{"id":9653,"date":"2021-03-14T18:31:26","date_gmt":"2021-03-14T18:31:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=9653"},"modified":"2023-04-01T06:23:53","modified_gmt":"2023-04-01T06:23:53","slug":"costermongers-song-the","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/costermongers-song-the\/","title":{"rendered":"Costermonger’s Song, The"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
AKA<\/strong><\/td>Going to the Derby in a donkey cart<\/td><\/tr>
First Published<\/td>1872<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Writer\/composer<\/td>Arthur Lloyd<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RN3371<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Music Hall Performers<\/strong><\/td>Arthur Lloyd, JW Rowley<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>Collected from the singing of:<\/strong>
Clissold, Charlie; England : Gloucestershire; 1977
Last, Roy; England : Suffolk; 1983<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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From monologues.co.uk<\/strong>\nI'm Billy Bell, a costermonger as you sees\nA-dealing in carrots, turnips, leeks, and cabbages\nCauliflower and broccoli, really may I say\nI deals in heverything wot's in the vegetable way\nAnd though I work so 'ard I likes me pleasure too\nAnd once a year like other folks the nobby thing can do\nFor every Derby Day I dresses up so smart\nAnd drives meself to Hepsom in me little donkey cart\nYus, I'm up wiv th' lark that mornin'\nAnd up to all sorts of larks all day\nIt ain't no 'ardship for me t' get up early\nI'm as wide awake then as at any other time\nWith the first of the vehicles you'll see me on the road.\n\nGoin' to the Derby\nLookin' very smart\nDoin' all the journey in me donkey cart\nPassin' all the vehicles\nLike a bloomin' dart\nGoin' to the Derby in me little donkey cart.<\/em>\n\nAnd when I gets to Hepsom amongst the bustle there\nI puts away me donkey what 'asn't turned a hair\nThen I gets me luncheon, a chunk of bread and cheese\nWith a gallon jar of fourpenny, oh, at which you wouldn't sneeze\nAnd while I sits enjoyin' me very 'umble fare\nI sees the swells their shammy and their nobby things prepare\nBut they doesn't eat an' drink with a better 'eart\nThan me wot goes to Hepsom in me little donkey cart\nAh then when I gets 'ome I give Billy 'is supper (That's me)\nAnd Tommy a rub dahn (That's me donkey)\nTumbles into me virtuous couch\nUp in the mornin' to work a-sellin' vegetables\nAnd go there like a good 'un till the time comes round again\nAnd every year if you look out for me you'll see me\n\nGoin' to the Derby\nLookin' very smart\nDoin' all the journey in me donkey cart\nPassin' all the vehicles\nLike a bloomin' dart\nGoin' to the Derby in me little donkey cart.<\/em>\n <\/pre>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
A song written by\u00a0Arthur Lloyd<\/a>, first published in 1872: <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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June 23, 1872 ;  Publication: The Era<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
In the Halls of the 1870s and 80s it was most often associated with our old favourite JW “Over” Rowley<\/a>. <\/em>Here’s a contemporary description of a performance:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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May 8, 1886;  <\/strong>The Era <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
In the traditional world, it was collected in the 1980s from the singing of Roy Last  by John Howson and Mike Yates and can be heard on the Veteran CD Who owns the game<\/em><\/a> – follow the link to purchase a copy. If you belong to an appropriate Higher Education Institution you may be able to access it at the British Library Sound Archive<\/a>. In his book Songs Sung in Suffolk<\/em>, John Howson explained how the singer Roy Last came to learn the song:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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The song came from his uncle Walter who had moved up to London to work on the railway… he used to sing in different clubs [there]<\/p>\nSongs Sung in Suffolk, p72<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n