A COUPLE of weeks ago I printed a dialect story of how the name Bolton Trotters came about.

Mr Ernest Ford, of Esther Fold, Westhoughton, has told me that in a book entitled Lancashire Nicknames and Sayings, by Bob Dobson (available at the library) the same story is told together with a drawing. It also says that a painting of the event can be seen at Hall 'th' Wood Museum.

Mr Ford also wrote: "When I saw your article, it jogged my memory that I was handed a dialect poem about a bet made many years ago in a Westhoughton pub. The author of the poem remains unknown, but the pub mentioned still stands today."

NOWT'S FER SURE

There wuz a chap in Howfen

Pee Tolther were his name

And suppin mony pints o ale

Wuz owd Pee's claim ter fame

Neaw he naer missed a session

Neither afternoon or neat

Un th'only time he missed o pint

Wuz when he wuz'nt reet

One day a bloke cum in to't Lion

Wo'd yerd abeawt Pee's drinkin

Seed heaw to mek a few quick quid

Or so he wuz a thinkin

He threw owd Pee a challenge

So's aw'l abeawt cud hear

He bet ten quid Pee couldn't sup

A bucketful o beer

Owd Pee stodd upreet.... supped his ale

Un looked him straight in t' eye

Thee owld on a minute mate

Un I'll see thi by un by

Owd Pee crept eawt throo t' Lion door

Un awe'l theer just felt sick

They'd naer seen owd Pee back deawn

Fro a drinkin bet so quick

Yon chap he sniggered uz had offer't bet

Un feelin very preawd

Fer hadn't he just backed deawn owd Pee

Ut front o his home creawd

But he didn't know owd Pee too weel

And soon he would find eawt

Just wot suppin pints of beer

Wuz really awe'l abeawt

Then't silence in our tap room

Cud be cut thro wi a knife

When back throo't doower un into t' Lion

Walked Pee uz large uz life

I'll tek that bet he said aleawd

So's awe'l abeawt cud hear

Tha's bet £10 I cudn't sup

A bucketful o beer

That big white bucket ut back ut bar

Wuz fill't reet up to t' top

Un't bet wuz Pee should drink it awe'l

Un beawt a single stop

He put yond bucket to his lips

Un soon started for t'swallow

Un road yon beer begun to flow

Tha's swear his legs were hollow

That bloke stood up who'd med the bet

Sick uz a parrot cos Pee ud won

Neaw I've med this bet oh upteen times

Un its fust time its bin done

But tha knows there's one thing puzzlin me

Tell me afore I pay

Heaw cum tha didn't tek the bet

Un drink it straight away

The creawd begun to gather reawnd

They'd like fer't know uz well

Un listened very carefully

Uz Pee stood up fer t' tell

I didn't know when I wuz bet

If I cud sup awe'l that much beer

So, I went across yon road to t' Vic

Un supped a bucket theer!