In 1905 George Foster, son of a Blacksmith published a small book of poems from his home in Cadman Street Mosbrough. We reprint a few verses from his poem “the Village Sycamore”. This ancient tree stood until the 1950’s opposite The Queens Hotel at the top of Station Road. There are some 51 verses from which we have selected a few which are descriptive of Mosbrough Village life during the last century.
“As years rolled by, my health being good,
I grew both stoat and tall,
The fence was stubb’d – alone I stood,
And then was built this wall.
“The bull of grand majestic mien,
With horns and sinews strong –
I’ve seen him led upon the Green
Amid the maddening throng”
“There, tethered fast unto a post,
The noble victim stood
Surrounded by a mighty host,
Who longed to see his blood?”
“What shouts of glee have here been borne
From those hard-hearted men,
When’er their dogs the beast has torn,
Or he has wounded them!”
“By knowing fools I’ve heard it stated
As their own firm belief –
That when a bull had well been halted
His flesh was better beef”
“But trade fell bad and food was dear,
And Mosbro’ felt it sore:
The cottagers all quaked with fear,
For the wolf was at the door.”
“With flour four and six per stone,
And nothing in the purse,
No wonder that the folks did groan,
How could they have been worse?”
“But farmers showed for once content
Upon their features broad,
And well they might when good wheat went
At two-pound two a load.”
“They dressed in broadloth silk and furs,
Their beef and mutton carved:
Whilst their had working labourers –
It is a fact – they starved.”
“They e’en begrudged each little bird
A grain of golden wheat.
About the cornfield’s guns were heard,
And loud the clappers beat.”
“I heard the sickle-sliddies ‘ring’
From early morn till night,
And every wheel went at full swing
To grind the sickles bright.”
“The colliers on a larger scale,
The precious coal did win,
Ten hours daily without fail
They made the pulleys spin.”
“Ha! There was peace and pleasure then
Both for the high and low.
The masters then did ‘know’ their men,
And men respect did show”.
