We had a prompt (Upstairs Downstairs) for our reading group … and to my surprise … no-one thought about the famous tv series 'Upstairs Downstairs' for that particular prompt (before Maggie Smith died).
Me … I just kept on with the way I've been going this year … very slow, but not ponderous in thought … Nursery Rhymes came to my fore …
Might be American spelling!
The Grand Old Duke of York … Frederick Augustus, Duke of York and second son of King George III of England is the only member of the British Royal family to be immortalised in a nursery rhyme.
Goosey Goosey Gander …
whither shall I wander?
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall …
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall …
and then …
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| Looking up towards the ornate setting in Exeter Cathedral |
Hickory Dickory Dock …
the mouse ran up the clock …
twelve times, then that poor little mouse had to start all over again … such is the life of a little mouse …
Poor little mouse … has been kept very occupied these past weeks as I pondered on … but then the cat was more than encouraged to chase said mice (plenty born by this time!) through the new bell tower cat flap – the scampering rodents found their nemesis awaiting them …
A whiskery looking mouse -
that's actually a rat!
It is thought Hickory Dickory Dock came into prominence in the 1700s from Exeter Cathedral, which has an astronomical clock … and had had a small hole cut in its face for the resident cat to keep watch …
Steve Roud's book on
Folk Songs in England
History abounds through our nursery rhymes … apparently there are about 250,000 references to 25,000 songs collected for the Roud Index after World War Two … thankfully the oral traditions have been saved.
Beneath the main dial is an appropriate saying ...
PEREUNT ET IMPUTANTUR … the hours pass and are reckoned to our account.
As many hours have passed … I believe I am on the way to being back in the swing of things … so my next post will be the WEP October Horrorfest … mine will be a gentle tale – but do join us …
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| An early mechanism for the astronomical clock removed in 1885; but is restored and is in its current position for viewing purposes. |
Thanks for bearing with my slothful time away … I shall catch up and see you all soon …
Hickory Dickory Dock Nursery Rhyme ...
Exeter Cathedral Astronomical Clock ... which is thought to date from 1484
Please if you get can email advising you of a new post ... if you don't want it ... just let me know and I'll delete your name ... thanks ... or I can add yours in ...
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
8 comments:
Hope you enjoyed your time off...
what a fun blog. Hey diddle, diddle!
The cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon;
The little dog laughed
To see such sport,
And the dish ran away with the spoon.
Take care, cheers Diane
Nursery rhymes are fun! ☺ Welcome back, Hilary. I hope you had a lovely time away. I'm not much for "horror fests", but will come by to see what you've written. Cheers!
Hooray for WEPs return. I am not writing but look forward to some delicious reading.
I love and always have tracking the history behind nursery rhymes.
And welcome back.
Cats, eh? They have a lot to answer for.
No one thought of that show? I've never seen it, but it's the first thing that comes to my mind.
I hope you had a nice break. It's good to take time away sometimes.
Nursery rhymes sometimes described bleak events eg bubonic plague or executions. Did parents know this when they taught the words to their children?
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