The Quaker influence was evident in my father, William Lisle. Strictly loyal and upright, he had an excellent physique and a chest development that Dr Alexander the first parish doctor of Whitley, used to admire.
His features were well shaped, and like most of his class he wore a beard.
My mother was several years younger with invariably, a smile upon her handsome features and with a natural grace and charm, though entirely unlettered.
With a creel of fish upon her back, a wicker basket upon her arm, dressed in blue woollen fisher costume, she looked like a young Saxon goddess.
Many a city merchant in the streets of Jesmond going to business would stop and listen to the musical cadence, “Will ye buy my fresh fi-sh?”
What wonderful and true helpmates, the fisherwomen of the village. After a hard day's work with the creel they would come home to their household duties and the lights were long lit before they finished the “sken'ing of mush'ls”.
On their lips a fisher melody “Yi gan to thi coals I thi morning,” or “O av lost me lad but a care not, care not, care not, for a've getten another as gud and the tother, he wants ti come back but he dare not.” G. W. Lisle