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by Marriott Edgar (1937)
Illustrations by John Hassall
Britain's main unit of currency is the pound (a term understood to date back to Anglo-Saxon times, when silver coins called 'sterlings' were minted. The weight of 240 sterlings was one pound.)
The coin with a value of one pound had an image of the sovereign's head on one side and from 1871 until 1933, when sovereigns were withdrawn from circulation, the reverse portrayed St. George killing a dragon.
Look out for the lovely insult in the second verse of this poem, where Prince Albert makes fun of granny's ripe old age by asking how "she'd got on in the Flood."
On Jubilee Day the Ramsbottoms She'd seen Queen Victoria's accession She cast quite a damper on't party, It 'ad picture of Queen on't one side | |
Albert 'andled the coin, and 'e kissed it "I'll show you a trick wi' that sovereign," This magic filled Albert with wonder, When they all saw where the money 'ad gone Some were for fishing with tweezers, |
She cast quite a damper on t' party |
They tried 'olding Albert 'ead downward Well, they 'adn't a stomach pump 'andy, So off they went to the doctor |
"'Ow much is this 'ere goin' to cost me?" There's my time, six shillings an hour; "Wot, eighteen and six to get sovereign?" |
This'll mean operation |
Doctor in doubt |
The doctor concurred this arrangement, |