Marshall Cresswell

Marshall Cresswell (1833-1889) was a Northumberland born miner, poet and songwriter. His experiences to and from his job in Borneo were serialised later in the local newspaper.

Marshall Cresswell was born on 18 January 1833 in the colliery village of Fawdon Square (now combined with other villages and suburbs to form Fawdon), the son of Thomas Cresswell and his wife Jane.

After a short time at school, he left at the age of 9 and went "down the pit" like a great many at this age. After serving his apprenticeship, he became a sinker. He was working on the sinking of a new shaft for a colliery near Sherburn Station in December 1856 when he was informed that the eminent local engineer William Coulson was seeking three experienced men to go out to Borneo as "sinkers".

Marshall Cresswell applied and was awarded one of the positions, all of which led to a period of what could be called "Adventure and excitement". He set sail bound for Sarawak on the island of Borneo from Gravesend via Rio de Janeiro and Singapore in February 1857 on the Gwalior and immediately became involved in long sea journeys, shipwrecks, storms, hostile natives, excessive heat, and all that goes with these. It would be 20 September 1859 when he arrived back on the Tyne

The story of his adventure, "From Dudley Colliery to Borneo - by Marshall Creswell", was later serialised in the Newcastle Courant, running from 18 January to 12 April 1878 – Annotated versions: or

On his return to Newcastle, Marshall Cresswell commenced work again in the Tyneside pit at Dudley; here he started writing songs and poems, using his adventures in some of his works.

He wrote numerous songs and recitation, mostly for publication in John W Chater's publications, winning a gold medal with "Morpeth Lodgings" in one competition.

In 1876, John W Chater published a song book of approximately 36 pages entitled Local and other Songs and Recitations, which was a collection of Marshall Cresswell’s songs. A second edition of over 100 pages was published in 1883.

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