General Chat

Did you know? The children's nursery rhyme 'Ring-a-Ring-a-Roses' actually refers to the Black Death which killed about 30 million people in the fourteenth-century. 'Ring-a-Ring-a-Roses' is the original British title of the rhyme. In the 19th century Americanized version, the title changed to 'Ring-Around-the-Rosie.' The American version also uses the line 'ashes, ashes, we all fall down,' while the original British version uses the line, 'a-tishoo, a-tishoo, we all fall down.' 'A-tishoo' refers to the uncontrollable cough & sneezing that were symptoms of the pneumonic plague, the most deadly strain. Your Thoughts. Tony Oz

thought it was common knowledge,

Tony...its a fact (I think)! But I have heard that before and I am sure we were told it in school! Bev

I was taught a bit of both versions then when I was young. Ring o ring o roses A pocket full of poses Atishoo Atishoo We all fall down Ashes by the water Ashes by the sea Ashes by the Lilly pond 1...2...3 Sue xx

Yes, I too heard both versions when I was at school......surprised I can still remember that. J

OMG!! No I have never heard of this.. I shall promply delete my Nursery rhymes thread!! Sorry folks :0(

Yes I remember this at school, it is funny the things you were taught at school I do not think the kids are taught half the History we were?. Debs.

another one for you is Here we go round the mulberry bush, The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush. Here we go round the mulberry bush, On a cold and frosty morning. This is the way we wash our clothes, Wash our clothes,wash our clothes. This is the way we wash our clothes, On a cold and frosty morning. This is the way we iron our clothes, Iron our clothes, iron our clothes. This is the way we iron our clothes, On a cold and frosty morning. This is the way we scrub the floor, Scrub the floor, scrub the floor. This is the way we scrub the floor, On a cold and frosty morning. This is the way we mend our clothes, Mend our clothes, mend our clothes. This is the way we mend our clothes, On a cold and frosty morning. This is the way we sweep the house, Sweep the house, sweep the house. This is the way we sweep the house, On a cold and frosty morning. This is the way we bake our bread, Bake our bread, bake our bread. This is the way we bake our bread, On a cold and frosty morning. This is the way we go to church, go to church, go to church. This is the way we go to church, On a cold and frosty morning. Here we go round the mulberry bush, The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush. Here we go round the mulberry bush, On a cold and frosty morning. The version of the rhyme included here is one that will be recognised by many people. There are some variations to the rhyme. One common one is the changing of the last line of each verse from 'On a cold and frosty morning' to 'So early in the morning' or 'So early Monday morning' (through to Sunday - one verse for each day of the week) The last verse is often sung as:- This is the way we get dressed up, get dressed up, get dressed up, This is the way we get dressed up, so early Sunday morning. This well-known children's nursery rhyme may have begun life as a song or chant by inmates of Wakefield prison as they exercised around a mulberry bush within the prison grounds. The mulberry bush (or more accurately, tree) still thrives at the prison today Paul

Thats interesting Paul. The songs of our childhood, and the same ones we pass on to our children and Grandchildren. I didnt know about the Mulberry bush Rhyme. Tony Oz

Knew that Tony. I like the stories behind all the nursery rhymes. I used to tell my kids them. Do you know any more ? Deanna

Mazzie I wouldnt bother deleting your thread, the nursery rhymes have been around for years,and I still sing them to my kids. They dont know what there true meaning is.

I did not know that one Paul. Interesting are'nt they? Deanna

No dont delete your thread Maz.lol I love nuseryrhymes, and sing them to my Grandkids. I was doing some research on the Plague's in England, and came across this. It was interesting, so i thought i would post it, and get people's views. Tony Oz.

Not only do I think that they should'nt be deleted, I also think that children (once they are old enough) should be told how they came about. I think they can be quite educational. I remember being fascinated when I was a child, having them explained to me. If anyone is interested in the Black Death story and lives near Derbyshire, there is a village called Eyam which was badly affected by the plague when it was brought in from London by travelling salesmen in infected cloth. It is fascinating all year round but if you go in spring when they have the well dressings, it is even more interesting. And no, I'm not a morbid old so and so - just fascinated by history :)))) Chrissie x

Yes Chrissie. Derbyshire i think. This was on Tele here in Oz last week. Delta 32 ( i think thats right? ) It was about the Village of Eyam, and how they traced decendants in this Village back to there Ancestors, asking the Question how some of the people back in 1676 escaped the Plague, after being in contact with there loved ones who had died and cradled in their arms. It was very interesting. Tony Oz

Hi Tony Yes, Eyam is fascinating. To save me looking on the web (as you obviously have already), could you tell me something please. I thought it was the bubonic plague but I see that you have it as the pneumonic plague (which I understand was the worst one) ? Chrissie

Hi Chrissie. Here is an Extract from what i was researching. Beubonic Plague is a disease which develops in rats. It can be transferred to humans by fleas which have deserted a dead rat, and has a mortality rate of 60%. Pneumonic Plague is a deadlier form of the disease, having a mortality rate of 99%. Pneumonic Plague is not spread by fleas, but from host to host by tiny drops of expectoration such as produced by a sneeze. This advanced form of the disease affects the lungs, and kills within a few days. Australian coastal centres such as Sydney and Brisbane have suffered several outbreaks of Beubonic Plague, but only Maryborough has experienced the deadlier Pneumonic variant. Australian doctors at the time were inexperienced in dealing with Pneumonic Plague, so mistakes inevitably occurred. There was no known cure for these plagues until streptomycin was discovered in 1943.

Hi Tony Nice thread. You've got my brain cells on the move now. Remember Humpty Dumpty and The Grand Old Duke of York. Believe both are from the 15th century. Humpty if I recall was a canon, round and fat. The other I think referred to a battle during the War of the Roses. Aileen

Hi Tony Thanks for that. In our Universal dictionary it's spelt Bubonic but what do we Brits know :)))) I hope the reference to Brisbane suffering outbreaks is referring to years ago? My step-daughter lives there :)))) Chrissie