O Dear Me, The Jute Mill Song by A Parcel o' Rogues

[@nacho1560]

The capitalist system is in turmoil, Mary. You predicted it all. Thanks to you and your hard grafting generation of jute workers we have a Dundee to be proud of. Thanks and thanks again.

[@annabellegray6191]

I lived and worked in a then quite depressed and deprived Dundee in the early 1970's after all the jute mills had closed. But now the city has reinvented its centre and is thriving.

[@redshows6964]

I want to know more about jute mill.can i talk with you?

[@normancameron6165]

My dad was a spinner in Baxters my mother sister weavers always smelt and covered in dust i went on the building we lived in the wellgate baltic street ,it was better than Dundee is now.

[@daveygow]

Great version and tempo of this lovely song!

[@geoffdundee]

my great aunt worked in a dundee jute mill for approx 50 yrs or more...............she done it as she had to - no housing benefit then - she also lived in the same house for approx 96 years (beat that......she died aged 98 and knew mary brooksbank.......she also cared for her parents while working too.....sadly the only folk who became rich were the mill owners....dundee was decimated after the mills closed and has never really recovered since the 1980,s.......still a nice city though on the tay

[@redshows6964]

I want to know the story.can i talk with you?

[@pmally317]

Emtotional to play too...The lines 'O Dear me the World is ill-divided...Them that work the hardest, are aye the least provided........can be seen embossed on the wall of the new Scottish Parliament at the foot of the Royal Mile.....A great tribute to a wonderful human being......Thanks for all your comments...nacho1580

[@donrayjay]

Opposite the palace of Holyrood too

[@nacho1560]

@iipict My ma was orphaned aged 16 with 4 younger sisters to look after early last century.. They worked in the jute mills from age 12. I did work on my family tree. Almost to a man or woman all worked in the mills. grandad/great grandad were hecklemakers, my sister was a weaver as were many, others were shifters. Nothing but pride at such a background? The women of Dundee built this city from the sweat of their brow at the looms, working long hours for shit wages. I salute them.

[@redshows6964]

I want to talk with you.jute was collected from indian subcontinent to dundee during british colonization.i want to know more about the story.

[@nacho1560]

When I lived in Kingsway East I was in the next closie from Mary Brooksbank. Trouble is I didn't know who this old lady was at the time. After her death I found out how she'd fought against oppression and cruelty in the workplace in Dundee and been jailed many times for her beliefs. I made a point of finding where she was buried in Eastern Cemetery and visit her grave when I can for a wee quiet moment of reflection and thanks for her fight on behalf of the working classes of Dundee.

[@redshows6964]

I want to know more about dundee.can i talk with you?

[@unclephil440]

A great rendition. Thanks for sharing.

[@nacho1560]

Nice tribute to Mary, Parcel of Rogues. Hard to imagine how mothers could bring families up with so much illness and lack of income. Did a bit of family research, all jute workers I'm proud to say. But the infant mortality rate so high, ffs, scary and emotional stuff.

[@nacho1560]

@iipict I went to the Mikeys as well, G. From 62-65.

[@BillDFC]

Thousands living in poverty so a handfull can become millionaires.

[@sheenawellington4811]

Great performance, Ally! Love the photies but you can see how they were posed - spinners or weavers would have had their head covered so their hair wouldn't catch in the workings of the machines. It was dangerous work.

[@pmally317]

+Sheena Wellington Thanks Sheena....can't wait to tell the Rogues that you've commented on our post. Yes, they must've got all tarted up for the big photo shoot...If you're ever at any of our gigs we'd love to do a wee duet with you and Jim....

[@sheenawellington4811]

+Ally Gowans I'll keep you to that!

[@pmally317]

Brilliant. You are officially booked for our 2017 Burns tour. Will definitely be in touch.

[@nacho1560]

@iipict I didn't start at the Mikeys until 62. I have brothers and sisters who were there before me. Joe Webster, Jimmy Webster, could have been there the dates you were.

[@laurelpaulson-pierce942]

Can anyone explain what the ladies are wearing on their belts? looks like a cylindrical object. pictured at 1:13 - 1:27

[@jameshem]

Even with the hard long hours and low pay, these people were happier than todays jobless junkies. Folk just want steady work and a family to support.

[@alantaylor8900]

Yep lets return to child labour, ricketts, scurvy, diptheria, measles, mumps etc.

[@esperimusic]

@pmally317 So true!

[@colintaylor9991]

the men were known as the kettle boilers because it was cheaper to employ women in the mills

[@whiteheatherclub]

The sad thing is that working people were treated far worse under communism than they ever were under capitalism. No wonder the downtrodden people of East Berlin were so delirious the day the Berlin Wall came down. Wherever they get the chance, whether it be East Germany, Poland, Hungary or wherever, people who have been oppressed by communism reject it and embrace capitalism. Even the Chinese Communist Party has rejected state control over the economy. Even they can tell which system is better at improving standards of living.