The Houghton Weavers are an English folk music band formed in 1975 in Westh… Read Full Bio ↴The Houghton Weavers are an English folk music band formed in 1975 in Westhoughton, in the borough of Bolton in Lancashire, England. The current three band members are David Littler (acoustic guitar, banjo, mandolin, banjo-ukulele, bouzouki, piano accordion and vocals), Steve Millington (bass guitar, keyboards, acoustic guitar, piano accordion and vocals) and Tony Berry (lead vocalist).

David Littler and Tony Berry are both founder members of the band, whilst Steve Millington joined in 1996.

Previous members are Norman Prince (1975 to 1999, 6 string acoustic guitar, 12 string guitar, bass guitar and vocals), John Oliver (1975 to 1976 vocals), Denis Littler (1976 to 1984 bass guitar and vocals) and Jeff Hill (1984 to 1996 and 1999 to 2007 bass Guitar, 6 string acoustic guitar, 12 string guitar, electric guitar and vocals)

They sing mainly English folk music, much of it in Lancashire dialect, and demonstrate an eclectic range of song subjects including "The Blackpool Belle", "Uncle Joe’s Mintballs" and "Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs" (a biographical song about the painter L. S. Lowry).

They are best known for their BBC T.V. show "Sit Thi Deawn" (a Lancashire colloquial corruption of "Sit You Down"; referring to the supposed hospitality of Lancashire people). The programme ran for six series or seven years and was a mixture of easy listening music and comedy for a local audience[1]. The group also starred in six of their own series for BBC Radio 2.

Poverty Knock
The Houghton Weavers Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Up every morning at five, it's a wonder that we're still alive
Stretching and yawning in this cold morning
It's back to the dreary old drive

And it's poverty poverty knock, my loom it is a saying all day
Poverty poverty knock, gaffer's too skinny to pay
Poverty poverty knock, always one eye on the clock and
I know I can guttle when I hear my shuttle go, 'poverty poverty knock'

Oh dear I'm going to be late
Gaffer is stood on the gate
I'll be out of pocket, me wages he'll dock it
I'll have to buy bread on the slate

Sometimes a shuttle flies out
and gives some poor weaver a clout
There she lies bleeding with nobody heeding
And no-one to carry her out

Tattler should fettle my loom
But he'd rather sit on his bum
He's far too busy a-courting our Lizzie
And I cannot get him to come
Our Lizzie's so easily led
I think that he takes her to bed

She used to be skinny, now look at her pinny
I think that it were time they were wed

Overall Meaning

The Houghton Weavers's song, Poverty Knock, portrays the life of a poverty-stricken weaver in a northern English mill town during the 19th century. The song highlights the harsh reality and the struggles faced by the weavers who had to work long hours in poor conditions to earn a meagre wage to make ends meet. It conveys the daily routine of a weaver who wakes up at five in the morning, stretching and yawning in the cold, getting ready for a long, tiring day at the mill. The phrase 'poverty poverty knock' is an onomatopoeic representation of the sound the shuttle makes when it hits the side of the loom, and it echoes throughout the day, becoming an ever-present reminder of the poverty they face.

The lyrics depict the monotony and the drudgery of the weavers' life, with no respite in sight. The weavers are constantly worried about their wages being docked if they are late or if they cannot meet their daily quota. Sometimes, the job itself is dangerous, with shuttles flying out and injuring the weavers without anyone to help them. The song also touches upon the social aspect of the weavers' lives, with gossip and the dynamics between the workers often impacting their daily routine. The song speaks of the youth's hasty decisions, leading to Lizzie's pregnancy and her subsequent marriage.

Overall, Poverty Knock offers a glimpse into the life of a 19th-century weaver and how poverty is an ever-present reality in their lives, with no immediate solutions in sight.

Line by Line Meaning

Up every morning at five, it's a wonder that we're still alive
Despite the early morning start, the weavers are still able to make a living

Stretching and yawning in this cold morning
Starting the day with some body stretches and yawning due to the early morning hours and cold weather

It's back to the dreary old drive
They are going back to the same monotonous work routine day after day

And it's poverty poverty knock, my loom it is a saying all day
The sound of the loom is like a constant reminder of their poverty

Poverty poverty knock, gaffer's too skinny to pay
The boss is too stingy and unable to pay his workers a fair wage

Poverty poverty knock, always one eye on the clock and
Workers are constantly looking at the clock to see how much longer they have before their day ends

I know I can guttle when I hear my shuttle go, 'poverty poverty knock'
The workers take advantage of their short breaks and quickly eat something once the loom stops for a moment

Oh dear I'm going to be late
One worker is worried about being late to work

Gaffer is stood on the gate
The boss is waiting at the entrance

I'll be out of pocket, me wages he'll dock it
The worker will lose money from their pay if they are late due to the boss deducting it

I'll have to buy bread on the slate
The worker will have to purchase bread on credit since they won't be able to afford it

Sometimes a shuttle flies out and gives some poor weaver a clout
Occasionally, the shuttle that the weavers use to weave the fabric will fly out and hit a worker

There she lies bleeding with nobody heeding
The injured worker is left unattended and nobody helps them

And no-one to carry her out
There is nobody to help the injured worker get out of the workplace

Tattler should fettle my loom
Another worker needs a colleague to take a look at their loom and repair it

But he'd rather sit on his bum
The colleague would rather sit around doing nothing

He's far too busy a-courting our Lizzie
The colleague is more interested in courting their coworker Lizzie

And I cannot get him to come
The request for help is ignored

Our Lizzie's so easily led
Lizzie is considered naïve and easily influenced by others

I think that he takes her to bed
The artist suspects that their colleague is having a sexual relationship with Lizzie

She used to be skinny, now look at her pinny
Lizzie used to be thin, but now she has gained weight and looks different

I think that it were time they were wed
The artist believes that their colleague and Lizzie should get married since they are in a relationship

Contributed by Claire A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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