JacquieL Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 "The History and Origins of Baa Baa Black Sheep Nursery Rhyme The wool industry was critical to the country's economy from the Middle Ages until the nineteenth century so it is therefore not surprising that it is celebrated in the Baa Baa Black Sheep Nursery Rhyme. An historical connection for this rhyme has been suggested - a political satire said to refer to the Plantagenet King Edward I (the Master) and the the export tax imposed in Britain in 1275 in which the English Customs Statute authorised the king to collect a tax on all exports of wool in every port in the country. But our further research indicates another possible connection of this Nursery rhyme to English history relating to King Edward II (1307-1327). The best wool in Europe was produced in England but the cloth workers from Flanders, Bruges and Lille were better skilled in the complex finishing trades such as dying and fulling (cleansing, shrinking, and thickening the cloth). King Edward II encouraged Flemmish weavers and cloth dyers to improve the quality of the final English products." The only link with slavery could be something to do with the shepherd being a serf. The mulberry bush could be a reference to the silk trade, but it is also claimed that it is a rhyme sung by the female inmates of Wakefield Jail. I suspect that the children think of the black sheep as a sheep and the mulberry bush as a tree with children dancing around it so why worry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 The thing is these rhymes don't have any connotations (sp?) now, if we thought too much about nursery rhymes we wouldn't sing ring, ring o roses, mary, mary quite contrary etc etc. We happen to have black sheep in our village and white ones! Love the other verses too! Must add them to the mix - thanks for highlighting them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 thH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 thH Hi there, funny enough I was reading a book which had a section on where nursery rhymes came from and Baa, Baa Black sheep is to do with slavery, ring o roses is about the black death. the flowers are to take away the smell and all fall down is when people have died. The Grand old Duke of York is about Oliver Cromwell when he went to war. It is quite interesting to know the background of the rhymes. We also still sing Baa,Baa Black sheep the children love it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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