Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past History Information Request Heswall and "Yowlers"

It is now part of a very old dialect that my grandparents may have known, but Heswall residents were known as "Yowlers".

I had never heard the term in my lifetime (b. 1949) until I got to know one of the last full-time Hoylake fishermen in the 1970s and he always talked about "Yowler City" meaning Heswall. But I never heard that again until some recent searching.

As confirmed by Wirral historian and writer Greg Dawson, Neston people called those in Heswall "Yowlers" and they called Neston people "Yusers" as in the greeting "A'reet Yuse?"
And two articles in Neston Past "Reminiscences of a Train Boy" describing the Hooton line journey to school at Calday Grange GS also said that Heswall was called "Yowler".

But no-one has so far explained why that epithet? My guess is like the Black Country people are called "Yam-Yams" and the Brummies "Yow-Yows" (both for "you are") maybe it was an old dialect for "you will".

Any ideas or recollections welcomed!

I was thinking about this the other day. I remember being shown an old BBC News Documentary on it (or maybe ITV). I can't find it anywhere online, but I do remember seeing on my mums facebook so its more than likely on CH64 community or the like.

Sorry its not on topic, its just bugging me that I can't find that video report anywhere! My grandad was Parkgate born and bred and so is his descendants and he could have probably explained it if he was still around.

My best guess is that its come from miners and fishermen from the NW and those names were used to describe (or insult) someone from Heswall and Neston, with Heswall being more of an insult. Either way, it must be to do with labourers.

If you do some more digging online you can find some Wirral news articles explaining it a bit more in depth. Best of luck with your search!

Many thanks for that.

And yes, you are right that it more than likely came from the Neston miners as the influx of them from Wales and the Lancashire coalfields, mixed with the original rural accents gave Neston of old a dialect all of its own.

I have a friend in her late 70s now who was raised in Neston and remembers her father and his mother using "Yuse" in their conversations. But no recollection of the Heswall end.

And I had another male friend of my vintage who had work connections in Neston with an older generation. And he would email me and start with "What Ho Yuse!". Indeed, quoted as an example in one of Greg Dawson's articles as "Worrow Yuse"!

And thanks for the tip for CH64 Community. I'll join and see what goes there.

YOUS | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

Cambridge Dictionary
https://dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › yous
Meaning of yous in English?? used to mean "you", when addressing a group of people that you are speaking to: See yous later. What is the pronunciation of yous?

Thanks for that Derek.

I was well-acquainted with Scouse plural Yous though discouraged on the west side of the then-based Wirral part of Cheshire.

But the Neston-derived Yuse was most certainly used in the singular form.

That fact is established. What I was after was how Heswall got the monica "Yowler" and why. But as been said already; just a derogative term.

From something I once read, yowler came from yawler, someone who used a yawl boat, which was an old fashioned and poor man’s boat at the time, which Heswall denizens used because they had less money than Nestonians, as Neston was a more thriving port/mine, etc.

Very interesting and plausible explanation Stonsky – thank you!

The yawls in question were Dee Jigger boats, “jigger” being a Liverpool Bay term for the aft mizzen mast and sail. They are documented as the primary inshore shrimping and fishing boats originally working out of Neston, Pargkate and Heswall during the 19th century. This before the Nobbies (Morecambe Bay Prawner) started to dominate the industry from the late 1900s onward.
But as the Dee continued to silt, the Neston and Parkgate fishermen had moved their boats to Heswall and latterly Thurstaston.

There is nothing inherently cheaper in a yawl-rigged boat, but these were shallow-draught boats with iron centre-boards and simple construction. Being two-masted would make them very distinctive, especially to the landsmen of the Neston collieries.
Nor is there anything documented to suggest that Neston-based boats were ever different or superior in design as indeed the port function of Neston had ceased from the silting by this time.

More likely is your suggestion that the Neston mines made the area more affluent and with the influx of miners from Wales, Lancashire and the Black Country these odd yawls moored at Heswall would be very distinctive.

A very good lead that sounds quite likely.