The History Anorak

The History Anorak

Friday 9 September 2016

Blackpool

Mr Anorak and I are on holiday.  Guess where?


The Lion and Albert
by Marriott Edgar

There's a famous seaside place called Blackpool,
That's noted for fresh-air and fun,
And Mr and Mrs Ramsbottom
Went there with young Albert, their son.

A grand little lad was their Albert
All dressed in his best; quite a swell
'E'd a stick with an 'orse's 'ead 'andle
The finest that Woolworth's could sell.

They didn't think much to the ocean
The waves, they was fiddlin' and small
There was no wrecks... nobody drownded
'Fact, nothing to laugh at, at all.

So, seeking for further amusement
They paid and went into the zoo
Where they'd lions and tigers and cam-els
And old ale and sandwiches too.

There were one great big lion called Wallace
His nose were all covered with scars
He lay in a som-no-lent posture
With the side of his face to the bars.

Now Albert had heard about lions
How they were ferocious and wild
And to see Wallace lying so peaceful
Well... it didn't seem right to the child.

So straight 'way the brave little feller
Not showing a morsel of fear
Took 'is stick with the'orse's 'ead 'andle
And pushed it in Wallace's ear!

You could see that the lion didn't like it
For giving a kind of a roll
He pulled Albert inside the cage with 'im
And swallowed the little lad... whole!

Then Pa, who had seen the occurrence
And didn't know what to do next
Said, "Mother! Yon lions 'et Albert"
And Mother said "Eeh, I am vexed!"

So Mr and Mrs Ramsbottom
Quite rightly, when all's said and done
Complained to the Animal Keeper
That the lion had eaten their son.

The keeper was quite nice about it
He said, "What a nasty mishap
Are you sure that it's your lad he's eaten?"
Pa said, "Am I sure? There's his cap!"

So the manager had to be sent for
He came and he said, "What's to do?"
Pa said, "Yon lion's 'eaten our Albert
And 'im in his Sunday clothes, too."

Then Mother said, "Right's right, young feller
I think it's a shame and a sin
For a lion to go and eat Albert
And after we've paid to come in!"

The manager wanted no trouble
He took out his purse right away
And said, "How much to settle the matter?"
And Pa said "What do you usually pay?"

But Mother had turned a bit awkward
When she thought where her Albert had gone
She said, "No! someone's got to be summonsed"
So that were decided upon.

Round they went to the Police Station
In front of a Magistrate chap
They told 'im what happened to Albert
And proved it by showing his cap.

The Magistrate gave his o-pinion
That no-one was really to blame
He said that he hoped the Ramsbottoms
Would have further sons to their name.

At that Mother got proper blazing
"And thank you, sir, kindly," said she
"What! waste all our lives raising children
To feed ruddy lions? Not me!"



Written some time in the 1930s and made famous by Stanley Holloway. More about Blackpool to follow.

6 comments:

  1. Love it. I can hear Stanley Holloway reciting it too..ee up! They don't make rhymes like that today. Look forward to reading more about Blackpool soon :) B

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  2. What a classic! Hope you had a great time and didn't go to the zoo, it sounds a dangerous place!

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  3. Wonderful - I'm sure they used to play this on Uncle Mac's Children's favourites along with Tubby the Tuba and Sparky and the Magic Piano. You've now got me remembering Toy Town and Larry the Lamb and Professor Stanley Unwin! Hope you have a wonderful time:)

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    Replies
    1. 'It's disgraceful, Mr Mayor Sir' Dennis the Dachshound. Wonderful memories.

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  4. We have a bungalow in Anchorshole and my in laws lived in THornton Cleveleys so I'm very familiar with Balckpool and the surrounding area - not to mention our day trips to Blackpool in my childhood. And Albert and the Lion - I never tire of hearing this recited especially by Stanley Holloway. You need to actually hear it read with a Lancashire accent rather than read it but it's always funny. Like Rosie I remember hearing it on Children's Favourites in the dim and distant past:)

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  5. Thank you for that - lovely "postcard" - and I hear my old mother-in-law, not Stanley Holloway, as she always chose this one for her "recitation" at the Women's Guild...
    Enjoy the break :)

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Why not add your two pennyworth?