Welcome To
Benholm & Johnshaven Heritage Society
Benholm & Johnshaven Heritage Society
Jist a kirn o hooses
On a rocky coast
Higglety piggetty scattered
Naev wonder fowk get lost
Streets that rin roon corners
Hodden ooto sicht
An affa place tae bide in
Very dark an dreich at night
Everybody beddit lang afore eleyven
Noo that’s fat ye get fan ye ging tae Johnshaven
By Douglas Donald
SOME JOHNSHAVEN WORDS
Pleengs or Pleengies - gulls
Solan - gannet
Log or Loag - lugworms
Rampers - ragworm
Rotticks - dead men’s fingers
Pawpes - red beadlet anaemone
This work that created this website and our booklet was delivered by Ceilidhmakers [Christine Kydd, Ewan McVicar, Andy Shanks] and funded by a Capacity Grant, Creative Economy (Place) from Aberdeenshire Council.
OUR PROJECT
Quo the haddie tae the fluke, “Fat gars yer mouie crook?”
“Ma mouie’s no been aven, sin I cam by Johnshaven”.
This is a famous old rhyme that recalls in the Doric Johnshaven’s fishing past.
Benholm & Johnshaven Heritage Society and the Young At Heart Club collected and published in a new booklet and this website more old and newer rhymes that people of Johnshaven, Benholm and places around remembered.
Not just children’s rhymes and games,
but those about
* places * weather
local characters and more.
Not just about fishing and the sea,
but farming * the land
and old customs.
In the Doric and in plain English.
Local folk helped by sharing memories, and by volunteering to ask other present or former Johnshaven folk to contribute.
We will also asked Johnshaven Primary pupils to help by sharing rhymes they know now.

Website text researched by Sheena Blackhall and Ewan McVicar,
images by Johnshaven Museum and Andy Shanks.