The HerbNerb Clerb

The Northumbrian accent is different to the Geordie.

In fact Northumbria’s dialect is so unique that there is Northumbrian Language Society.

Northumbrians have a way with vowels, also unique, and roll their Rs in the back of the throat.

Ashington, in south Northumberland has its own version of the accent, sometimes known as Pitmatic.

The Cheap Sunglasses Serenaders loved playing Ashington Folk Club, and Ashington folk loved them back.

When Phil passed away George’s first gig without him was in Ashington, and he asked me to come along because – well maybe he needed something of Phil to be with him.

At George’s funeral last Monday an elderly gentleman approached me.

“You probably won’t remember me, but I remember you.  I used to run Ashington Folk Club when George and Phil played there back in the day.  I remember you came along with George, oh, it must have been just a few weeks after Phil died.  I watched you watching him and thought ‘She’s enjoying this.’”

He was right, nobody could help but smile and laugh when George performed, however sad their circumstances.

His daughter also came for a chat.

“You won’t remember me, I was only a little girl when George and Phil played at Ashington Folk Festival but they were so funny.”

“We’re you at the one where George had the face painter paint the top of his head black like a wooden doll?”

“Oh yes.”

“With a kiss curl in the middle of his forehead?”

“Oh yes” she said and we both started laughing.

“I couldn’t look at him without laughing” I said “Then he put on his ‘vinyl roof’ leatherette flying helmet, starts sweating and there’s beads of black paint running down his face…”

We both became breathless with laughter at the memory.

I couldn’t actually look at George for the rest of the day without becoming beyond speechless with laughter; and I’ve a feeling Phil found it hard to carry on without corpsing.

The unique Ashington (or Eashington as they would pronounce it) accent has led to a number of jokes by Geordies and George.

 

Such as:

Wor lass has failed her driving test.

What for?

Driving over a kerb.

Yeh cannat be failed for driving over a kerb!

Yeh can in Berb a Jerb week.

This love of the Eashington accent led to The Cheap Sunglasses founding the HerbNerb Clerb in acknowledgement of their favourite biscuit.  Last week in honour and memory of George, I bought a packet of HerbNurbs; the real ones, not the own brand knock off ones I'd normally get.  Thunderthighs is banned from touching them.

Nobody who's heard it will forget George's version of "Flooers in the rain". 

However, in my opinion, George’s peak Eashington story is as follows:-

Lady goes into a hairdressers and the hairdresser asks “What would you like?”

“I’d like a perm.”

“Aah wandered learnly as a clurd

That flirts on high oer dale and hill,

And all at once Aah saw a crurd

A hirst of girlden deffodil.”

 

Stolen off Facebook, but can't find who to acknowledge.

George was poorly for many years before his passing.  His daughter Shona has set up a Just Giving page in his memory.  If George, or Phil, or the Cheap Sunglasses Serenaders, or these stories have ever made you chuckle or smile perhaps you might consider making a donation to the Newcastle Hospitals Charity.  And do feel free to share this blog and link with anyone you think might like it.

You can listen to The Cheap Sunglasses on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjl_X3VkHLw