Tune Req: Blue Bells of Ireland

Subject: Shipload of white puddings c1720
From: pavane
Date: 22 Jan 08 - 10:53 AM

I came across the following image in the Bodleian ballad collection today. (You may have to scroll right and down a bit)

Joyful news for maids and young women

It does seem to me that these white puddings, of great interest to ladies, are not quite what they appear at first glance! (Such food would make a woman as fat as any doe). Was this the origin of the term 'pudding club'?

And does anyone know the tune 'Blue bells of Ireland'?

Subject: RE: Shipload of white puddings c1720
From: Tig
Date: 22 Jan 08 - 12:52 PM

Hmm..... Anyone know when the next shipload is due ;-)

Subject: RE: Shipload of white puddings c1720
From: GUEST,Volgadon
Date: 22 Jan 08 - 01:34 PM

There might be a second meaning, but the standards of beauty were a bit different. If you were fat, it meant you could afford to be so.

Subject: RE: Shipload of white puddings c1720
From: MMario
Date: 22 Jan 08 - 01:38 PM

"white pudding" circa 1720 had two slang meanings;

penis and fetus

Subject: RE: Shipload of white puddings c1720
From: katlaughing
Date: 22 Jan 08 - 03:06 PM

How interesting! Thanks for the link, Pavane.

Subject: RE: Shipload of white puddings c1720
From: Emma B
Date: 22 Jan 08 - 03:10 PM

'Lumps of Pudding' music and lyrics from the Digital Tradition Mirror

Subject: RE: Shipload of white puddings c1720
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 22 Jan 08 - 06:10 PM

In the same time period, a 'white swelling' meant she had a bun in the oven.

"Blue Bells of Ireland"

And the blue bells of Ireland
Rings well and rings well;
And the blue bells of Ireland
Rings ding, dong, bell.
Fragment of a lyric in William Chappell, Popular Music of the Olden Time, v. 2. Chappell says "I have not met with any tune under that name," but he knew about the "Joyful Maids....." (First pub. by Chappell and Co., 1859).

Subject: RE: Shipload of white puddings c1720
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 22 Jan 08 - 06:16 PM

Prescott- the "Blue Bells of Ireland" "is a bawdy early music hall song..." See http://www.telusplanet.net.net/public/prescotj/data/music/fs_be_bl.html

Subject: RE: Shipload of white puddings c1720
From: katlaughing
Date: 22 Jan 08 - 06:49 PM

Q, there's something wrong with that link. It leads to a blank page with this URL:

http://www.net.net/?error=en-gb,en;q=0.5+W.telusplanet.N.N

Subject: RE: Shipload of white puddings c1720
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 22 Jan 08 - 08:08 PM

My error-
www.telusplanet.net/public/prescotj/data/music/fs_be_bl.html

(If that doesn't work, put "blue bells of Ireland" in google)

Subject: RE: Shipload of white puddings c1720
From: pavane
Date: 23 Jan 08 - 02:02 AM

And Lumps of Plum Pudding, as well.

Subject: ADD: Joyful News for Maids and Young Women
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 06 Nov 11 - 01:22 AM

Here are the lyrics from the Bodleian broadside—see pavane's link above. Except for the heading and footing, I have modernized the spelling, punctuation, capitalization, etc.

Joyful NEWS for
MAIDS and Young WOMEN:
BEING
An ACCOUNT of a Ship-load of white Puddings, brought from a far Country, and are to be exposed to Sale at reasonable Rates, for the Benefit of Old and Young Women. To the Tune of The Blue Bells of Ireland.

Licens'd and Enter'd according to Order.

1. Young handsome wives and lasses, glad tidings here I tell.
A shipload of white puddings are come to town to sell,
And for your ready money, will please you passing well.

CHORUS: And the blue bells of Ireland rings well, and rings well,
And the blue bells of Ireland rings ding dong bell.

2. These dainty curious puddings are pleasant, sweet and sound.
Some weighs full fourteen ounces and others full a pound.
You can't find better puddings, search the three kingdoms round.

3. Not far from London Tower, this ship is riding there.
Young women they came flocking to buy this dainty ware.
You never see such crowding in London Smithfield-Fair.

4. The miller's wife came huffing; her tongue went like a clapper.
For one she'd give a tester, but sacks it was a thwacker;
And it was stuffed as hard beside as any squib or cracker.

5. A butcher's wife near Shoreditch was full resolved to go
To buy a curious pudding, for why she well did know.
Such food would make a woman as fat as any doe.

6. Then came an ancient woman who was both lame and old.
For one she gave five shillings as good as e'er was told.
She put it in her warming pan to keep it from the cold.

7. The wife of Tom the cooper did like a Hector swear.
Altho' she brought but ninepence, it seems to lay out there,
And for the nasty ninepence she'd pick and cull the ware.

8. The wife of Tom the tailor did come to buy one then,
Although the goods were guarded by six or seven men.
In laying out of threepence, she cabbaged nine or ten.

9. A merchant's youthful lady, whose husband was unkind,
She came to buy a pudding; her pocket was well lined.
She proffered twenty shilling to have one to her mind.

10. There came an old fish-woman, countess of Billingsgate,
And she bid ready money for all the whole ship's freight.
The women up with puddings and knocked her o'er the pate.

11. They cried, "You wretched beldam, ere you shall buy them all
And raise them to extortion, your noddle we will maul.
There shall be no monopolizing in this case at all."

12. Then came a weaver's daughter from off the Turkish shore
And bid them twenty shilling to pick out half a score;
Yet ere she'd go without 'em, she proffered twopence more.

13. Then come away, young women, all you that dainties crave.
You may have for a tester what will your longing save.
They are as fine white puddings as wives can wish to have.


Printed for S. Bates, at the Sun and Bible in Gilt-spur-street.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Blue Bells of Ireland
From: Diva
Date: 06 Nov 11 - 10:42 AM

Love the text! And the tune of Heilan' Laddie sort of works with it.