I never thought they’d shut it down
Our institution, the centre of town
It fed lots of businesses local and wide
Some rose and fell, just like the tide
A cauldron of tradesmen well trained and true
Some served the world and not just a few
Coppersmiths shipwrights fitters to start
Seamstresses painters blacksmiths an art
What about ‘sparkies’ they thought they were it
Riggers and laggers, not me in a fit
Foundry men pattern men and riveting crews
And many others, I forget, please excuse
We made up a family, formed by clock card
Never gave it much thought just called it ‘the yard’
Surprising its gone what Richard one started
Even Henry made bigger before he departed
It’s not just a place where Jack got his ship
Or watch a dreadnought slide down the slip
It was the first home, of the whole bloomin fleet
With its own Admiral Super, now that’s something to beat
But don’t forget them at the bottom of the box
Those that drove Listers even cleaned out the docks
They all played their part, for the graceful grey funnels
And what about them of the dock drain tunnels
Submarines, carriers, even ‘ton’ class
From a whole flipping refit
To just scraping their arse
We did them all and felt real proud
Though most of us were, just a face in the crowd
We enjoyed ‘Dockie’ banter and jokes for relief
Or ‘taking the mick’ out of Engine Room Chief
Sailors didn’t much like us, but some of em tried
Whilst officers thought, ‘put him over the side’
Lazy ‘dockies’, just watching the time
But when it was needed we used to shine
HMS would limp back, just after a crash
And we’d make them a new bit and fix it real flash
Of course the odd homer could sometimes be seen
But rabbits over, we’d do an hour for the Queen!
Even fixed her Royal Yacht made it shiny and sound
Always kept spick and span for just a few pounds
At time for out muster cycles would gather
And Joe who’d been sleeping and now in a lather
Hit the clock handle after hearing the hooter
Joined the pedalling armada, and a couple of scooters
Now it’s all gone and I think what a pity
No more donkey jacket swarm that could hold up the city
No more ten thousand plus that made up the whole
Just buildings and docks now lacking a soul
I know it all, still belongs to the crown
But I never thought, they’d just shut it down.
Copyright - Doug Seymour Dec 2012
Doug Seymour
01/12/2012