History of our Traditional Nursery Rhymes.

AUDLEM HISTORY SOCIETYREPORT ONNURSERY RHYMES

A TALK BY DOROTHY NICHOLLE

THURSDAY, 16TH MAY, 2025

On a warm and sunny evening on Thursday, 16th May, Dorothy Nicholle a very prolific Speaker from Oswestry who has given talks in the past at Audlem History Society, gave a fascinating talk on the history of our Traditional Nursery Rhymes.

Dorothy began by saying that we should not believe anything she says! There have been so many versions of our Nursery Rhymes and language has changed so much over the years.

Who knew that ‘Ring a Ring o’ Roses’ was based on The Plague, The Black Death which occurred in Europe from 1346 to 1353, one of the most fatalpandemics in human history, or that ‘Ba Ba Black Sheep’ dates from 1275 or that ‘Hickory Dickory Dock’ relates to the Astronomical Clock at Exeter Cathedral.

In the 1600’s people mentioned in Nursery Rhymes were real people and there was a real Miss Muffet, Patience Muffet. whose father was an Etymologist. Who knew?

A very well researched and comprehensive talk which was enjoyed by a large audience of Audlem History Society members and welcome visitors.

The next meeting of Audlem History Society is on Thursday, 18th September, 2025.