The post Tales From The Proggy Mat appeared first on Leadgate Village.
]]>Well, girls, here a gan again, the four friends of the mat.
Well, this week’s been full of happenings daint nar wrer to start.
Thers the four of us, Agnes, Violet, Rose, an Maude, we’v bin friends an neighbors for many years, through thick and thin. “Through” normally means the husband, but we all have a cross to bare, an love arnley lasts a while.
An after half a dozen kids, not even duty comes to mind. Being a catholic ye canna de knowt but what’s expected, makes ya wanda, as the prodies have less mouths to feed.
Well, back to the chatter over the mat. Agnes starts, I’ve heard a story aboot Mrs. Fitzpatrick’s girl, she’s ar
nly seventeen, but she’s on the swell, and the story is that it’s the rent collector that’s the father. Mrs Fitz has not been able to pay the rent since the hubby wandered away, and she turned a blind eye, an the rents now been paid. But, nue hees ganna have to pay for the lassie to gan an see the gypsy witch up High Spen to get it shifted. Well, I never says Violet, reminds me of the time the pit manager was caught with the young lass in the pit office. He thought it was all quiet an secret, but if hee’d payed the cleaner a bit more, it wadda been.
Well girls , maude says; I have some good news by brother Billy who moved away to Gateshead, has sent me a hope message. A hope message is given to someone who is passing the place intended for the message, an gives it to the intended.
Well the message is that he’s now working on the quayside warehoose at Newcastle, an theirs been a ship in carrying corn from America, an the stavedore lads have done a fasti. When the corn bags were put ashore in the warehoose they poured some water on the sacks, an the buyers wouldn’t tak em as they might have damp mould, so they want to dump them, but the lads sed they will buy them cheap for the pigeons. All good, but, the bonus is, the sacks are best quality hession and we can have all the sacks, but the gaffer wants a good progy mat.
Well girls, its time ta finish an gan yem an sort oot the bath for him comin yem from the pit,an thanks to Rose for letin us cum roond as she’s the arnley one with the space for the frame , an let’s us use her black range oven. Very posh, only one int street. We tac turns, the men arnly get pies every three weeeks, but Rose gets a bag a coal dropped off. Well thats it til next week, more scandal more stories, but a meeting of good friends.
Well girls here we are again, sittin in Roses warm kitchen with the lovely smell of fresh bread baking in the range. Well, we got to start a new mat today, for wor billys gaffer who got us the sacks, says Maude. So, who has got any notions as to what we do? Agnus chirps up , whi I was thinkin aboot a ship, after all that’s what got it to the quayside. Good idea, says Maude. Then violet with her little chirp says, why deent we, for a bit oh colour put some yella in the corners, in the shape of a corn cob, an he can have a chuckle every time he see’s it, and gets a reminda aboot how got one ova on the bosses, the greedy bar stuids. Whey girls, off we go. Whoo’s ganna start the cuttin an whoo’s ganna start the news, whats bin gannin on?
Well, there’s trouble doon the allotments an the lofts. Some body has been aboot in the dark thieving and takin stuff. But, it’s leeks and cabbages. They think somebody, a one really on the bare boards is takin for the family. if they find oot that’s the case, they will give him summick. But, if he takes the show leeks, he’s in real bother.
Rose says, haya heard aboot the midnight cart man, they rekon summit scared the hoss an it bolted, pullin the poo cart an he got killed, run ower dead. But the problem getting is someone else ta dee the cart so they winit be getting shoveld oot till a new man is foond. So, good job autumn is coming as not many fly’s aboot.
Rose starts, iv’e had a visit from the priest, on the beg an borrah again. He wants to nah if we can make a mat with a nativity scene for the church. A said, al ask the girls, but wer busy with Billy’s mat an we dinna want to loss the chance of some mare sacks, this good. The only thing weel get for this nativity rug, is, a mention in church an a front seat on the bus tram to heeven. Maud says, whi a think we should try cos this new priests a canny lad, not like the last one who drank all the wine. Last month he sat with old Harry for three days an nights, waiting for the reeper to come an take him. He was talking to him aboot his childhood. He said to Harry’s missus that he wanted him to gan with happy thoughts in his mind.
Well that’s it girls, wera ganna dee it but me thinks wer ganna be like wa lads doon the pit working by candle light, hi , but not as dirty an not as grumpy. Rose says, well, mines a canny man , doesn’t drink alot an never raised a hand on me. Well, that’s good for you lass , but its not the same for all. Well, that’s it girls, got to get the bread oot. I, if you burn the loaf he might change an give ya a slap, all the girls finish with a laff. See ya all on wednesa.
Well, wer all back at Rose’s an the gaffers mat is looking fine. We had a change of plan cos wer got some bonny new cloth, al tell ya in a wile, the ship is now on a copper green sea, an a grand red hulled sailing ship, with a bootifull blue sky, sliced wiy the full white sails ay an two crates full of corn on the deck. The girls reckon, wor best yet, and here’s wer first bit luck, the gaffer came up here to collect it an was amazed, an promised a load mare sackss for nowt.
Well here’s the good luck story aboot the cloth, good deeds always pay back not always fast, but good folk remember
Last week her Ladyship from the big manor hoose was comin back from shoppin in Hexham, an that fancy motor brock doon, an just happen to be on the same road was the rag an bone man. Can a dee oot to help ya’s he says. Well, if you could pull us to the manor gates , we would be very grateful, her ladyship says in her delicate tones. Wey its nay bother hinney al just chuck a rope on an pull ya back, its arnly a few miles , in not so delicate tone, laced with the smell of bad ale pushed through rotten teeth.
Well, when they gets to the manor her ladyship thanks him with some coin then tells him that her children have now gone off to boardin school and she is getting shot of all the clothes that are to small for them, and would he like to remove them for her. Wey aye hinney, that’s na botha, just get ya man ta chuck them on the cart.
Noo things are startin ta roll. The rag an bone man was passing the church when he stopped to talk to the priest, the gipsy in him says, its bad luck to pass a priest without talkin aboot the day. Well my good man I see you have some bonny coloured cloths on the cart, do you have a use for them. ooo I vicar, the do canny at the market. Well I would like to have them for some wonderfull ladies making a mat for the church. As it happens, there’s some scrap metal behind the church. Perhaps we could come to some arrangement, an so the deal was done. An the priest has brought us these fine cloths to work with.
Maude says, didn’t a tell yars all, the new priest was a canny lad, aye an he’s handsome. Violet joins in sayin, aye he is that, if he’s sittin at my bedside waiting for the grim reaper to take me, ah will gan with pleasant thoughts in my mind. Roars of laughter rattle roond the room. Well girls, time to go home, gettin to dark, to work. Be back soon.
Well girls wer a bit short handed this week an it’s not good news. Agnes has a bit bother with wan of the young lasses, she’s got an awfull crup and sweaten like a pit pony. She’s got the bairn in a bed by herself an the other kids are spread out. The two youngest in we Ma and Dar an the other two on the long seat in the kitchen which is turned roond to face the wall so they don’t roll off. Her hubby, Bob has put a cloth covereed in Jeyes fluid on the bedroom door lock an you wipe your hands gannin in and gannin oot. Bob says, if it’l kill all the pests in the allotment it’l kill all the bugs in the hoose. Also, he’s bin ta see the herb lady at Corbridge to get a mixture for the bairn. He rekons it’s Nettles an rose hips an some root. He walked there and back on Sunday an missed gannin to Church for enening mass, but he did say he prayed for the bairn all the time he was walking, so, hopes she’s well soon. Agnes said, the bairn told her, “Mam this is funny to be in a bed without sharin it with me sisters, an it’s not as warm “. When a telt Bob this, he went to the spoil heep an brought back to round stones and put them close to the fire , then later on, rapped them in a bag an put them in the bed , for the bairn. He ight have a reputation of a hard man, but with the bairns, he’s my angel.
Well a bit better news, the coals due an Rose’s husband is a chargehand at the pit, an he looks afta his sqad a men who are mostly our husbands, so when the wagon comes there’s bin a mishap an aboot twent pit props fellinto the bottom of the wagon before the coal was tipped in. So, get the saws oot and weel all have enough kindling chopped for winter.
Well noo, isnt fate a strange thing, says Violet, ya na old Zackery the cart man got run ower an killed. He’d been on his arn a lot of years an alltho he had an arfull job, his hoose was well kept, an he was arlways clean away from his work. The story is, when heed done his night shift an emptied the cart he tookthe hoss doon to the beck an washed it doon, then heed get in the beck with his clothes on an scrub himself doon then get oot an strip into clean cothes an put the wet stuff into a sack. Well noo the plot thickens, he used ta drop the bag off at missus Fitzpatricks on the way yem an collect the day after, clothes proper washed and dry and heed give her some coin an helped with a bit of food. Noo the best bit , a solicitor has been to see missus Fitzpatrck an told her , old Zac had no family an he’s left her the hoose and all its insides an a yearly bond until its arl gone. So, here’s a happy end to this week an if the bairns well we’ll be back to a full hoose girls.
Well, girls, it’s back to sittin roond the frame an it’s a full hoose. As Agnes’s bairn is well again an her hoose gets back to normal if that’s possible with the kids runnin roond your feet as it’s splashin doon outside but God Bless they’re all well. An the goodwill is spreadin aboot the street. Well, noo, Mrs Fitzpatrick has moved to old Zack’s hoose, aye an with all its chattels inside, but she’s a good fare lass at heart an she found oot that the young couple not long married were livin with her parents, doon the street. He’s got a job at the pit, so paying the rent should be okay. Well, she, Mrs Fitz went to see the landlord an told him the tale, saying that if they took on the rent for her old hoose she would leave them everything that’s in the hoose. Beds, furniture, the lot, except her cooking pans. Well, it’s all bin agreed an they’re movin in at the weekend. The youngans are so grateful, they said, when they have a bairn they will name it after her and if it’s a boy, it will be called Zachary after the goodwill of the cartman.
Well the lads doon the lofts found out who was takin the veg from the allotments, an it’s an arful shame, the poor lad has lost his wife an he’s got two bairns to feed and he’s lost his job at the wood yard. They found oot when he came to the lofts to say sorry to the lads, but he was desperate! Well the lads have come up with a plan to help him oot, cos he come true aboot the thievin. What he’s got to do is, get the bairns minded for a couple of hours, then gan to the allotments an de some graft an the lads will keep him in veg an tatties, so all is well.
Well this Nativity matts well on its way an looking good with all the posh cloth from the clothes, from the Manor hoose. But, she’a not a happy Lady cos some of her snooty friends saw her motor bein pulled by a horse an cart. Well that’s typical, the snooty so an so so should be glad she got home. Violet says, a don’t suppose she’s ever walked two miles before.
Well girls, wer ganna have to move war places roond the mat, cos Agnrs is proggin like a racehorse an gettin ahead of us. Rose says, wey it’s ma hoose so am stoppin here with the fire on me back. Ha Ha, just joshin lasses al come to other side. It’s a better seat to watch me pans, with the dinner cooking on the grate. Eeee, it does smell grand, ye man will be happy with that after a shift doon the pit. Aye, he will, the lads went oot last night an snared a few rabbits and thats his favourite stew. If they’re out again the neet, al try an get yous one. Guess what one of the lads has done, he’s gone an nailed a rabbits foot on Mrs Fitz old hoose door as good luck for the couple moovin in. hard men, hard workers, but we all look out for each other.
Well here we are girls all dressed up an sittin in a line, not across the mat frame, but in the Church awaitin the new priest to tark aboot the Nativity an unveil the mat, an give us credit for the project an the community spirit involved among friends. Well, it’s a grand turn oot, the Church is full. Mind you, ah thinks it’s because he’s such a handsome chap, the woman have turned up an the men just want to keep the peace.
Well, the Christmas is getting close an all’s gannin well. There’s lots of good garn aroond, Jasper doon the allotments, keeps chickens an he’s got some hens not layin so well so they’re garn on the plate for Christmas dinna, wi lots of good veg from the lads.
Rose’s hubby has had a good plan turn oot reet. Some of the pit props have turned oot not to be the best, and can’t be used safely doon the face. He’s ganna get them cheep, as a job lot. Noo the lad that’s been workin at the allotments used ta work at the sarmill, so Roses hubby has struck a deal with him. If he cuts and sticks the props they will share the monies they mak, so the yungan has a job to start in the New Year. I, his New Year is getten better, Mrs Fitzpatrick hurd aboot his plite an has invited him to her hoose for the festive dinna. Agnes says, aye, but has she plans, does she wanta young man or is she lookin oot for her dowter? Maude joins in an says, well were not arl like you, some are just kind, an care for others. Ah didn’t mean it to soond bad but, when you’ve had a bad one, like me first, who beat me terribley bad, it was a blessing he got crushed in the pit. Ah did’nt shed many tears. My new fella is a calm gentle god fearing man . He works hard, is good with the bairns, has a few ales with the lads. When he comes home he talks to me, ah don’t get slapped an forced in bed. Suppose you’ve got to gan through the bad to appreciate the good even more.
Well girls a new yearwill be hear soon, an weel have to think aboot a new mat on the frame, but if our Billy’s gaffer comes through with the orders, we will be busy an make a bit a coin. Aye, an if we get some in before the summer we can get a trip to Shields and let the bairns see the beach.
Well girls, here we gan again in Rose’s kitchen, back on the mats again after the Christmas break. It’s bin bitter cold out. We all had a good time, a few presents an a few surprises. The lad starting up with Rose’s man doing the sticks in his own time chopped a load of sticks, an on Christmas Eve went roond to all the lads from Rose’s man’s pit crew an dropped off a wheel barra of sticks with a sprig of holly for good luck in the coming year. We had the lazy chickens for the Christmas dinner, very nice, an a real treat they wor. The carcasses went in the pot with some vegan got well streched oot, even the dog got some. The other chickens must a known, cos they are laying like mad.
Rose turned oot some great cakes for us all, she’s got the best oven and is a great baker an it’s great to see the bairns enjoying a special treet. But noo the weather’s turned really nasty an it’s snowed for five days. It has browt everything to a stand still. The snow is hegher than the front doors in places. The men have had to dig a way to the coalhouse’s and the outside nettie’s. Maud’s man says it was that cold when he had to pee, he had too snap it off in icicles.
Well, noo it’s eased off, the men have to get back to the graft doon the pit but first they all dug a path to the village shop and then started a path to the pit head while having a joke and a laugh as the went saying, it’s a lot easier to shovel the white stuff stanin up than the black stuff on your knees.
Mrs Fitzpatric had her guests for Christmas, the young lad an his bairns, so watch this space. Agnes could be right when Mrs Fitz. was chatting to a neighbour an said it was grand to have a family Christmas. She said she would have liked more kids but could not, as summit went wrong when she had her daughter.
Boxing Day and Santa called late with some more pressies, more sacks for making mats an two were full of corn. These went straight to the chicken man with our thanks. He jokes on saying, well that will make the yolks nice an yella.
But the best sack news is that our lads gaffa showed his mat to the Bosses. They were so impressed that they wanted one each so that’s three, an all with ships on an the bosses will pay well. Violet suggests that we should dee a mat for me her brother as he gave us a good start an looks like we could do well. Agnus says, I, look oot Axminster wer on our way followed by a roar of laughter aroon the mat frame.
Rose says, well girls what would you dee with lots of money? Agnes says, Get an oven like yours, Rose. Violet says, me to, would be grand, all the stews an pies, i’ll have a happy man an be a lot warmer for him at bath time with the big range doors open an the fire blazin an all the cothes will dry canny quick. The Maud chirls in as well, it;s six years since ar had a new dress, it’s always bin pinnies with pockets an clothes for the bairns. I’m not being selfish but, it would be a treat just to put myself first. Rose reply’s, aye lass an well deserved. Well we best be getting yem, the men will be back soon. Their first shift back so tread careful, they will be black, hungry an grumpy.
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