Games, Rhymes, and Wordplay of London Children

N. G. N. Kelsey worked as a primary school teacher in London from 1952 until his retirement in 1982. During this time, he collected examples of the language and lore of the children under his care.Janet E. Alton is an independent researcher based at the Centre for English Traditional Heritage, UK. J. D. A. Widdowson is Director of the Centre for English Traditional Heritage, UK.Janet E. Alton and J. D. A. Widdowson have collaborated on projects and publications in linguistics and folklore for over forty years, within the National Centre for English Cultural Tradition (NATCECT) at the University of Sheffield, which Professor Widdowson founded in 1964 and directed until 2004. Janet Alton took a master’s degree in NATCECT, later appointed Honorary Research Associate, and a Leverhulme Fellowship enabled her to begin adding the wealth of annotations and referencesto Nigel Kelsey’s basic collection. Professor Widdowson founded the Centre for English Traditional Heritage (CETH) in 2000 and he and Janet co-edit the Centre’s e-journal, Tradition Today. Professor J. D. A. Widdowson’s doctoral dissertation was on the traditional social control of children. He is an internationally respected scholar, author of a wide range of books and articles on English language, linguistics, and cultural tradition, and member of all the major learned societies in the field. Hon DLitt, Memorial University of Newfoundland. Hon DLitt, University of Edinburgh. Awarded the Folklore Society’s prestigious Coote Lake Medal in 2000.

• Introduction.- Part I: Games and Game Rhymes, Chants, and Songs.- Chapter 1. Starting a Game.- Chapter 2. Counting-out Rhymes.- Chapter 3. Games (Without Songs).- Chapter 4. Singing and Chanting Games.- Chapter 5. Clapping Games.- Chapter 6. Skipping Games.- Chapter 7. Ball Bouncing Games.- Part II: Rhymes, Songs, Beliefs, and Wordplay.- Chapter 8. School Rhymes and Parodies.- Chapter 9. Teasing and Taunting.- Chapter 10. Traditional Belief and Practice.- Chapter 11. Just for Fun.- Chapter 12. Miscellany.

“Nigel Kelsey’s Games, Rhymes, and Wordplay of London Children is a hefty … handy, treasure … . Kelsey was meticulous in his aims and scholarship. … The result of their work is impressive. It is a comprehensive compilation of London childlore, including selective references to numerous publications, as well as a discography. It is a scholarly treasure of a book, which deserves a place on the English childlore shelf … .” (Jean Pitre Soileau, Journal of Folklore Research, February 25, 2022)“Games, Rhymes and Wordplay of London Children is an extensive collection of approximately 2,000 games, songs, rhymes, and wordplay. … He supported his documentation of games, rhymes, and songs with a clear description of his methodology, making this a particularly valuable resource for those working in the field of research into children’s cultures and education.” (Athena Lill, Folk Music Journal, 2021)