Bill Griffiths

Cindy Griffiths

Hearts Shattered by Tragedy, Transformed by Love

The Road To Forgiveness

Text and translation of the Anglo-Saxon poem.

Text and Translation

The Battle of Maldon

Where de yea belang?brings together the distinctive vocabulary of the North East dialect. "Abackabeyont, bait-poke, cracket, drucken, etten, fettle, guissie pigs, lonnin, marra, nyen, plote, queen-cat, reckling, skinch, tew, upcast, vine, willok, yem, zookers!" If you enjoy finding out about dialect words – how and where and when they were used – and where they came from – this is the best guide to help you explore the world of North East dialect. Until the 20th century, dialect was a marker of economic, social and cultural change. We know that the North East maritime connections with the Dutch led to the introduction of many 'new' words. The Scottish influence of the keelmen (fisherman) on the Tyne and their effect on local language was much more radical. Although the Tyneside dialect and identity and this way of speaking is fast waning, the popularity of discovering this language and dialect shows there is still a great interest in the languages and dialect of the past. The late Bill Griffiths (1948–2007)was an extraordinary writer and poet: radical, experimental and scholarly, but also had a great sense of humour. He was a wonderful champion of the North East, its people and heritage. Born in Middlesex, he read history before graduating in 1969. Bill ran his own independent press and published political pamphlets and essays on the arts and poetry. After gaining a PhD in Old English he fled London and settled in Seaham where he embraced the northern way of life. 'He was also a scholar of Old English and dialect who know how to make his work accessible. Private and uncompetitive, he was at least these things: poet, archivist, scholar, translator, prison-rights campaigner, pianist, historian, curator, performer, editor, short-story writer, essayist, teacher, book-maker and lyricist. The Saturday before he died, Bill discharged himself from hospital to host the Dialect Day at the Morden Tower in Newcastle upon Tyne. He died as he lived: cataloguing, awarding Best Dialect prizes, opera on his radio, the poetry paramount.' Obituary, The Independent, 20 September 2007.

A Dictionary of North East Dialect

Whare de yea belang?

Brian Catling

Allen Fisher

3 London Poets

Future Exiles

Geraldine Monk

David Annwn

Gavin Selerie

Kelvin Corcoran

Martin Corless-Smith

Alan Halsey

Collection comprises four boxes of material by and featuring contributions by English poet Alan Halsey. Born in London in 1949, Halsey managed the Poetry Bookshop in Hay-on-Wye, England; since 1997 he has lived in Sheffield, where he continues to work as a specialist bookseller. His work incorporates elements of visual poetry, while also appropriating both ancient and modern found texts; he is also a graphic artist and illustrator. Materials in this collection include many of Halsey's early chapbooks from the 1970s and 1980s; key compilations of his work such as "Wittgenstein’s Devil: Selected Writing 1978-1998" and "Marginalien"; journals to which he contributed; and two oversized broadsides (Box 4). Also included are works by poets such as Gavin Selerie, David Annwn, Kelvin Corcoran, Geraldine Monk and Bill Griffiths, to which Halsey contributed either as an author or an illustrator.

Collection of the Works of Alan Halsey

For Rediffusion

This reference guide is designed to support parents in becoming full partners in the education of their children. We hope its information will benefit those new to the special services process and serve as a touchstone for all parents and staff to better understand the overall mission of the laws and the school system.

The Road to Forgiveness

A Dialect Reader

Durham & Around

This book draws together a major selection of poems from 1984-2004. Including works on London, sport, boats, cartoons, food, the classics, the mystical, history, crime, and the North. A taut, rhythmic verse, with respect for word-sound and a cheering disregard for consensus on history, language and 'poetry'.

The Mud Fort

Hugh Popham

"Somewhere within me I knew that, during these years as a prisoner, I had been in a sense sheltered from reality." Bill Griffiths lost both hands and both eyes when he was a prisoner of the Japanese in Java in 1942. But Bill had no intention of allowing himself to become an object of pity, and it was not long after his return to civilian life that he began to make it clear that, even if he had no hands and no eyes, he still had his own two feet and he certainly intended to stand on them. Inevitably, life has not been without its ups and downs, and certainly Bill could not have got where he was without the care and devotion of his wife Alice. Their story is one of remarkable courage, told with no trace of bitterness and a generous helping of laughter.

A Story of Great Courage in the Face of Adversity

Blind to Misfortune

With enormous enthusiasm for the language of ordinary northerners, this scenic portrait of coastal peoples combines history, etymology, and recollections to record a folk culture that strives to survive against current worldwide trends of uniformity. The examination delves deep into the boat and fishing traditions that shape this small angler community, including smuggling, the scenery, and the surrounding wildlife. The increasing threat that globalization poses to these sea populations makes this an important preservation - as well as an excellent source of factual information and reference material about those who live on the North Sea.

Life and Dialect on the North Sea Coast (Large Print 16pt)

Fishing and Folk

Baldurs Lacrimosa

A User-friendly Dictionary of Old English

"With the arrival of Christianity in England there was a convergence of the new religion with the old. Many of the heathen customs, superstitions, and festivals were adopted to the needs of the Church, which sought, where it could, to preserve continuity with the past. Communities came together to celebrate seasonal festivals in much the same way as before but the meaning of the events and customs was given a Christian gloss. So, while many heathen practices were outlawed, others were absorbed into Christian tradition and preserved. Thus Yuletide, Easter and harvest festivals are still with us." --book jacket.

Aspects of Anglo-Saxon Magic

As entertaining as it is informative, this dictionary offers records and explanations of a northern English dialect. The research presents information about words that go back as far as the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings as well as those present in today's vernacular. Ideal for anyone interested in English etymology, this reference is thorough and essential.

This dictionary contains some 3,500 of the commonest words in Old English (OE) arranged by consonant order, plus an introduction to the OE language and a selection of representative OE texts.

Bill Griffiths

Books

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