Shortly after the song was written, on Ascension Day, 19 May 1814, the first steamer started working on the Tyne, operated by the "Tyne Steam Packet Co."[1] The publisher made an error on the first edition which led to this being copied onto many other publication, even after the error was brought to their attention and corrected[1][clarification needed] The song appears in many publications including "Collection of songs chiefly in the Newcastle dialect – And illustrative of the Language and Manners of the Common People on the Banks of the Tyne and neighbourhood – By T. Thompson, J. Shields, W. Mitford, H. Robson, and others.
Ye niver see'd the church sae scrudg'd, As we were there thegither; An' gentle, simple, throughways rudg'd, Like burdies of a feather: Blind Willie, a' wor joys to croon, Struck up a hey down derry, An' crouse we left wor canny toon, Iv Jemmy Joneson's whurry.
Tyne-side seem'd clad wiv bonny ha's, An' furnaces sae dunny; Wey this mun be what Bible ca's "The land ov milk and honey!"
If a' thor things belang'd tiv me, Aw'd myek the poor reet murry, An' gar each heart to sing wiv glee, Iv Jemmy Joneson's whurry.
Then on we went, as nice as ourse, Till nenst au'd Lizzy Moody's; A whirlwind cam an' myed a' souse, Like heaps o' babby boodies.
men an' wives togither pludg'd, While hundreds stood by iaikin' Amang the rest aw cowp'd me creels, Eh, gox !