When you sing The Grand Old Duke of York or Mary Mary Quite Contrary to your little ones, do you ever wonder about the origins of theses words?

Well, members of Paulton History Society may well be thinking twice about these seemingly harmless rhymes!

At our recent meeting, Duncan Bird lead us through the Tudor and Stuart times with references to Henry VIII’s divorce problems, Mary Tudor’s fervent religious beliefs, the defeat of the Spanish Armada and the part played by Humpty Dumpty in the Civil War! Duncan’s fascinating talk explored fifteen rhymes in total, leaving us plenty to think about.

The speaker at our next meeting is the ever popular Mike Rowland. Prepare to be entertained by Mike’s talk ‘Follow me please’, a day in the life of a tour guide.

Come along to the Wesley Hall, Paulton, BS39 7QQ on Thursday, 17th February at 7.30 pm. A warm welcome awaits members and visitors alike.

Gillian Hipwood