Lyrics Runcorn Ferry - Stanley Holloway
Runcorn
Ferry
On
the
banks
of
the
Mersey,
over
on
Cheshire
side,
Lies
Runcorn
that's
best
known
to
fame
By
Transporter
Bridge
as
takes
folks
over
t'stream,
Or
else
brings
them
back
across
same.
In
days
afore
Transporter
Bridge
were
put
up,
A
ferryboat
lay
in
the
slip,
And
old
Ted
the
boatman
would
row
folks
across
At
per
tuppence
per
person
per
trip.
Now
Runcorn
lay
over
on
one
side
of
stream,
And
Widnes
on
t'other
side
stood,
And,
as
nobody
wanted
to
go
either
place,
Well,
the
trade
wasn't
any
too
good.
One
evening,
to
Ted's
superlative
surprise,
Three
customers
came
into
view:
A
Mr
and
Mrs
Ramsbottom
it
were,
And
Albert,
their
little
son,
too.
"How
much
for
the
three?"
Mr
Ramsbottom
asked,
As
his
hand
to
his
pocket
did
dip.
Ted
said:
"Same
for
three
as
it
would
be
for
one,
Per
tuppence
per
person
per
trip."
"You're
not
charging
tuppence
for
that
little
lad?"
Said
Mother,
her
eyes
flashing
wild.
"Per
tuppence
per
person
per
trip",
answered
Ted,
"Per
woman,
per
man,
or
per
child".
"Fivepence
for
three,
that's
the
most
that
I'll
pay",
Said
Father,
"Don't
waste
time
in
talk".
"Per
tuppence
per
person
per
trip",
answered
Ted,
"And
them,
as
can't
pay,
'as
to
walk!"
"We
can
walk,
an'
all",
said
Father.
"Come
Mother,
it's
none
so
deep,
weather's
quite
mild".
So
into
the
water
the
three
of
them
stepped:
The
father,
the
mother,
the
child.
The
further
they
paddled,
the
deeper
it
got,
But
they
wouldn't
give
in,
once
begun.
In
the
spirit
that's
made
Lancashire
what
she
is,
They'd
sooner
be
drownded
than
done.
Very
soon,
the
old
people
were
up
to
their
necks,
And
the
little
lad
clean
out
of
sight.
Said
Father:
"Where's
Albert?"
And
Mother
replied:
"I've
got
hold
of
his
hand,
he's
all
right!"
Well,
just
at
that
moment,
Pa
got
an
idea
And,
floundering
back
to
old
Ted,
He
said:
"We've
walked
half-way.
Come,
tak'
us
the
rest
For
half-price
--
that's
a
penny
a
head."
But
Ted
wasn't
standing
for
none
of
that
there,
And,
making
an
obstinate
lip,
"Per
tuppence
per
person
per
trip",
Ted
replied,
"Per
trip,
or
per
part
of
per
trip".
"All
right,
then",
said
Father,
"let
me
tak'
the
boat,
And
I'll
pick
up
the
others
half-way.
I'll
row
them
across,
and
I'll
bring
the
boat
back,
And
thruppence
in
t'bargain
I'll
pay".
T'were
money
for
nothing.
Ted
answered:
"Right-ho",
And
Father
got
hold
of
the
sculls.
With
the
sharp
end
of
boat
towards
middle
of
stream,
He
were
there
in
a
couple
of
pulls.
He
got
Mother
out
--
it
were
rather
a
job,
With
the
water,
she
weighed
half
a
ton
--
Then,
pushing
the
oar
down
the
side
of
the
boat,
Started
fishing
around
for
his
son.
When
poor
little
Albert
came
up
to
the
top,
His
collars
were
soggy
and
limp.
And,
with
holding
his
breath
at
the
bottom
so
long,
His
face
were
as
red
as
a
shrimp.
Pa
took
them
across,
and
he
brought
the
boat
back,
And
he
said
to
old
Ted
on
the
slip:
"Wilt'
row
me
across
by
me'sen?"
Ted
said:
"Aye,
at
per
tuppence
per
person
per
trip".
When
they
got
t'other
side,
Father
laughed
fit
to
bust.
He'd
got
best
of
bargain,
you
see.
He'd
worked
it
all
out,
and
he'd
got
his
own
way,
And
he'd
paid
nobbut
fivepence
for
three
1 The Lion And Albert
2 With a Little Bit of Luck
3 Get Me to the Church On Time
4 Albert Comes Back
5 With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm
6 Marksman Sam
7 'Alt! Who Goes There
8 Pick Up Tha' Musket
9 The Beefeater
10 Jubilee Sovereign
11 Runcorn Ferry
12 Albert And The 'Eadsman
13 Three Ha'Pence A Foot
14 Sam's Sturgeon
15 One Each A Piece All Round
16 Beat The Retreat On Thy Drum
17 Sam's Medal
18 Albert Evacuated
19 Sam Drummed Out
20 Hand In Hand
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