{"id":13743,"date":"2021-12-05T17:28:00","date_gmt":"2021-12-05T17:28:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=13743"},"modified":"2022-04-14T10:27:45","modified_gmt":"2022-04-14T10:27:45","slug":"poor-little-sweep-the","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/poor-little-sweep-the\/","title":{"rendered":"Poor little sweep, The"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
First Published<\/td>1874<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Writer\/composer<\/td>Sam Bagnall<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RNV16079<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Music Hall Performers<\/strong><\/td>Sam Bagnall<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>None that I am aware of ..<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Poor Little Sweep<\/strong>\nSung by Sam Bagnall\n\nThe morn was dark, the hour was foul and heavy fell the snow,\nThe bitter blast was keenly felt by one who crept below,\nHis shivering limbs and bleeding feet were rack'd with mortal pain, \nWhile one and all could fairly hear his puny cry again.\n\nAnd mothers press'd their infants dear and lulled them into sleep,\nAs just beneath the window cried a poor little sweep.<\/em>\n\nSix years had passed since the child's blue eyes beheld the light,\nThe mother kiss'd her infant dear, and died that very night,\nThe cold damp earth was heaped above her lonely corpse next day,\nThe infant slept, a stranger came and bore it far away.\n\nAnd lo, the snow was falling fast upon his little head,\nWhile all asleep and dreaming lay within their cosy bed,\nHe lifted up his tearful eyes from 'neath his sooty cap,\nAnd at the door he gently gave his timid little tap.\n\nBut no one in the mansion stirred or heard that little cry,\nAnd faster fell the bitter tears and deeper came the sigh,\nAlt, mother dear, look down on me \u2014 the little orphan cried,\nHe cast his eyes to heaven, bow'd donut his head, and died.\n<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
This song was written composed and sung in the Halls by Sam Bagnall<\/a> but as far as I can tell its never been taken up by traditional singers. I investigated this song to eliminate the possibility that it was linked to the song below. The story of a poor chimney sweep dying in the cold was a common one in Victorian times, but apart from that the songs have little in common.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The other song<\/strong> of the same name  appeared very widely in 19th century street literature on both sides of the Atlantic and was collected in the early 20th century by Alfred Williams. The more famous Poor Little Sweep<\/em> has first line: On a cold winter’s morning, as snow was falling<\/em> – it was published in c1860 and credited to Benjamin Jepson (Sheet Music on Google Books <\/a>, Roud number RN2672 in VWML<\/a>). This song has a happy end, if you like that sort of thing…<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n