In 1867 Henry Mayhew (Yes THE Henry Mayhew) claimed to have written Villikins in 1831 when someone brought him a copy of William and Dinah. In the same letter HM requested if anyone knew the author of W&D but a reply didn't come until 1894 from one Father Frank of Birmingham who claimed that the author of W&D was a young man from Birmingham by the name of Harry Horton who used to sing it nightly at an amateur theatrical meeting at the Red House near John Street. Horton moved to London where it also became popular on the streets and would have been picked up by the broadside printers. Jackson of Birmingham definitely printed it but Pitts, Catnach, Birt and Batchelor all printed it in London probably in the 1820s.