{"id":2620,"date":"2020-05-07T16:58:31","date_gmt":"2020-05-07T16:58:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/?page_id=2620"},"modified":"2023-08-15T06:47:40","modified_gmt":"2023-08-15T06:47:40","slug":"jemima-brown","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/folksongandmusichall.com\/index.php\/jemima-brown\/","title":{"rendered":"Jemima Brown"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
AKA<\/strong><\/td>The Queen of the Sewing Machine
Naughty Jemima Brown<\/td><\/tr>
First published<\/td>1863<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Lyrics<\/strong><\/td> Harry Clifton<\/td>Music<\/strong><\/td>Harry Clifton<\/td>Roud<\/strong><\/td>RN1776<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Music Hall performers<\/strong><\/td>Harry Clifton<\/td><\/tr>
Folk performances<\/strong><\/td>Source Singers<\/strong>
W Wagstaff, 1950s, Beds, England
Walter Pardon, 1979, Norfolk, England
George Inglis Fraser, 1959, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Gordon Hall, 1992, Sussex, England<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
From undated Sheet Music published in Philadelphia c1865<\/strong>\n\nJemima Brown, or, The Queen of a Sewing Machine.\n\n'Twas at the railway station, \nUpon the Brighton Line,\nI first met my Jemima, \nWhy should I call her mine?\nHer hair was light, her eyes were bright,\nHer dress a morning gown,\nA travelling box stood by her side, \nUpon it Jemmima Brown.\n\nI used to take her ev'rywhere, \nTo all the sights in town,\nAnd then she left me in despair, \nDid naughty Jemmima Brown.<\/em>\n\nAt a baby linen builder's \nIn the Burlington Arcade,\nI next saw Miss Jemima \nAs by the shops I strayed,\nShe looked the queen of her sewing machine, \nI spent many a crown,\nIn collars and straps and babies' caps \nTo gaze on Jemima Brown.\n\nI sought an introduction, \nObtained it all was right,\nAt eight o'clock I'd meet her \nAnd walk home ev'ry night,\nTo seal our love I bought her gloves, \nTo Cremorne we went down,\nTook tea and shrimps, drank bitter beer \nAnd waltzed with Jemima Brown.\n\nI flew one night to meet her, \nThe weather yet was warm,\nI saw her fondly leaning\nOn a smart young fellow's arm.\nAgainst my will, I felt quite ill, \nInquiring with a frown,\nWho's that? \"It's only brother Bill\", \nSaid naughty Jemima Brown.\n\n\"I want to ask a favour, \nI hope you won't be cross,\nOr think it bad behaviour, \nBut father had a loss,\nWould you kindly lend us fifty pounds, \nMy brother, he'll be bound\"\nOh course I would, could I refuse \nMy life to Jemima Brown.\n\nFrom that very day I missed her, \nTho' she said she'd be my bride,\nFrom Kennington to Chester, \nI sought her far and wide.\nYears after that, when passing by \nA shop in Camden Town,\n'Midst heaps of greens and kidney beans, \nThere stood Jemmima Brown.\n\nShe was weighing out potatoes, \nThrowing coppers in the till,\nThree lovely children by her side, \nThe image of brother Bill,\nHer broken vow, I see it now, \nBut not my fifty pounds,\nThat shop was BOUGHT and I was SOLD \nBy naughty Jemmima Brown. <\/pre>\n\n\n\n
A Harry Clifton<\/a> song first published in 1863 – this notice in the Illustrated London News<\/em> is the earliest record I have of publication:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Illustrated London News <\/a><\/em>-31 October 1863<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The sheet music shown here is an undated American edition published in Philadelphia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another Clifton song in which an aspiring white-collar working man suffers at the hands of  a smart  woman  there are several! The song appeared regularly in British  broadsides and songbooks of the late 19th century. Some broadsides feature other locations and it’s likely that Clifton would change the names of places according to where the song was being performed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Famously sung by Walter Pardon in the 1970s, but also in the repertoire of several other late 20th century traditional singers.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
A version sung for Kenneth Goldstein by George Inglis Fraser is available from the excellent Tobar an Dualchais \/ Kist o Riches<\/a> site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n