Robert Coultart sold candy in the streets of Galashields and all the Border towns. He made it on his fire - I've stood in the room. He died in 1880, of a benign tumour, which seems to explain his eccentric character. The candy was hard and flavoured with aniseed. I've identified some ten verses in all, some made by him, some added by singers along the way.
My guess is that the song was originally Sugar Candy till Coultard turned it into an early advertising jingle. The tune has all kinds of interesting relatives. I wrote a whole chapter about this song and the others it links to [one is Johnnie Todd] in a book that I'm still pressing upon reluctant publishers.
Hi Animaterra!