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False information

(41 Posts)
MaizieD Mon 13-Jan-25 13:51:14

I think the version I grew up with was practically the same as Allira's except our big ship sailed on the alley alley oh. (Essex)

Ignore the OP, this is a great thread grin

BlueBelle Mon 13-Jan-25 13:45:29

I m totally bemused ??

Indigo8 Mon 13-Jan-25 13:40:26

The version in the part of London where I grew up was:

The big ship sails down
The illy alley oh etc.
On the first day of September

Where is all this leading? What has this to do with false information? Why did I join this thread?confused

Allira Sun 12-Jan-25 21:54:28

We skipped to this song as well at school.

The big ship sails through the Alley alley Oh (through, not across).

The big ship sails,
Through the alley, alley oh.
The alley, alley oh
The alley, alley oh.
The big ship sails,
Through the alley, alley oh.
On the last day of September.

The captain says,
"It will never, never do,
Never, never do,
Never, never do."
The captain says,
"It will never, never do",
On the last day of September.

The big ship sank,
To the bottom of the sea,
The bottom of the sea,
The bottom of the sea.
The big ship sank,
To the bottom of the sea,
On the last day of September.

We all dip our heads,
In the deep blue sea,
The deep blue sea,
The deep blue sea.
We all dip our heads,
In the deep blue sea,
On the last day of September.

M0nica Sun 12-Jan-25 21:41:51

There are a whole lot of ideas on the origin of this nursery rhyme, from those who just think it is a child's nonsense song, to those suggesting connections with the Manchester Ship Canal, Panama canal, others suggest that 'ally ally oh, is derived from the French 'allez' and the big ship is going, going (away).

I can see no reason why it should refer to the Titanic. The Titanic was built in Belfast and sailed from Southampton. It never went anywhere near the Manchester hip canal.

My money is on it probably being a nonsense rhyme made up by children and that all the various 'explanations' are just adults trying to explain things after the event.

keepingquiet Sun 12-Jan-25 19:57:37

I remember playing this as a child in the playground.

We once went on a day trip from school on the Manchester Ship Canal- that's how poor we were lol!

Cossy Sun 12-Jan-25 19:32:52

MissInterpreted

Is it just me who's confused here? confused

Nope ๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚

Babs03 Sun 12-Jan-25 19:18:23

Iam64

Babs03 - yes Iโ€™m a Lancashire clapping song girl, we usually played skipping ropes or hop scotch as we chanted and clapped. Yours is the best spin I can out on the OP

Thanks. Those were happy days when we clapped and sang, sadly I think that tradition has died. My old dad was in the merchant navy during the war so knew a thing or two about the sea. I think he would have known if the Titanic was involved.

Iam64 Sun 12-Jan-25 18:59:17

Babs03 - yes Iโ€™m a Lancashire clapping song girl, we usually played skipping ropes or hop scotch as we chanted and clapped. Yours is the best spin I can out on the OP

Babs03 Sun 12-Jan-25 18:53:36

In Lancashire it was a children's clapping song, we would play it in the school playground, my old dad said it was about the big ships sailing down the Manchester ship canal to the Atlantic, and that the big ships had to go before winter when cold weather caused problems so they needed to sail before the last day of September.
That's my take on it anyway.

petra Sun 12-Jan-25 18:46:47

MissInterpreted

Is it just me who's confused here? confused

I often think am I stupid when nonsensical posts like this come up.

MissInterpreted Sun 12-Jan-25 18:31:29

Is it just me who's confused here? confused

Doodledog Sun 12-Jan-25 18:29:34

The Titanic was launched and sank in April - not on the last day of September.

Franski Sun 12-Jan-25 18:20:56

Is that the false information?

ixion Sun 12-Jan-25 18:16:25

๐Ÿค”
Curious.

Whingey Sun 12-Jan-25 18:14:26

The big ship sailed on the alley alley oh is about the Manchester ship canal. Its about the Titanic. Alley alley oh is the Atlantic Ocean. We all go down to the bottom of the sea. The sea is salt canals are not