Mrs. Brown Went to Town
Mrs. Brown went to town, / Riding on a pony…
Mrs. Brown went to town,
Riding on a pony,
When she came back she took off her hat,
And gave it Mrs. Maloney.
Where this rhyme comes from
- Printed
- 1916
- Where
- London
We have copied these words exactly as they were printed in 1916, spelling and all. It is one of the London girls' chants Douglas lists alongside their skipping, clapping and ring games.
Compare the "went down town, met Miss Brown" rhyme sent in to skip-hop.
Source: Norman Douglas, London Street Games (London: The St. Catherine Press, 1916) (public domain).
Older and newer versions
The same rhyme, changed by children over the years.
More rhymes like this
ChantsPrinted 1916Sweet, Sweet CarolineSweete, sweet Carroline,
Dipt her face in Terpentine…ChantsPrinted 1916Caroline PinkCaroline Pink, she fell down the sink,
She caught the Scarlet Fever…ChantsPrinted 1916Lay the Cloth, Knife and ForkLay the cloth, knife and fork,
Bring me up a leg of pork…ChantsPrinted 1916I Went Down the LaneI went down the lane to buy a penny whistle,
A copper come by and pinch my penny whistle…
Dipt her face in Terpentine…ChantsPrinted 1916Caroline PinkCaroline Pink, she fell down the sink,
She caught the Scarlet Fever…ChantsPrinted 1916Lay the Cloth, Knife and ForkLay the cloth, knife and fork,
Bring me up a leg of pork…ChantsPrinted 1916I Went Down the LaneI went down the lane to buy a penny whistle,
A copper come by and pinch my penny whistle…
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