A Stirling Bellman - Broadsheet marking death of Dannie McVean
In the Stirling Observer of the 8th August 1944 an article entitled “A Stirling Bellman” was published relating to the death in 1854 of Dannie McVean, for
some years the Town Bellman in Stirling. Recently it said, a poem in the form of a printed broadside,
marking Dannie’s death had come into the hands of the Stirling Observer, signed “JMC.” The
Observer reprinted it, after first reprinting another poem which they considered “less facetious.”
Poem one
The bell had been toll’d for the bellman so bold,
An’ Danny McVean is noo laid in the mould,
An’ there’s weepin’an wailin’ ‘mang women an’ men,
For they’ll aye ken the want o’ auld Danny McVean.
A later verse -
Whate’er heard him speak after jowlin’ the bell,
Wad ken that he made e’en his grammar himsel’.
For the great Lindley Murray he - caredna a preen,
A wonderfu’ speaker was Dannie McVean.
Poem two “Auld Dannie McVean” to Air Johnny Cope
What wae’fu news is this we hear,
That on our streets ye’ll nae mair appear,
Wi’ bell in han’ our hearts tae cheer,
Wi’ something in the mornin’,
When tinkle, tinkle, gaid ye’r bell
As ye’ went through the folks tae tell,
O’ Haddies fresh new arrived tae sell
At Mrs Love’s in the mornin’.
Notish---Fresh haddies—and cods--
and ither shell fish – shust new arrived
-- and partens, and to be sold at Mrs Love’s.
In Port Street, in the mornin’.
When the Judges cam’ ye were there sae braw,
Wi’ ye’r three cockit hat, an ye’r spear in ye’r paw,
An a shabble by te’r side that wid ne draw
Frae oot o’ its sheath, nae mornin’.
Yet tinkle, tinkle, gaed ye’r bell
As ye gaed through the folk tae tell
What things were lost, what things to sell,
Through o’ot the toon in the mornin’.
Notish – There were Stolen ------
Strayed, frae the grounds o’ Major
Wesherton o’ Hendershon, a broon
and black spotted white pointer bich,
answers to the name o’ Zhuno, wha
may have found the same after this
Notish, will be prosecuted
By the toon’s Fischkal in the mornin’.
It charmed the urchins hearts tae hear
The tinkle o’ y’er bell sae clear
As ye’ gaed through a’the folks to spear
Wha had found a lost booa in the mornin’.
Then tinkle, tinkle, gaed y’er bell
As ye gaed through the folks tae tell
What things were lost or what tae sell
Amongst us a’ in the mornin’.
Notish –there was losht -----
the Allan Brigg and the Head
Causey, late last nicht, or at an
hoor this mornin’, a lady’s boo- and
an umbrella belonging to a shentleman
with an ivory head, whoever may hae
found the same, and will bring them
to him, withoot askin’ ony queshton
as to wha pelang to them, shall handsomely
Rewarded for their trouble in the mornin’.
Adieu Auld Dannie, may ye lang stoit aboot,
Wi’ y’er staff in y’er han’ and ye’r jolly old snoot,
Isaac Spyron has now got a new clear field to rout
Wi the Bow! Wow! Wow! in the mornin’.
Yet we’ll sair miss the tinkle o’ ye’r bell
And ye’r weel kent voice by the which ye’ tell,
O’ Haddies fresh new arrived tae sell
At Mrs Love’s in the mornin’. (JMC)
some years the Town Bellman in Stirling. Recently it said, a poem in the form of a printed broadside,
marking Dannie’s death had come into the hands of the Stirling Observer, signed “JMC.” The
Observer reprinted it, after first reprinting another poem which they considered “less facetious.”
Poem one
The bell had been toll’d for the bellman so bold,
An’ Danny McVean is noo laid in the mould,
An’ there’s weepin’an wailin’ ‘mang women an’ men,
For they’ll aye ken the want o’ auld Danny McVean.
A later verse -
Whate’er heard him speak after jowlin’ the bell,
Wad ken that he made e’en his grammar himsel’.
For the great Lindley Murray he - caredna a preen,
A wonderfu’ speaker was Dannie McVean.
Poem two “Auld Dannie McVean” to Air Johnny Cope
What wae’fu news is this we hear,
That on our streets ye’ll nae mair appear,
Wi’ bell in han’ our hearts tae cheer,
Wi’ something in the mornin’,
When tinkle, tinkle, gaid ye’r bell
As ye’ went through the folks tae tell,
O’ Haddies fresh new arrived tae sell
At Mrs Love’s in the mornin’.
Notish---Fresh haddies—and cods--
and ither shell fish – shust new arrived
-- and partens, and to be sold at Mrs Love’s.
In Port Street, in the mornin’.
When the Judges cam’ ye were there sae braw,
Wi’ ye’r three cockit hat, an ye’r spear in ye’r paw,
An a shabble by te’r side that wid ne draw
Frae oot o’ its sheath, nae mornin’.
Yet tinkle, tinkle, gaed ye’r bell
As ye gaed through the folk tae tell
What things were lost, what things to sell,
Through o’ot the toon in the mornin’.
Notish – There were Stolen ------
Strayed, frae the grounds o’ Major
Wesherton o’ Hendershon, a broon
and black spotted white pointer bich,
answers to the name o’ Zhuno, wha
may have found the same after this
Notish, will be prosecuted
By the toon’s Fischkal in the mornin’.
It charmed the urchins hearts tae hear
The tinkle o’ y’er bell sae clear
As ye’ gaed through a’the folks to spear
Wha had found a lost booa in the mornin’.
Then tinkle, tinkle, gaed y’er bell
As ye gaed through the folks tae tell
What things were lost or what tae sell
Amongst us a’ in the mornin’.
Notish –there was losht -----
the Allan Brigg and the Head
Causey, late last nicht, or at an
hoor this mornin’, a lady’s boo- and
an umbrella belonging to a shentleman
with an ivory head, whoever may hae
found the same, and will bring them
to him, withoot askin’ ony queshton
as to wha pelang to them, shall handsomely
Rewarded for their trouble in the mornin’.
Adieu Auld Dannie, may ye lang stoit aboot,
Wi’ y’er staff in y’er han’ and ye’r jolly old snoot,
Isaac Spyron has now got a new clear field to rout
Wi the Bow! Wow! Wow! in the mornin’.
Yet we’ll sair miss the tinkle o’ ye’r bell
And ye’r weel kent voice by the which ye’ tell,
O’ Haddies fresh new arrived tae sell
At Mrs Love’s in the mornin’. (JMC)