More Sussex Dialect

James Richards (1866-1949), born in Helsum [Hailsham], published bible translations and other pieces in the Sussex dialect, under the name Jim Cladpole. We have received, through a short chain from Miles Costello in Petworth, this short extract from a little work entitled

"Bout Me or, My Ottybograffy" (1928)

Through Ashdown Forest I have roamed,
An basked on Brighton beach.
I’ve cycled down to Chichester,
An doddled through Cowbeech.

To Heighton, Denton an Tarring,
Ware awl begins wid A,
My nevvy tuk me fer a roide
Upon a nice foine day.

I’ve bin to Hefful many toimes
An let de cuckoo fly.[1]
I've often bin on de South Downs
An sin de clouds roll by.

I tuk my camera wun day
Wid me to Piddinghoe,
To try an git a photygraff
Ov magpies dat dey shoo.[2]

I tuk a walk from Helsum wunce,
To Eastbourne an Belle Tout.
An wen I got back home agen
I wos fair beazled out.

I've looked away across de sea,
From Hoary Beachy Head;
An sin de mounds, atop de Downs,
Ov em who’ve long bin dead.

I've sin trugs maad at Hossmounzes,
An ship building at Rye.
I've sin de looker, looking out[3]
In de mesh[4] at Hoss Eye.

Wid Beckett's[5] help I've glimpsed a bit
"The Spirit of the Downs",
An so I can't bear long to bide,
Jes shut up in de towns.

[1] Tradition has it that on Heflle (Heathfield) Fair day (April 14) an old lady would let the first cuckoo out of her bag.
[2] The old Sussex oxen were known as magpies and due to their soft hooves and the flinty ground they required shoeing for ploughing or carting.
[3] Looker. A shepherd, usually but not exclusively on Romney Marsh.
[4] Mesh. Pevensey levels.
[5] Arthur Beckett, the famous Sussex author and journalist.

Sussex Pond Pudding:- several people have queried the recipe for this given in the June Newsletter. Madelyn Meredith wrote:
“We have a slightly different take on the Sussex Pond Pudding. For a start we call it a Sussex Puddle Pudding - the reason for the name being given that, when you cut into the fragrant mound, all the gooey sauce spills out creating a brown puddle around the pud! The second difference is that our recipe calls for the whole lemon to be used. It is well scrubbed, (and obviously an unwaxed one is preferable), and is then comprehensively pricked all over with a skewer. It is then balanced upright on top of half of the sugar (the darker the better) and butter, then the other half of the sugar and butter is put on top of the lemon, and finally the lid of suet is put on. Upon serving, the lemon is of course, by then, very soft and is cut up and shared amongst the adults, (children find it too sharp) along with the pudding and the sauce. Incidentally, our recipe does not have the dried fruits. That was said to be a Kentish puddle pudding. Whichever version one tries it certainly is a VERY rich pud, and needs only a salad or soup to precede it.”