CAPSTICK COMES HOME - Tony Capstick

CAPSTICK COMES HOME - Tony Capstick and Carlton Main/Frickley Colliery Band. (1981)
'The New World Symphony' by Dvorak,
CAPSTICK COMES HOME

I'll never forget that first day at t'pit. Me an' mi father worked a seventy two hour shift, an' then we walked home forty three mile through t'snow in us bare feet, huddled inside us clothes med out o' old sacks.

Eventually we trudged over t'hill until wi could see t'street light twinklin' in our village. Mi father smiled down at mi through t'icicles hangin' off his nose. "Nearly home now lad", he said.

We stumbled into t'house and stood there freezin' cold and tired out, shiverin' and miserable, in front o' t' meagre fire. Any road, mi mam says "Cheer up, lads. I've got you some nice brown bread and butter for yer tea."

Ee, mi father went crackers. He reached out and gently pulled mi mam towards 'im by t'throat. "You big fat, idle ugly wart", he said. "You gret useless spawny-eyed parrot-faced wazzock." ('E had a way wi words, mi father. He'd bin to college, y'know). "You've been out playin' bingo all afternoon instead o' gettin' some proper snap ready for me an' this lad", he explained to mi poor, little, purple-faced mam.

Then turnin' to me he said "Arthur", (He could never remember mi name), "here's half a crown. Nip down to t'chip 'oyl an' get us a nice piece o' 'addock for us tea. Man cannot live by bread alone." He were a reyt tater, mi father. He said as 'ow workin' folk should have some dignity an' pride an' self respect, an' as 'ow they should come home to summat warm an' cheerful.

An' then he threw mi mam on t'fire.

We didn't 'ave no tellies or shoes or bedclothes. We med us own fun in them days. Do you know, when I were a lad you could get a tram down into t'town, buy three new suits an' an ovvercoat, four pair o' good boots, go an' see George Formby at t'Palace Theatre, get blind drunk, 'ave some steak an' chips, bunch o' bananas an' three stone o' monkey nuts an' still 'ave change out of a farthing.

We'd lots o' things in them days they 'aven't got today - rickets, diptheria, Hitler and my, we did look well goin' to school wi' no backside in us trousers an' all us little 'eads painted purple because we 'ad ringworm.

They don't know they're born today!!!


Tony Capstick
1944 - 2003

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Brass
• Band
• Yorkshire
• Colliery
• 1981
• Foxfield
• Railway

[DADRENO]

Although Tony has gone now, it's nice to see him occasionally as a dim policeman in back numbers of 'Last Of The Summer Wine'.

[oldfolkiepad]

A wonderful mixture of the poignant and the absurd.

[Dristarg]

"When I were a lad, you could get a tram down into town, buy 3 new suits and an overcoat, 4 pair of good boots , go see George Formby at Palace Theatre, get blind drunk, have some steak and chips, bunch of bananas, three stone of monkey nuts and still have change out of a farthing."

You can't do that now, not since all the shops installed security cameras.

[2100Rose]

We used to call this "The Hovis Song" . Obviously becuase of the backing music that was also used in the Hovis bread adverts .

[Andyo183]

Brilliant



[debnpete1]

Fantastic!!! caught the back end of this on Magic radio on Saturday. Hadn't heard it for donkeys years so checked it out on here. Reminds you of life before this country went down the pan. Nostalgia Rules, it's all we've got left.

[1Fairypoppy]

Brilliant vid never tire of hearing this,God bless Tony xx

[myepiphone]

And you think you had it bad ?. My pal Phil "Phibber" Munchausen says .When I was a lad the only way we could eat was to sneak into the zoo,annoy the the Gorilla so he'd pelt us with faeces,then we'd rummage through the monkey poo and eat the undigested nuts,they were all we had.

[3000gilly]

Bloody riots they should listen to this

[Chappy9]

e wa a r8 tata mi father! LOL

[srmunden]

Heard this for the first time in God knows how long, after remembering on a whim.

PMSL!

[MrMermaid58]

Thirty years old this may be, but it still makes me laugh.

[TeKarawata]

Magic .