John Morrison was a Tyneside songwriter from the early nineteenth century.
Thomas Allan in his 1891 version of Allan's Illustrated Edition of Tyneside Songs and Readings states that "Of the author we have no trace. Evidently a Sheels man, he contrives to cap Thompson, who, in making "Canny Newcassel" marrow the "Streets o' Lunnin" had not done amiss". [1] [2]
The only two works of his which seem to have survived are : Canny Sheels – showing that London compares poorly with Shields. Permanent Yeast – about the "new-fangled yeast" which no longer explodes – as in the advertisement of the day "Mr. Mawson’s ‘German Dried’ for me".
The author's name and his "Canny Sheels" first appeared in Davidson of Alnwick's "Collection of Tyneside Songs" published in 1840. Both songs appear in Fordyce’s "The Tyne Songster" published in 1840. Again both songs appear in "Songs of the Bards of the Tyne" published by P. France & Co. in 1850, although he erroneously credits the authorship of "Canny Shields" to "J Morris" in the front index section. Thomas Allan in his 1891 version of "Allan's Illustrated Edition of Tyneside Songs and Readings" publishes details of "Canny Sheels" only but refers to "Permanent Yeast" as being a second song by him "but it is much inferior to the first".
Both songs are written in the Geordie dialect.
Geordie dialect words
The Tyne Songster (W & T Fordyce, 1840)
W & T Fordyce (publishers)
France's Songs of the Bards of the Tyne - 1850
P. France & Co.
Joseph Philip Robson
Thomas Allan (publisher)
Allan's Illustrated Edition of Tyneside Songs and Readings
T. Moor was a Tyneside singer/songwriter of the 19th century. The only song attributed to his name is "The Skipper's Dream".
James Morrison was a Newcastle songwriter in the early part of the 19th century. His best known song is probably "Burdon’s Address to his Cavalry".
R. Charlton, who lived in the early nineteenth century, was a Tyneside poet/songwriter.
Phill Hodgson was a Tyneside songwriter, who, according to the information given by John Bell in his Rhymes of Northern Bards published in 1812, has the short song "Jesmond Mill" attributed to his name.
John McLellan, who lived in the early 19th century, was a Tyneside poet and songwriter. He is thought to have written a dialect song that draws on the cholera outbreaks of the 1830s.
T Kennedy was a Tyneside songwriter from the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. His most famous song is possibly "Geordie's Letter Frae Callerforney ".
Metcalf Ross was an English master printer and sometime poet/songwriter in Tyneside. He was born in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear.
Songs of the Bards of the Tyne is a chapbook style songbook, giving the lyrics of local, now historical songs, with a few bits of other information. It was edited by J. P. Robson and published by P. France & Co. in 1850.
Allan's Illustrated Edition of Tyneside Songs and Readings is a book of Tyneside popular and traditional songs consisting of approximately 400 song lyrics on over 600 pages, published in 1891. It was reprinted in 1972 by Frank Graham, Newcastle upon Tyne, with an introduction by David Harker.
William Watson (1796–1840) was a Tyneside concert hall singer and songwriter in the early 19th century. His most famous song is "Dance To Thy Daddy".
Marshall's Collection of Songs, Comic, Satirical is a chapbook style songbook, giving the lyrics of local, now historical songs, with a few bits of other information. It was published by John Marshall in 1827.
William Stephenson (senior) (1763–1836) was a Geordie (from Gateshead) watchmaker, schoolteacher, poet and songwriter, and father of William Stephenson (junior). His best known works are probably "The Quayside Shaver" and "The Skipper’s Wedding"
William Stephenson (junior) (2 September 1797 – 20 May 1838) was a Geordie printer, publisher, auctioneer, poet and songwriter born in Gateshead, the son of William Stephenson (senior).
The Newcastle Eccentrics were a group of unrelated people who lived in and around the centre of Newcastle and its Quayside between the end of the 18th and early/mid 19th century.
Many Geordie songwriters used aliases, for whatever reason. This article lists many of these aliases, giving in some cases, where known, the real name, and in others, some of the songs or poems attributed to them.
George Guthrie moved away from the town eastwards towards the coast, and worked as a blacksmith in Wallsend and Sunderland.
The Newcastle Songster, by John Marshall is a volume of six chapbooks, giving the lyrics of local, now historical songs, but virtually no other information. It was published by John Marshall in stages between 1812 and 1826.