Ratcatcher’s daughter, The

AKAThe ratcatcher’s darter
LyricsEdward Bradley and Sam Cowell (1852), Charles SlocumMusicanon/Cowell Roud13883
Music Hall performersSam Cowell 1850s
Folk performancesSource Singers:
Henry Burstow, 1911, Sussex, England
Mr Tuffs, 1911, Norfolk, England
Charles Menteith, 1993, Glos, England
Not long ago in Westminster
 There lived a rat catcher's daughter
 But she didn't quite live in Westminster
 Cos she lived t'other side of the water
 Her Father caught rats and she sold sprats
 All round and about that quarter
 And the gentlefolk all took off their hats
 To the pretty little rat catcher's daughter.

 Doodle dee, doodle dum, di dum doodle da

 She wore no ‘at upon ‘er head
 No cap nor dainty bonnet
 The ‘air of ‘er ‘ead all ‘ung down her back
 Like a bunch of carrots upon it
 When she cried “Sprats” in Westminster
 She ‘ad such a sweet loud voice
 You could hear her all down Parliament Street
 As far as Charing Cross, sir

 Now rich and poor, both far and near
 In matrimony sought her
 But at friends and foes she turn'd up her nose
 Did the putty little rat catchers daughter
 For there was a man, sold lily-white sand
 In cupid's net had caught her
 And right over head and heals in love
 Went the pretty little rat catcher's daughter,

 Now lily-white sand so ran in her head
 As she went along the Strand, Oh
 She forgot as she'd got sprats on her head
 And cried “D'y want any lily-white sand, Oh”
 The folks, amazed, all thought her crazed
 As she went along the Strand, Oh
 To see a gal with sprats on her head
 Cry “D'y want any lily-white sand, Oh,”

 Now rat catcher's daughter so ran in his head 
 He couldn't tell what he was arter
 So instead of crying “D'y want any sand”
 He cried “D'y want any rat catcher's daughter?”
 His donkey cocked his ears and laughed
 He couldn't think what he was arter
 When he heard his lily-white sandman cry
 “D'y want any rat catcher's daughter?”

 They both agreed to married be
 Upon next Easter Sunday
 But rat catcher's daughter she had a dream
 That she wouldn't be alive on Monday
 She went once more to buy some sprats
 And she tumbled into the water
 And down to the bottom, all kiver'd up with mud
 Went the pretty little rat catcher's daughter.

 When lily-white sand ‘e heard the news
 His eyes ran down with water
 Said ‘e in love I'll constant prove
 And - blow me if I'll live long arter
 So he cut ‘is throat with a pane of glass
 And stabbed ‘is donkey arter
 So ‘ere is an end of lily-white Sand
 Donkey, and the rat catcher's daughter.

 Additional verses by Charles Slocum:
 The neighbours all, both great and small
 They flocked unto ‘er ‘berrein'
 And wept that a gal who'd cried out sprats
 Should be as dead as any ‘herrein'
 The Coroner's inquest on her sot
 At the sign of the Jack i' the Water
 To find what made life's sand run out
 Of the pretty little rat catcher's daughter.

 The verdict was that too much wet
 This poor young woman died on
 For she made an ole in the Riviere Thames
 Vot the penny steamers ride on
 'Twas a haccident they all agreed
 And nuffink like self-slaughter
 So not guiltee o' fell in the sea
 They brought in the rat catcher's daughter.

Sam Cowell (1820 – 1864) made this song (in)famous- he was one of the stars of the early Music Halls and supper rooms, often singing older songs in a mocking, burlesque style for comedic effect.

Rev Edward Bradley (1827-1889), pen-name Cuthbert Bede, was a novelist and humorist. He is credited with writing the words to this version of the song, published in 1852. It is probably based on an earlier song: its found in hundreds of 19th century broadsheets and songbooks on this side of Atlantic, going back to the early 1830s (1832 seems to be the earliest reference, though dating of these sources is not always accurate).

The song appears to have been popular throughout the 19th century, but also appeared in the repertoire of Music Hall revivalists of the 1920s and 30s like Elsa Lanchester and the duo Ernest Butcher and Muriel George. The song may have entered the repertoire of later traditional singers via these performances and recorded versions.

Sources:

The Seven Dials Band:

Elsa Lanchester’s revived version recorded in the 1950s,

Last Updated on November 5, 2024 by John Baxter | Published: February 14, 2020

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