Glossop Road

AKAThe Girls Up Glossop Road
The girls along the road
The girls up the road
Lyrics JB Geoghegan
MusicJB Geoghegan Roud IndexRN13158
Music Hall performersJB Geoghegan
Folk performancesSource Singers:
Kennedy, John 1995 N. Ireland : Co. Antrim
Modern Singers:
Ken Hinchcliffe
Ray Padgett
From a broadside printed by J. Robertshaw of Angel Street, Sheffield (date unknown) - see Mudcat thread

I’m just in the vein to sing a little strain so pin your attention down,
To a tale I tell of a Hallamshire swell I shall introduce as Brown.
He was in the Rifle Corps and I mustn’t say more to you that listens to my ode.
Do the thing that’s right all on a Sunday night with the girls up Glossop Road.

With the girls up Glossop Road, with the girls up Glossop Road
Do the thing that’s right all on a Sunday night with the girls up Glossop Road.

Now Brown was a spark, rather fond of a lark, and a married man though not chaste,
And little he cared how his own wife fared if another girl took his taste.
So himself he dressed in his regimental best, and proud as a peacock strode,
Admiring the curls, crinolines and pearls of the girls up Glossop Road.

Of the girls up Glossop Road, of the girls up Glossop Road,
Admiring the curls etc.

Well he accosted a fair with dark wavy hair, blue boots and a red leather belt,
And he smiled and he talked as they onward walked, endeavouring her heart to melt;
Then this gay volunteer gave a wink and a leer, enquired her name and abode,
And he felt as grand as a lord of the land with the girls up Glossop Road.

With the girls etc.

Well at length Mr Brown and this girl settled down in a neat little inn close by,
Where he called for a drain of draught champagne and a quarter of a cold pork pie;
Then his arm he placed all around her waist, for his heart with love o'erflowed
",
"Oh!" says he, "It's all right I'll merry be tonight with the girls up Glossop Road.

With the girls etc.

When this fair maid said -"Are you marr-i-ed?" He boldly answered -"No!"
It's all serene, and you'll be the queen of my heart in a month or so."
Then he hugged and pressed, cuddled, coaxed and caressed, and of kisses he let her have a load,
And he plumped on her knees, as spooney as you please, with the girls up Glossop Road. 

With the girls etc.

Now, this gay little man had scarcely begun his love tale out for to pour,
When who should he see but his own Mrs B peep in at the parlour door.
With the bound of a bear she fastened on his hair, saying as her anger showed,
“I’ll tear away your eyes if you come to exercise with the girls up Glossop Road.

With the girls etc.

So to set the matter right the women had a fight and a first-rate tumble up and down;
They smashed to smithereens hats, gowns and crinoleens, and then they went to work on Brown.
Well he was jolly well thrashed and his head got smashed, while the crowd their anger did bestow,
And his fine uniform went to blazes in the storm with the girls up Glossop Road.

With the girls etc.

So a lot of the police, as he had broken the peace, took Brown to the Town Hall cells,
Where he had to ruminate on his unlucky fate like many other fast young swells,
And his wife ran away on the very next day, yet the close of this little episode,
He’s a volunteer still, but he never goes to drill with the girls up Glossop Road.

With the girls etc.

Another song by JB Geoghegan, with a very specific link to Sheffield as Glossop Road was for many years the red light district of Sheffield, a place Geoghegan was working in the early 1860s ( 1860-64.). Before he became a full-time manager and occasional chairman in the halls, Geoghegan was known as a comic singer, so it’s quite likely he sang this one himself.

There is a report of the same song being sung by a Mr D Smith at the Sheffield Temperance Hall in 1879:

Temperance Hall.—There was a good attendance here Saturday night…… Mr. D. Smith greatly pleased the company. The character of his songs, the ease of manner, and his open, cheery countenance combined stamp him a the favourite. He sang three songs, ” The Girls up Glossop-road,” Perverted Proverbs,” and “Bold, Boy ” Mr. H. Holroyd acted as pianist with his usual ability.

Sheffield Telegraph, Mon 2 June 1879

A decade or so later and 30 miles west there is a report of a performance of The girls up Mottram Rd, which seems likely to be the same song

ANCIENT SHEPHERDS BAND – On Saturday evening, the annual meeting of the Ancient Shepherds Band was held at the Friendship Inn. About 90 were present at tea. After the room had been cleared Mr. Alfred Taylor took the chair and remarked that they had come to celebrate a double event, the anniversary of the band and a presentation to Mr. John Kilroy, their respected leader. This was the 56th anniversary of the band. ……. In the course of the evening Mr. H. Taylor sang “The girls up Mottram-road” Mr. J. Buckley “The plough boy” Mr W. Lord, “The mountains of fame” Mr. J. Kilroy “The song of songs.” Mr. T. Fletcher gave “Jackey pull the string” amidst roars of laughter and then gave “The old trombone.” Mr. Wm. Platt also gave several good songs. Dance music was supplied by Messrs. C. Pemberton, Andrew Walker, Needham, Richardson, and Kilroy. A hearty vote of thanks to the host and hostess concluded one of the best anniversaries for years.

Stalybridge Reporter – Saturday 17 March 1888

The Girls up Glossop Rd was collected in Devon from singing of Ken Hinchliffe in 2007. Ken learnt it from the singing of Mary Butler at the Royal Hotel, Dungworth. (If you drive up Glossop Road from Sheffield, you’ll soon come across the turning for Dungworth). The song is heard regularly in sessions in and around Sheffield.

The song is also remembered in a form which doesn’t specify the locality, as “The girls along the road” or “The girls up the road” and there are early 20th century reports of amateur performances of the nonspecific variant in Maidenhead (1901) and Ballymena (1908). It seems likely that this was a song designed to be adapted to any locality (or none). The non-specific form has been found in a number of broadsides and been collected from singers in County Antrim – where it was particularly associated with the traditional performer John Kennedy.

Ray Padgett sings The Girls up Glossop Rd:

Patrick Street sing The girls along the road:






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Last Updated on March 26, 2025 by John Baxter | Published: February 2, 2020
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