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THE
MERRY MAWKIN
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| THE
MERRY MAWKIN |
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The
Merry Mawkin, newsletter of the Friends of Norfolk Dialect
(FOND), is packed full of interesting features, pictures and
letters, all with one thing in mind – to help preserve
our vernacular for future generations.
The twenty-four page, A5, glossy newsletter is published four
times a year and is free to members of FOND, although non-members
may purchase copies if required (please see below for details).
Ashley
Gray, the editor, welcomes anything on a Norfolk theme:
stories and poetry in dialect, photographs of bygone days,
as well as letters or emails describing what living in Norfolk
means to you.
THE
MERRY MAWKIN, SUMMER EDITION, NO. 37
“Well,
hare we are agin, my bewties, with the summer edition of The
Merry Mawkin. I spuz, strickerly speakin’ that en’t
summer yit, an’, as I sit hare tappin’ these buttons,
I hatta wonder if we’ll ever git ridda them thare easterly
winds, ’corse tha’s still suffen cold hare, that
is.
“But,
tergether, tha’s enough o’ my squit, so hare I’ll
tell yew a titty-totty bit about FOND’s summer issue
of The Merry Mawkin. Do yew find orl my writin’
what I’re done suffen long an’ teadyus t’read,
I’re included a few pearges wi’ pickatures an’orl.
“So,
do yew hev a look at the Mawkin (click
here, or above) and, who knows, that might even parswearde
yew to join us as another
Friend of Norfolk Dialect – tearke care, tergether!”
Front
cover: The last Norfolk horseman and good all-round entertainer,
Ray Hubbard, graces the front cover of the summer Mawkin
having appeared at the spring FONDdew at Wymondham.
Page
2: Our editor is in mardling mood again, and remembers
some good old May Day customs and traditions from past years.
Page
3: Norman Hart, the chairman of FOND, has much to say
in this issue; he tells us he’s pleased to announce FOND
now has a new Minutes’ Secretary, and how FOND has become
involved with the organisation of the Celebration of Norfolk
Dialect, held annually in Cromer. He’s also please to
announce that membership numbers are on the increase –
with many new members signing up from the website! Perhaps
you’d like to join
as well?
Page
4: Trendy or Trosher? asks our founder, Keith Skipper,
from his place of abode on The Gem of the Norfolk Coast. But
which category does Keith fit into – purple winklepickers
and all?
Page
5: Lil Landimore has A cure for the blues with
another of her short poems in dialect.
Page
6: An enjoyable FONDdew
– a report on the recent ‘dew’ at the Town
Green Centre, Wymondham, where a packed house was entertained
by Ray Hubbard, reputed to be the last Norfolk horseman.
Page
7: Gotta put yar thinkun’ cap on says the
Boy Colin as he talks about the Election, and has a good moan
about ‘lump and bump’ music. “Oi’d moan
orl the more, dew Oi hatta buy a licence!” he said.
Page
8 Whilst at school, Canon
Peter Nicholson had a fear of dentists, he tells us in A
very unwelcome visitor. Although he manages a laugh or
two in another of his entertaining anecdotes!
Page
9: Brenda
Bizzell’s Wordsearch takes us to Dereham this
time; but where is Nelson to be found, and is St George’s
dragon lurking somewhere?
Page
10: Sid Kipper finds time to recite a pome, having started
to take An interest in Norfolk literature. You’re
also invited to Neatishead village hall on 10 September and
Cromer pier on 13 November. Perhaps he’ll have learnt
more pomes by then!
Page
11: Celebration
of Norfolk Dialect, a report on the annual celebration
at Cromer on 27 April by Derek Paul.
Page
12: A
stranger in paradise by the Boy Pat, who tells of his
‘delight’ at being ‘picked’ to appear
in the FOND panto, ‘My ow Bewty an the Beast’, staged
at North Elmham earlier this year. After this, he’s assured
a part in next year’s panto as well!
Page
13: FOND
member, Lucy Catto, recently set up Broad Norfolk Designs,
a clothing and gift company inspired by our Norfolk dialect.
Hold yew hard tergether reveals her range of clothing,
mugs and plates, all with distinctive dialect words or phrases
on them, or the lovable Norfolk bishy barneybee!
Page
14: Ray Loveday is still Living with Hikey Sprites
and tells us of his latest experiences.
Page
15: School meals –
love ’em or hate ’em? June Burleigh certainly
does and recalls past meals in this amusing tale. (You’ll
never eat tapioca again!).
Also
on page 15: Another
Norfolk quiz by the Boy Colin, giving you the opportunity
to test your knowledge of all things local.
Page
16: Old
Tarm and Jimma have another of their Conversations in the
‘local’ as ‘bor’ listens in. It seems
Jimma has become ‘addicted’ to the horses, whilst
the beer gets weaker and weaker...!
Page
17: Make
a note in your diary; a list of forthcoming events.
Page
18: Your website co-ordinator, Ashley Gray, brings us
up-to-date with visitor numbers – which are still on
the increase, amounting to over 1,000 a month! There’s
also a selection of comments (all good!) from those visitors
signing the guestbook.
Page
20: Poor Tina Chamberlain
tells us I’re bin in horspital – but she’s
all right again now, thank goodness. Seems she gave the other
‘in-patients’ a bit of a fright, walking about with
her hospital gown undone at the back!
Also
on page 20: Memories
of a lady’s maid. Long-time member of FOND recalls
her days as a lady’s maid to Lady Lavinia Leslie of Stragglethorpe
Hall. A brief report of an article that appeared recently
in Choices magazine.
Page
21: The Boy John had A wedding in the family and
Sidney Grapes tells us all about it. There were ‘white
ribbands’ on the car to the church, but the wedding party
had to walk home as the car was booked for a funeral! Plenty
of ‘sossage rolls and patties’ and port wine (the
state of old Mrs W––’s face could testify to
that!), and everyone enjoyed themselves, specially the children,
“tree on ’em were sick!” said the Boy John,
in his letter to the paper.
Page
22: Let’s be hearing from you! says the editor
of The Merry Mawkin, as we publish letters from readers
and the membership.
Page
25: Answers
and solutions to the Wordsearch Puzzle and Boy Colin’s
Norfolk quiz.
Page
24: FOND Officers and Committee
members, plus a Membership Application form.
WOULD
YOU LIKE A COPY OF THE MERRY MAWKIN?
If
you would like a copy of this, the most recent, Merry Mawkin
(£1.50 inclusive of P&P in the UK) email:
JOIN
NOW – FOND NEEDS YOU!
With
so many people visiting www.norfolkdialect.com each
day (so far this month 40 per day on average!) we would like
to invite you to become a member of FOND. For a mere £6
per year (individual member), or £10 (for family membership),
you could look forward to The Merry Mawkin being delivered
to your door four times a year. (Please enquire about overseas
membership) So, join now,
to make sure of your copy hot off the press every three months!
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GEO
R REEVE LTD
of
Wymondham is a family-run business operating from two
premises in the town.
The
print works – where FOND’s Merry Mawkin
is printed – is situated at Town Green with offices
in a charming 17th century building, next door to the
old Methodist Manse. Run
by an enthusiastic team, led by John Seager, Reeve’s
are proud of their state-of-the-art Heidelberg Speedmaster
4-colour press which produces print-work of the highest
quality.
Their
retail shop in Market Street is headed by John’s
sisters, Amanda and Rachel, and sells books, stationery,
art materials, greeting cards, and much, much more.
If
contacting Geo
R Reeve Ltd, please mention you saw it on the FOND
site.
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Please
sign our guestbook
as we would love to hear from you – or,
if you prefer, email:
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