Caller cries,
- And his voice in the gloom of the night mist dies.
- The twinkling stars, through night shade peering,
- Blink above with heavenly light
- On the sleeping world, as a voice calls clear,
- In the stilly air of the sable night.
- Chorus - Ho ! marrows, etc.
- The collier sleeps, e'en now he's dreaming
- Of a pure bright world and loved ones there,
- He basks in the rays of fortune beaming
- In some far land, full and fair.
- Chorus - Ho ! marrows, etc.
- Dream on, thou poor and ill-used collier,
- For slaves should aye have visions bright,
- There's one above who deems thee holier
- Than the wealthiest in his sight.
- Chorus - Ho ! marrows, etc.
- Speed, thee, old man, let him slumber
- When happy thoughts are in his breast;
- Why should the world his peace encumber?
- Go, let the weary collier rest.
- Chorus - Ho ! marrows, etc.
Ned Corvan playing his famous character 'Cat-Gut Jim'.
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Edward Corvan, or as he was famously known, Ned, was born in Liverpool and moved to Newcastle at the age of four. Following the death of his father at an early age, Corvan was raised by his widowed mother who struggled to feed the family of four on her meagre earnings. After a brief career as a sail-maker Corvan joined Billy Purvis's Victoria Theatre. Here he tried his hand at a number of things, but found most success in the performance of local and comic songs. Ned then went on to join the Olympic where he enjoyed great success with songs such as 'Astrilly'. With this popularity he travelled the North singing his Tyneside songs, eventually settling in South Shields where he operated Corvan's Music Hall. After a number of years he gave up the establishment and returned to local singing. Corvan died on the 31st August 1865 at the tragically young age of 35.
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