I’ll Ask My Mother and Let You Know Next Sunday Afternoon

AKASarah Broome
Sarah Bloom
First Published1867

Writer/composerTom Bournley / George EarnshawRoudRN12611

Music Hall PerformersCharles Stanley
Folk performancesCollected from the singing of:
William Morse ; England : Gloucestershire ; 1916
unknown singer ; collected by Cecil Sharp
I'll Ask my Mother.
UK Sheet Music Published by Hopwood and Crew [1867]

Words by Tom Bournley, Music by George Ernshaw. Sung by Charles Stanley


A pretty little girl came courting me, her name was Sarah Broome,
She wanted me to marry her, and thought I was a loon....
She said "I was a nice young man and we might be well off soon,"
But I'll ask my mother and I'll let you know next Sunday afternoon.

The kindness of this pretty little girl, I never can forget ....
That wanted me to marry her, but I cannot see that yet.

One afternoon Miss Sarah Broome took me out for a walk,
She kiss'd me and caress'd me,and so lovingly did talk ;
She wanted me to fly with her, that night by the light of the moon,
But I'll ask my mother and I'll let you know next Sunday afternoon.

She made me a present of a watch and chain, likewise a bran new hat,
For Sundays when I walked with her that I might cut it fat ;
But when she found I would not fly with her, she wanted the presents back soon,
But I'll ask my mother and I'll let you know next Sunday afternoon?

Out of revenge, with one she knew, she ran away that night,
They both came back for the watch and chain, and wanted me to fight;
He said, in a field if he had me that he would kill me soon!
But I'll ask my mother and I'll let you know next Sunday afternoon?

If there's any young girl, that's here tonight, would like to be my wife,
Let her step forward and I will do the best for her through life;
And if she's in a hurry, why, we might be married soon;
But I'll ask my mother and I'll let you know next Sunday afternoon?

A big hit published in sheet music, songsters and broadsides throughout the English-speaking world, the earliest evidence for a song of this title being sung on the British Music Hall stage appears to be this newspaper advert from August 1866, which promotes twice nightly appearances by Harry Wingett in Glasgow:

The Era – Sunday 19 August 1866

Later British newspaper notices suggest the song was a hit for the comic singer Charles Stanley (see notes for a brief biography below). Stanley’s version of the song was published by Hopwood and Crew in 1867 with words credited to Tom Bournley and music credited to George Ernshaw:

The Era – Sunday 10 February 1867

The song seems to have rapidly become popular throughout the English-speaking word, widely performed by both professional and amateur singers:

  • In the United States the song was a hit for Jennie Engel who famously performed it at the Olympic Theatre in March 1868(see US Sheet Music and The St Louis Republic) .
  • In the 1870s in the United States it was also performed by black-faced minstrel banjoist Harry Stanwood of Cotton and Sharpley’s Minstrels.
  • Sheet Music credited to Bourne/Ernshaw was published in The Australian Journal in Oct 1869 and in Australia it was widely sung by professional and semi-professional black-faced minstrel performers like The Occidental Minstrels and The Australian Christy Minstrels
  • There are also newspaper articles that suggest it was sung in the late 1860s and early 1870s in Canada and New Zealand.

The Charles Stanley (dates unknown) who popularised I’ll Ask My Mother is probably the same Charles Stanley who appears in the following notices in British Newspapers:

  • 1852 listed as pianist at The Middlesex, Mogul Tavern, Drury Lane
  • 1862 toured the West of England with a “musical and mimical portfolio” called Past and Present.
  • 1866 advertised as a sensation and character comic, dancer
  • 1867 advertised as popular comique, characteristic vocalist. Songs performed include: I’ll ask me mother and let you know next Sunday afternoon, Penal Servitude for me and Tin-pot Band.
  • 1875 appeared as comedian and manager of a Hall on Church St, Edgeware
  • 1876 toured UK with Fanny Edwards’ operetta concert party.
  • 1885 appeared in HMS Pinafore in New York.

Sources:

Last Updated on June 10, 2026 by John Baxter | Published: April 13, 2026

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