> Folk Music > Songs > The Christmas Goose

The Christmas Goose / The Manchester Cornstalk

[ Roud 3204 ; TYG 40 ; DT XMASGOOS ; Mudcat 42673 ; trad.]

Brian Dewhurst sang Manchester Cornstalk in 1975 on his Folk Heritage album with Tom Tiddler’s Ground, The Hunter and the Hunted. He noted:

A hunting version of The Butcher and the Chamber Maid. I got this version from Paul Graney of Manchester who has provided me with a lot of good material.

Bill Price sang Manchester Cornstalk (Christmas Goose) in 1978 on his Autogram album I Sing As I Please. He noted:

A hunt song from the Holme Valley Beagles. I got this version from the singing of Rosa Barnes of Rothwell near Leeds.

Arthur Howard sang Christmas Goose in a 1981 recording made by Ian Russell in Hazlehead, Yorkshire. It was included in the same year on his Hill & Dale album Merry Mountain Child. Ian Russell noted:

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a rendition of the Christmas Goose. Arthur has always been attracted by the social side of hunting, especially the entertainment that is part of the hunt supper. At Christmas time he is regularly called on to perform this delightful tale of the cocksure traveller who gets his just deserts.

Will Noble sang The Christmas Goose on his 1992 Veteran Tapes cassette In That Beautiful Dale. John Howson noted:

Will now follows in the footsteps, and is the carrier of the songs, of many fine local singers: the most influential being Arthur Howard who came from a sheep-farming family near Holme and who died in l982 at the age of 79. He was a fine singer with a vast store of songs, and half of the songs sung here are from his repertoire, while Will first heard the The Christmas Goose sung by Arthur’s elder brother James Howard.

The New Scorpion Band sang The Christmas Goose on their 2001 album of traditional and early music for the Christmas season, The Carnal and the Crane. They noted:

Not by the wildest definition could this be called a carol, but it is very jolly, it is about Christmas, and it offers a salutary example for any travelling salesmen who may hear this record. The story is widespread, and found in many songs from around Britain. This one comes from the repertoire of the Yorkshire singer Arthur Howard, and is popular both east and west of the Pennines. An older version was collected from Alfred Scannell in the workhouse at Mere, Wiltshire in 1906, under the title of The Butcher and the Chambermaid.

Our performance and instrumentation come from the world of the Music Hall, using tenor horn, euphonium, tuba, violins and banjo.

John Roberts and Debra Cowan sang The ‘Cornstalk’ in 2015 on their Golden Hind album Ballads Long & Short. They noted:

John first heard The ‘Cornstalk’ from the singing of Derek Elliott of Barnsley, Yorkshire. Also known as The Christmas Goose, this is a hunt-supper favourite, with a hunting chorus that bears no relation to the storyline which proceeds inexorably to its conclusion.

Kate Rusby sang The Christmas Goose on her 2015 album The Frost Is All Over.

GreenMatthews sang The Christmas Goose, “a rather risqué festive ballad from the North of England”, on their 2020 album Midwinter Revels.

Alice Jones and Bryony Griffith sang Change for a Guinea (The Christmas Goose) in 2023 on their Selwyn album Wesselbobs. They noted:

Alice was originally inspired to learn this song after coming across it in the broadside collection of Frank Kidson whilst researching for a project with the theatre company Northern Broadsides. The story is based on an earlier ballad called The Butcher and the Chambermaid which was a popular and widely printed broadside all over England in the early 19^th century. This later, arguably much better comedically structured version, sets the story in Manchester and appears to have been less widely printed. Usually referred to as The Christmas Goose, it has come to be a hugely popular and integral part of the local carolling tradition in the villages and pubs around the Holme Valley in Yorkshire. It is notably associated with the repertoires of two exponents of traditional Yorkshire folk song today: John Greaves and Will Noble. The tune is The Christmas Tale, again from the Joshua Jackson manuscript. (Other manuscripts are available … it just happens that the best tunes for this album were from Joshua Jackson!).

Lyrics

Bill Price sings Manchester Cornstalk (Christmas Goose)

Chorus (after each verse):
And it’s all around the green fields so early in the morn
The merry, merry huntsman blows his silver bugled horn.

It’s of a pub in Manchester where ‘Cornstalk’ was the sign,
A public where commercial travellers used to sit and dine.
One Christmas eve a traveller, as oft had been his use,
Called in to spend his holiday and choose his Christmas goose.

He drunk his pint of sherry wine, he smoked his mild cigar,
He chatted with the customers and the people at the bar.
There was no thought of wickedness e’er entered in his head
Until the chambermaid appeared to light him up to bed.

And then he grew so amorous he squeezed her on the stair,
He kissed her by the chamber door before he said his prayers.
He gave to her a guinea to prevent her being vexed
And then he blew the candle out, you’ll have to guess the rest.

Next morn this good Lothario discharged his little bill,
He tipped the boots and tossed the landlord for a parting gill.
Where he went to afterwards ’tis not for me to say,
Suffice he called to pluck his goose again next Christmas day.

Yes, Christmas time came round again, it filled his heart with glee,
He’d tramped around from town to town and strange sights did he see.
Till he ended up in Manchester and put up for the night
At the ‘Cornstalk’ which twelve months before had found him such delight.

He walked into the coffee room as jolly as could be
Where lots of customers like himself were waiting there for tea.
He ordered of the very best the landlord could produce,
Then he called the waiter back again, says, “Don’t forget me goose!”

Right speedily a tray was brought with eatables galore
And by the selfsame chambermaid he’d woofed twelve months before.
Nothing loth he raised the cloth ’neath which the food was piled,
Instead of the goose she’d brought to him a big fat bumping child.

And as he gazed astonishedly, “What can this mean?” says he,
“Come sit you down and calm yourself, I’ll tell you, sir,” says she.
“Last Christmas eve you generous were, nay, do not look so strange
You gave to me a guinea; well, I’ve brought you back the change.”

John Roberts and Debra Cowan sing The ‘Cornstalk’

It was at an inn in Manchester, ‘The Cornstalk’ was the sign,
A famous public where commercials used to sleep and dine.
One Christmas day a traveller, as oft had been his use
Arrived to spend his holiday and choose his Christmas goose.

Chorus (after each verse):
All around the greenwoods so early in the morn
The merry, merry huntsman blows his silver bugle horn.

He drank his pint of sherry wine, he smoked his mild cigar,
He chatted with the customers and people at the bar.
There was no thought of wickedness had entered in his head
Until the chambermaid appeared to light him up to bed.

At length he grew so amorous, he squeezed her on the stair,
He kissed her by the chamber door before he said his prayers.
He gave to her a guinea to prevent her being vexed
And then he blew the candle out and you can guess the rest.

Next day this gay Lothario discharged his little bill,
He tipped the Boots and tossed the landlord for a parting gill.
And where he went to afterwards it’s not for me to say,
Suffice he came to choose his goose again next Christmas Day.

He walked into the coffee room as jaunty as can be
Where lots of roosters like himself were waiting there for tea.
He ordered up the very best the landlord could produce,
He called the waiter back again, says, “Now don’t forget my goose.”

Right speedily a tray was brought with eatables galore,
All by that self-same chambermaid he’d kissed twelve months before.
Nothing loth, he raised the cloth ’neath which the food was piled
But instead of eatables he found a big fat bumping child.

Annoyed by others’ laughter, “Oh, what’s this here?” said he.
“Come sit you down beside me and I’ll tell you, sir,” said she.
“Last Christmas day you generous were, oh do not think it strange
You gave to me a guinea, sir, and I’ve brought you back your change.”

Alice Jones and Bryony Griffith sing Change for a Guinea (The Christmas Goose)

It was in an inn in Manchester, ‘the Cornstalks’ was the sign,
A famous public where commercials used to sleep and dine;
One Christmas time a traveller so long had been his use.
Came to spend his holidays and choose his Christmas goose.

Chorus (after each verse):
All around the greenwoods so early in the morn,
The merry, merry huntsman blows his silver bugle horn.

He drank his pint of sherry wine, he smoked a mild cigar,
He chatted with the customers and people in the bar;
And not a thought of wickedness e’er entered in his head,
Until the chambermaid appeared to light him up to bed.

Then he grew so amorous, he squeezed her on the stairs,
He kissed her at the chamber door before he said his prayers;
And he gave to her a guinea to prevent her being vexed,
Then he blew the candle out and you can guess the rest.

Next morning this Lothario discharged his little bill,
He tipped his boots and tossed the landlord for a parting gill;
But where he went to afterwards it’s not for me to say;
Suffice he came to choose his goose that very next Christmas Day.

Next Christmas time came round again which filled his heart with glee;
He’d wandered round from town to town and strange sights did he see;
And he’s ended up in Manchester, put up for the night,
At the ‘Cornstalks’ where twelve months had filled him with delight.

He went into the coffee room as jaunty as could be.
Where many a rooster like himself was waiting for his tea.
And he’s ordered up the very best the landlord could produce.
Called the waiter back to say, “Now don’t forget the goose.”

Right speedily a tray was brought with eatables galore,
By the self-same chambermaid he’d kissed twelve months before;
But nothing loth to raise the cloth whereupon a heap was piled;
Instead of eatables thereon were a big fat thumping child.

Enraged at seeing others laugh, “What is this here?” cried he.
“Come sit you down beside me and I’ll tell you, sir,” said she.
“Last Christmas you so generous were, pray do not look so strange,
You gave to me a guinea and well I’ve brought you back your change.”