Navvy
Navvy, a shorter form of navigator (UK) or navigational engineer (US), is particularly applied to describe the manual labourers working on major civil engineering projects and occasionally (in North America) to refer to mechanical shovels and earth moving machinery. The term was coined in the late 18th century in Great Britain when numerous canals were being built, which were also sometimes known as "navigations", or "eternal navigations", intended to last forever.
Nationalities
A study of 19th century British railway contracts by David Brooke, coinciding with census returns, conclusively demonstrates that the great majority of navvies in Britain were English. He does, however, state that 'only the ubiquitous Irish can be regarded as a truly international force in railway construction' although the Irish only comprised about 30% of the navvies. By 1818, high wages in North America attracted many Irish workers to become a major part of the workforce in the construction of the Erie Canal in New York State and similar projects; they also participated in building canals in Britain, where by the 20th century they were the predominant workforce.
Podcasts:
Navvy
ALBUMS
- Idyll Intangible released: 2009
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by Pere Ubu
Navvy
by: Pere UbuI've got these arms & legs that flipflop
flip flop
I've got these arms & legs that flipflop
flip flop
I've got these arms & legs that flipflop
flip-flip-flip, I have desire
"Freedom!"
I have desire
"Somewhere to go!"
(Boy! that sounds swell)
In my ears I heard a hurricane blow
In my ears I heard a hurricane grow
In my ears I heard a hurricane glow
I have desire
"Freedom!"
I have desire
"Somewhere to go!"
(Boy! that sounds swell)
I've got these arms & legs that flipflop
flip flop
I've got these arms & legs that flipflop
flip flop
I've got these arms & legs that flipflop
flip-flip-flop, I have desire
"Freedom!"
I have desire
"Somewhere to go!"