20. Then who would work and not go a thieving

Annotations

I haven't found much on this song but there is an article in Chambers' Edinburgh Journal, March 26, 1836 No 217, volumes 5-6, pp.69-71, called  “London Manners as They Were And Are”. This article focuses on Francis Place, and quotes this song. The article is a discussion of Place’s evidence before the English Education Committee in June 1835. Place gave evidence before that committee, saying: “in Pall Mall, under the old academy rooms there was a place called the Shades, kept by an old thief, who wrote a song and sang it; the chorus was, “The who would work and not go thieving!’ The song pointed out the difficulties of labour and getting on in the world, and the superior advantage of thieving; the chorus was repeated by the whole company; the landlord used to sing it frequently, almost every night. Numerous songs were sung about the streets in praise of housebreaking, highway-robberies and thieving; I have some specimens of them in my possession”