Little shirt that mother made for me, The

AKA The little shirt
The day that I was born
First Published 1903
Lyrics Harry Wincott Music Harry Wincott Roud 10437

Music Hall Performers Tom Woottwell  (1865-1941)
Folk performances Source Singers
Dorothy Spicer , nd, Sussex, England
? Pidgeon, 1957, Dorset, England
Clarence Sayer/Bob Hart, 1960s, Suffolk, England
Fred Moss/Daudy Dockerill, 1964/65, Suffolk, England
Margaret Birkett, 1965, Westmoreland, England
Joan Davies, 1960s/70s, Yorkshire, England
George Belton, 1971, Sussex, England
Aileen Stollery, 1971, Suffolk, England
Robert Stewart, 1971, Shetland, Scotland
Arthur Gates, 1972, England
Jack Beeforth, 1974, Yorkshire, England
Freda Palmer, 1975 Oxfordshire, England
Bob Mills, 1977, Hampshire, England
Bill Smith, 1982, Shropshire, England
Bob Arnold, 1991, Oxfordshire, England
Lucy Reader, 1996, Gloucestershire, England

I shan't forget the day that I was born
'Twas on a cold and frosty winter's morn
The doctor said I was a chubby chap
And when the nurse she took me on her lap
Oh she washed me all over I remember
And after powder-puffing me you see
She laid me in the cradle near the fender
In the little shirt my mother made for me.

The first day that I wore me knicker-bocks
I did feel funny after wearing frocks
I looked a little picture, they all say
But when they sent me out to run and play
Oh I didn't like the breeches I was wearing
So in the street I took 'em off you see
And I started walking back home brave and daring
In the little shirt my mother made for me.

Last year when I was on me holidays
Upon the briny ocean I would gaze
The water looked so nice I thought I'd go
And have a swim, but in a minute, how
All the girls upon the beach at me were staring
And some were taking snap-shots I could see
'Twas a good job for me that I was wearing
The little shirt my mother made for me.

When first they told me to school I must go
I didn't like the teacher you must know
Because I played truant once, oh dear
The master shouted, 'Muggins, you come here.'
And his thick stick came down wallop on me
There's no mistake it spoilt my pedigree
I'd the map of England printed nicely on me
Near the little shirt my mother made for me.
 

Another fondly remembered early 20th century Music Hall song which has featured in the repertoire of source singers all over England in the last 75 years. The little shirt has proved popular in America and has appeared on a number of “country tinged” commercial recordings including those by Wilf Carter and Marty Robbins. It also features in the repertoire of a number of bluegrass players, and is similarly popular in Ireland.

It was written by t6he prolific Harry Wincott

Sources:

Bradley Kincaid sings it: