THE NAVVIES – Poem by Tony Allender

A new reservoir was being built for growing Llanelly town,
And now the day has ended all tools were being laid down.
The labourers were tired and thirsty beyond belief,
And there were no nearby pubs in which to provide relief.

This didn’t worry three of the navvies, they knew where to go,
As they made their way to the house with the green front door.
The sky had got darker as they neared the place they sought,
It was Quarry Mawr’s best kept secret, or so they thought.

The door was shut but opened at their first knock,
And in trooped Paddy, Taff and little Jock.
For these premises were an unlicenced ale-house,
Serving malt liquor, and brandy, with ‘bara a caws’.

Vast quantities of booze they very quickly sunk,
Before long they gotten themselves steaming drunk
But their luck was about to come to an end this day,
For Sergeant Hughes and his P.C.’s were on their way.

Reaching the house the police easily gained entry,
The innkeeper had forgotten to post her sentry.
They arrested the drunken trio with surprising ease,
Despite entreaties of innocence and other pleas.

The inebriated trio were bundled into a farmers cart,
Which they shared with a cask of ale taking the greater part.
They passed through Felinfoel and a large crowd of note,
To Llanelly police station and then, eventually, court!

Based on a true story which happened in May 1878. Quarry Mawr is, of course, modern-day Swiss Valley.

By

Tony Allender