"When I was a child my band of friends used to engage in a practice called 'Cob-a-Coaling.' This was during the lead-up to Bonfire Night, which was one of the biggest events of our calendar. Cob-a-Coaling involved packs of kids going round the area knocking on door after door, singing a song, begging for wood to burn, money for fireworks and coal - though coal was a bit old hat by my generation.

The song my crew of friends would sing went like this:

We come a cob-a-coaling
For bonfire night
Your coal or your money
We hope you provide
..."

http://nighttimeinthebigcity.blogspot.com/2010/06/cob-coaling.html