Rhymes trivia quiz
 
 
Rhymes trivia quiz
 
nursery rhyme lyrics & origins
 

rhymes trivia quiz

 

Nursery Rhymes Lyrics and Origins

There was an Old Woman Rhyme

Nursery Rhyme & History

 

Origins of the Rhyme "There was an old woman" in Regency England?
At first glance the words to "There was an old woman" would appear to be nonsense but in fact it is believed to have origins in English history!

There are two choices of origin!
The first relates to Queen Caroline (There was an old woman) wife of King George II who had eight children. The second version refers to King George who began the men's fashion for wearing white powdered wigs. He was consequently referred to as the old woman! The children were the members of parliament and the bed was the Houses of Parliament - even today the term 'whip' is used in the English Parliament to describe a member of Parliament who is tasked to ensure that all members 'toe the party line'. As a point of historical interest the wigs worn by women of the period were so large and unhygienic that it became necessary to include mousetraps in their construction!

 
 
 
King George II
 
 
 

King George II

   
 

There was an Old Woman rhyme: origins and history

There was an old woman who lived in a shoe,
She had so many children she didn't know what to do!
So she gave them some broth without any bread,
And she whipped them all soundly and sent them to bed!

There was an Old Woman rhyme: origins and history

 

Note: A Rhymes lyrics and the perceived origins of some Nursery Rhymes vary according to location

 

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Written By Linda Alchin