From Mrs Baker
Collected by Francis Collinson, Maidstone, 16th February 1946
Francis Collinson Manuscript Collection COL/6/8
Where the lambs they skip with pleasure
From Eyton Boulden
Collected by Francis Collinson, Bonnington, 17th June 1942.
Francis Collinson Manuscript Collection COL/2/16, COL/2/15B
The neatly written out copy in Francis Collinson’s collection does not appear to be in Collinson’s handwriting, and was quite possibly written out by Eyton Boulding in preparation for the recording of the BBC radio programme Country Magazine which was broadcast on 28th June 1942. It is headed “Chas Boulding’s song” – referring to Eyton’s “Uncle Cholly”, Charles Boulding.
It is unclear why, in that copy, the song is titled ‘Where de Lambs Dey Skip Wid Pleasure’. This kind of substitution of ‘d’ for ‘th’ was often associated with blackface minstrelsy. But in this case it seems more likely that it is an attempt to reproduce the old Kentish dialect, where the same substitution of letters took place – see A dictionary of the Kentish dialect and provincialisms in use in the County of Kent (1888) page vi.
No singer or location is given for this song in the VWML archive catalogue. However the sheet in Collinson’s MS is headed “Pinn Farm, Bonnington, Nr. Ashford”, which was the residence of Eyton Boulding. And it is dated 17th June 1942, which is the same date given in the catalogue for ‘Where de Lambs Dey Skip Wid Pleasure’ (COL/2/16).
A version of the song was included in the Kent-themed episode 5 of BBC Home Service programme Country Magazine, broadcast at 13:15 on Sunday 28th June 1942. The song was sung by baritone Frederick Woodhouse, with music arranged by Francis Collinson, who may have been responsible for the rewritten words.
- At the foot of yonder mountain where the river runs so clear
I have orchards, fair green meadows, and good hops for Kentish beer
There’s fine arching, fine poaching and there’s music everywhere
At the foot of yonder mountain, where the river runs so clear. - If little Mary had been constant then she might have been my bride.
But her mind it was more fickle than the rain upon the tide,
So I took me another for to wed and give me cheer,
At the foot of yonder mountain, where the river runs so clear. - As I walk about my meadows, as I labour in my fields,
When I view the bounteous increase that our toil and patience yields,
I do know I’ve been faithful to the land I hold so dear
At the foot of yonder mountain. where the river runs so clear.
(Source: Maidstone Telegraph, 24th July 1942)
Lord Thomas and Fair Eleanor
From Charles Barling
Collected by Cecil Sharp, Ruckinge, 22nd September 1908.
Cecil Sharp MSS, Folk Tunes CJS2/10/1930
Roud 4, Child 73
Kind Sir I am too young
From Charles Barling
Collected by Cecil Sharp, Ruckinge, 22nd September 1908.
Cecil Sharp MSS, Folk Tunes CJS2/10/1931
The Barley Mow
From George Benstead
Collected by Cecil Sharp, Hamstreet, 22nd September 1908.
Cecil Sharp MSS, Folk Tunes CJS2/10/1920
The Thresherman and the Squire
From Clarke Lonkhurst
Collected by Cecil Sharp, Hamstreet, 23rd September 1908.
Cecil Sharp MSS, Folk Words CJS2/9/1774, Folk Tunes CJS2/10/1921
A similar version of the song – although in 4/4 rather than 6/8 – was noted by Francis Collinson from Clark Lonkhurst’s cousin Harry Barling. See The Thresher Man.
Green Bushes
From Mrs Matilda Jenner
Collected by Anne Gilchrist, Ashurst, June 1906
Anne Gilchrist MSS Collection AGG/3/6/1c, AGG/8/31; Journal of the Folk-Song Society 5
(1915) pp.177-180
The Banks of Sweet Primroses
From Mrs Matilda Jenner
Collected by Anne Gilchrist, 1905 (?)
Anne Gilchrist MSS Collection AGG/3/6/9b
Babes in the Wood
From Mrs Matilda Jenner
Collected by Anne Gilchrist, Ashurst, 1905 (?)
Anne Gilchrist MSS Collection AGG/3/6/9c
The following words are given in The Nursery Rhymes of England, collected by James Orchard Halliwell (1886)
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/32415/32415-h/32415-h.htm
- My dear, do you know,
How a long time ago,
Two poor little children,
Whose names I don’t know,
Were stolen away on a fine summer’s day,
And left in a wood, as I’ve heard people say. - And when it was night,
So sad was their plight,
The sun it went down,
And the moon gave no light!
They sobb’d and they sigh’d, and they bitterly cried,
And the poor little things, they lay down and died. - And when they were dead,
The Robins so red
Brought strawberry leaves,
And over them spread;
And all the day long,
They sung them this song,
“Poor babes in the wood! poor babes in the wood!
And don’t you remember the babes in the wood?”