It contained a mixture of songs, poems, humorous tales, jokes, conundrums, tongue twisters and other items of frivolity.
[1] The full title of the book[2] was "Chater's Annual for (here was the year e.g. 1878) containing – Mirth for Midsummer, Merriment for Michaelmas, Cheerfulness for Christmas, and Laughter for Lady-Day, forming a collection of Parlour Poetry and Drawing Room Drollery, suitable for all seasons; And supplying Smiles for Summer, Amusement for Autumn, Wit for Winter, and Sprightliness for Spring.
Entered at Stationers Hall" A copy of most years books are now held at Beamish Museum The front cover of the issue for 1878 (most others were virtually identical) was as thus :-
The cost of the publication was sixpence The contents cover many topics, mainly written in the Geordie dialect, often very broad.
Below is a small sample of the type of items these annuals contained :- A-D1 – according to Thomas Allan's Tyneside Songs and Readings of 1891, the writer is George Cameron MC-C1 – according to Cresswell's Local and other Songs and Recitations 1883, the writer is Marshall Cresswell Tune-A -The tune is not given in the book – but it has been added as attributed in Thomas Allan's Illustrated Edition of Tyneside Songs and Readings Geordie dialect words John W. Chater Chater's Canny Newcassel Diary and Remembrancer 1872 Chater's Keelmin's Comic Annewal – a yearbook published between 1869 and 1883