Printed Ephemera — C. 1850-1859
The lamentation of Old Father Thames
Songsheet cover for 'The lamentation of Old Father Thames' written & sung by Mr Hudson & Mr Taylor at public dinners. The cover is printed with a black & white illustration by William Heath showing Old Father Thames arising from a polluted River stating 'Here's a mess I am in'. The bearded figure is surrounded by captioned images of a putrefied Thames as a common sewer and diseased 'white bait looking black' and 'ghosts of departed flounders'.
This popular song made reference to the polluted condition of the River Thames which, by the 1850s, was overflowing with waste from sewers, slaughter-houses, tanneries and factories, stable dung, and rotting food.
- Category:
- Printed Ephemera
- Object ID:
- 2001.69/61
- Object name:
- The lamentation of Old Father Thames
- Object type:
- Artist/Maker:
- Heath, William
- Related people:
- Related events:
- Related places:
- Production date:
- c. 1850-1859
- Material:
paper
- Measurements/duration:
- H 325 mm, W 233 mm (overall)
- Part of:
- —
- On display:
- —
- Record quality:
- 100%
- Part of this object:
- —
- Owner Status & Credit:
Permanent collection
- Copyright holder:
digital image © London Museum
- Image credit:
- —
- Creative commons usage:
- —
- License this image:
To license this image for commercial use, please contact the London Museum Picture Library.