ONE of the heroes of the famous Jarrow March has been immortalised in song
Cornelius Whalen was the last-surviving veteran of the 1936 crusade for work, until his death in September 2003. Now singer-songwriter Jackie Leven has told his story in a track on his latest album, Gothic Road, which was released this week.
Called Cornelius Whalen, the song was inspired by a photograph of Mr Whalen taken at the unveiling of a Jarrow March statue.
Jackie Leven, who has produced numerous critically acclaimed albums, said: “My mum is from Blyth and I grew up understanding the Jarrow March, and have a sense of the history of the time. “I saw the photo of Cornelius in a national newspaper and it was one of those subjects which just sparked off the song. Then I was at a guitar festival with Ralph McTell, who heard me playing the song backstage, and told me I must record it – and said he wanted to sing on it.”
McTell – famous for his hit Streets Of London – duly supplies the second lead vocal on the track, which opens with the lines: “Cornelius Whalen, I saw your picture in the paper today. Last of the Jarrow Marchers left alive. Your ancient face cracked by a dazzling smile.”
Mr Leven revealed that he hopes to make a film based around the song, which is one of the highlights of his latest album.
Speaking to the Gazette in October, 1996, on the 60th anniversary of the Jarrow March, straight-talking former shipyard worker Mr Whalen, who lived for many years in Hadrian Road, Jarrow, said: “You know what the Jarrow March achieved? Nothing!”
But Mr Whalen – known to family and friends as ‘Con’ remained proud of his part in the march, which saw 200 jobless people leave Jarrow on October 5, 1936, to walk to the seat of Government at Westminster, London, carrying a petition, demanding work for the poverty-stricken town.
“The poverty was much worse than today, with TB and all the rest. People had to pick coal to take care of their families,” Mr Whalen told the Gazette.
Ironically, Mr Whalen and fellow marchers were put up for the night in a workhouse in Smith Street, in the east end of London, after receiving cold comfort from then Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin and his government at the end of their 291-mile trek to London.
While never a sentimentalist, Mr Whalen treasured his admission ticket to that London workhouse until his dying day.
In recent years, Jarrow Brewery created a real ale called Old Cornelius in honour of Mr Whalen and his part in the famous crusade for work.
Terry Kelly
Cornelius Whalen by Jackie Leven
Cornelius Whalen
I saw your picture in the paper today
Last of the Jarrow Marchers left alive
Your ancient face cracked by a dazzling smile
The world poured in and the world poured out
In your heart the echo of a great shout
And I hear marching, marching
To the south
Cornelius Whalen and the poor mouth
But I hear someone laughing
Down the ragged line
It’s Mr Whalen – the man from time
The lad from Tyne and Wear
And speaking of hunger
Hunger for true love, hunger for the king
Hunger for a good heart, and an ancient spring
Whatever she brings – mm
that’s what we sing
Let there be a light touch to the falling rain
And the men were marching ...
Cornelius Whalen
All those miles and all the tears
All those lonely nights waking up in fear
But I see you now and how your heart survived
To show a man like me how to live my life
And the men were marching ...
http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/Last-Jarrow-Marcher-immortalised-in.6210407.jp
See also http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/3121722.stm
Cornelius Whalen was the last-surviving veteran of the 1936 crusade for work, until his death in September 2003. Now singer-songwriter Jackie Leven has told his story in a track on his latest album, Gothic Road, which was released this week.
Called Cornelius Whalen, the song was inspired by a photograph of Mr Whalen taken at the unveiling of a Jarrow March statue.
Jackie Leven, who has produced numerous critically acclaimed albums, said: “My mum is from Blyth and I grew up understanding the Jarrow March, and have a sense of the history of the time. “I saw the photo of Cornelius in a national newspaper and it was one of those subjects which just sparked off the song. Then I was at a guitar festival with Ralph McTell, who heard me playing the song backstage, and told me I must record it – and said he wanted to sing on it.”
McTell – famous for his hit Streets Of London – duly supplies the second lead vocal on the track, which opens with the lines: “Cornelius Whalen, I saw your picture in the paper today. Last of the Jarrow Marchers left alive. Your ancient face cracked by a dazzling smile.”
Mr Leven revealed that he hopes to make a film based around the song, which is one of the highlights of his latest album.
Speaking to the Gazette in October, 1996, on the 60th anniversary of the Jarrow March, straight-talking former shipyard worker Mr Whalen, who lived for many years in Hadrian Road, Jarrow, said: “You know what the Jarrow March achieved? Nothing!”
But Mr Whalen – known to family and friends as ‘Con’ remained proud of his part in the march, which saw 200 jobless people leave Jarrow on October 5, 1936, to walk to the seat of Government at Westminster, London, carrying a petition, demanding work for the poverty-stricken town.
“The poverty was much worse than today, with TB and all the rest. People had to pick coal to take care of their families,” Mr Whalen told the Gazette.
Ironically, Mr Whalen and fellow marchers were put up for the night in a workhouse in Smith Street, in the east end of London, after receiving cold comfort from then Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin and his government at the end of their 291-mile trek to London.
While never a sentimentalist, Mr Whalen treasured his admission ticket to that London workhouse until his dying day.
In recent years, Jarrow Brewery created a real ale called Old Cornelius in honour of Mr Whalen and his part in the famous crusade for work.
Terry Kelly
Cornelius Whalen by Jackie Leven
Cornelius Whalen
I saw your picture in the paper today
Last of the Jarrow Marchers left alive
Your ancient face cracked by a dazzling smile
The world poured in and the world poured out
In your heart the echo of a great shout
And I hear marching, marching
To the south
Cornelius Whalen and the poor mouth
But I hear someone laughing
Down the ragged line
It’s Mr Whalen – the man from time
The lad from Tyne and Wear
And speaking of hunger
Hunger for true love, hunger for the king
Hunger for a good heart, and an ancient spring
Whatever she brings – mm
that’s what we sing
Let there be a light touch to the falling rain
And the men were marching ...
Cornelius Whalen
All those miles and all the tears
All those lonely nights waking up in fear
But I see you now and how your heart survived
To show a man like me how to live my life
And the men were marching ...
http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/Last-Jarrow-Marcher-immortalised-in.6210407.jp
See also http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/3121722.stm
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