Marshall Cresswell

Marshall Cresswell (1833-1889) was a Northumberland born miner, poet and songwriter. His experiences to and from his job in Borneo were serialised later in the local newspaper.[1][2]

Early life

Marshall Cresswell was born on 18 January 1833 in the colliery village of Fawdon Square (now combined with other villages and suburbs to form Fawdon), the son of Thomas Cresswell and his wife Jane.

After a short time at school, he left at the age of 9 and went "down the pit" like a great many at this age. After serving his apprenticeship, he became a sinker.[3] He was working on the sinking of a new shaft for a colliery near Sherburn Station in December 1856 when he was informed that the eminent local engineer William Coulson[4] was seeking three experienced men to go out to Borneo as "sinkers".

Marshall Cresswell applied and was awarded one of the positions, all of which led to a period of what could be called "Adventure and excitement". He set sail bound for Sarawak on the island of Borneo from Gravesend via Rio de Janeiro and Singapore in February 1857 on the Gwalior and immediately became involved in long sea journeys, shipwrecks, storms, hostile natives, excessive heat, and all that goes with these. It would be 20 September 1859 when he arrived back on the Tyne

The story of his adventure, "From Dudley Colliery to Borneo - by Marshall Creswell", was later serialised in the Newcastle Courant,[5] running from 18 January to 12 April 1878 – Annotated versions:[6] or [7]

Later life

On his return to Newcastle, Marshall Cresswell commenced work again in the Tyneside pit at Dudley;[8] here he started writing songs and poems, using his adventures in some of his works.

He wrote numerous songs and recitation, mostly for publication in John W Chater's publications, winning a gold medal with "Morpeth Lodgings" in one competition.

In 1876, John W Chater published a song book of approximately 36 pages entitled Local and other Songs and Recitations, which was a collection of Marshall Cresswell’s songs. A second edition of over 100 pages was published in 1883.

He died in 1889.

Notes

The above details are from his own autobiography, newspaper cuttings, and details found in Thomas Allan’s Illustrated Edition of Tyneside Songs and Readings and Farne archives, all of which appear to be the main source of information. However Census returns suggest that he may have been born in 1837, named after his father, a colliery under viewer at Fawdon, and lived with his grandparents in Durham (1841) and then Bellingham (1851), where he was still a scholar at the age of 14.

Works

These include (in alphabetical order) the followqing list (which also includes a vey brief resumé of each) :-

See also

Geordie dialect words
Cresswell's Local and other Songs and Recitations 1883
John W Chater

References

  1. "Allan’s Illustrated Edition of Tyneside songs and readings".
  2. Allan’s Illustrated Edition of Tyneside songs and readings with lives, portraits and autographs of the writers, and notes on the songs. Revised Edition. Thomas & Gorge Allan, 18 Blackett Street, and 34 Collingwood Street, (Newcastle upon Tyne) – Sold by W. Allan, 80 Grainqer Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, B. Allan, North Shields and Walter Scott. London. 1891.
  3. "the term - A Sinker".
  4. "Thornley Coal Company".
  5. "British Library, Newspapers - Newcastle Courant".
  6. Dudley Colliery to Borneo: all 13 instalments, transcribed, with notes
  7. blog copy of previous reference, with Borneon aspects emphasised
  8. "Google maps, enter "Dudley, Tyne and Wear NE23"".
  9. "Farne archives - Annitsford bogle - (The) - a fact".
  10. "Farne archives - Awd man's petition fra the workhoose te Tommy Burt".
  11. "Farne archives - Banks of the Wear - (The)".
  12. "Farne archives - Bashful sweet heart - (The)".
  13. "Farne archives - Bella Walker's advice tiv hor dowtor".
  14. 1 2 3 4 "Durham Mining Museum - Dudley Colliery".
  15. "Farne archives - Collier's doom - (The)".
  16. "Farne archives - Creemayshon".
  17. "Farne archives - Dudley pet - (The)".
  18. "Farne archives - Dudley Station".
  19. "Farne archives - Fall at Dudley - (The)".
  20. "Farne archives - For Ever at Rest".
  21. "Farne archives - Frustrated feast - (The)".
  22. "Farne archives - Good Templar's happy home - (The)".
  23. "Farne archives - Grainger Monnymint - (The)".
  24. "Farne archives - Happy Pair O' Blyth - (The)".
  25. "Farne archives - Hidden whisky bottle - (The) - (The)".
  26. "Farne archives - Invisible ghost - (The)".
  27. "Farne archives - Joe's last voyage to sea".
  28. "Farne archives - Lad that wants a Wife - (The)".
  29. "Farne archives - Lass of Annitsford - (The)".
  30. "Farne archives - Laws, Gledson, an' Mycroft".
  31. "Farne archives - Midneet adventor - (A)".
  32. "Farne archives - Modest appeal - (A)".
  33. "Farne archives - Morpeth Bankwet - (The)".
  34. "Farne archives - Morpeth Lodgings".
  35. "Farne archives - Mother winnet cum h'yem".
  36. "Farne archives - Nanny Moore; a parody".
  37. "Farne archives - Naughty workhouse lad - (The)".
  38. "Farne archives - Neet sk'yul - (The)".
  39. "Farne archives - New tramway car - (The)".
  40. "Farne archives - North Durham election - (The)".
  41. "Farne archives - Pea-puddin' hot".
  42. "Farne archives - Peter's pay".
  43. "Farne archives - Pitman meedyum - (The)".
  44. "Farne archives - Pitman's advice tiv his son - (A)".
  45. "Farne archives - Pitman's visit te Rio de Janeiro - (A)".
  46. "Farne archives - Poor convict lad - (The)".
  47. "Farne archives - Resurrection men - (The) - A fact".
  48. "Farne archives - Robert Gledson's pedigree".
  49. "Farne archives - Strange bed - (A)".
  50. "Farne archives - Summer's cleanin' - (The)".
  51. "Farne archives - Telegraphic news".
  52. "Farne archives - That day hes noo g'yen by".
  53. "Farne archives - Time muthor lay bad i' bed - (The)".
  54. "Farne archives - Tom Linkin's box".
  55. "Farne archives - Unk'yuked Tripe - (The)".
  56. "Farne archives - Whisky het".
  57. "Farne archives - Willow Tree - (The)".
  58. "Farne archives - Wonderful change at Dudley - (The)".

External links

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