I first saw it in a boy scout camp fire song book, acquired at a jumble sale. Book was dated in the 20's if I remember rightly so if popular with boy scouts in the 20's is it safe to guess it was in popular use some time before? Or did it start off as a scout song and the scout 'jamborees' made it more famous? Thinking of songs like 'Gin-Gan-Gooly'(sp?) 'Riding along on the crest of a wave' that were popularised by the scouts I guess it could fall in the latter camp ('scuse the pun).

The opening lines (additional to the ones listed above) were

What's the use of wearing braces
Vests and pants and boots with laces
All those things you but in places
Down on Brompton Road

When was Brompton Road a popular shopping area? Where is Brompton Road? Could this help?

For the answers to all these questions and more tune in next week. Same time, same place....

Dave the Gnome