God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen
God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen dates back to at least the 17th Century.
The earliest known printed edition can be found in a broadsheet dating from around 1670.
Its London connection?
It's the carol being sung through Scrooge's letterbox in A Christmas Carol…
"The owner of one scant young nose, gnawed and mumbled by the hungry cold as bones are gnawed by dogs, stooped down at Scrooge’s keyhole to regale him with a Christmas carol: but at the first sound of
“God bless you, merry gentleman! May nothing you dismay!”
Scrooge seized the ruler with such energy of action, that the singer fled in terror, leaving the keyhole to the fog and even more congenial frost. At length the hour of shutting up the counting-house arrived."
It's a course of action he goes on to regret later in the story…
“I wish,” Scrooge muttered, putting his hand in his pocket, and looking about him, after drying his eyes with his cuff: “but it’s too late now.”
“What is the matter?” asked the Spirit.
“Nothing,” said Scrooge. “Nothing. There was a boy singing a Christmas Carol at my door last night. I should like to have given him something: that’s all.” Six versions of God Rest You Merry Gentlemen for you to enjoy…
My Public Scheduled Tours for December 2019
19th December – Old Kensington – 2pm High Street Kensington Tube
19th December – Jack The Ripper – 7.30pm Tower Hill Tube (by the tram)
20th December – Rock'n'Roll London – 2pm Tottenham Court Road Tube (exit 1)
21st December – London Horror Story – 7.30pm St Paul's Tube
23rd December – A Village In Piccadilly – 2.30pm Piccadilly Circus Tube (by Eros)
26th December – Jack The Ripper – 7.30pm Tower Hill Tube (by the tram)
27th December – Hidden London – 11am Monument Tube (Fish Street Hill Exit)
28th December – London Horror Story – 7.30pm St Paul's Tube
28th December – The Beatles & Bob Dylan In 1960s London – 10am Temple Tube
30th December – A Village In Piccadilly – 2.30pm Piccadilly Circus Tube (by Eros)
My Public Scheduled Tours for January 2020
2nd January 2020 – Inside Covent Garden – 10am Covent Garden Tube
2nd January 2020 – Old Kensington – 2pm High Street Kensington Tube
2nd January 2020 – Jack The Ripper – 7.30pm Tower Hill Tube (by the tram)
3rd January 2020 – Rock'n'Roll London – 2pm Tottenham Court Road Tube (exit 1)
4th January 2020 – The Beatles & Bob Dylan In 1960s London – 10.45am Temple Tube
4th January 2020 – Musical Covent Garden – 2:30pm Temple Tube
4th January 2020 – Rock'n'Roll London Pub Walk – 7:15pm Tottenham Court Road Tube (exit 1)
5th January 2020 – Pink Floyd In 1960s London – 10:30a.m Leicester Sq Tube (exit 1)
5th January 2020 – Women In Music 1722 - 2019 – 2pm Leicester Sq Tube (exit 1)
16th January 2020 – Inside Covent Garden – 10am Covent Garden Tube
16th January 2020 – Old Kensington – 2pm High Street Kensington Tube
16th January 2020 – Jack The Ripper – 7.30pm Tower Hill Tube (by the tram)
17th January 2020 – Beatlemania! The Beatles In London 1961-65 – 10am Embankment tube
17th January 2020 – Rock'n'Roll London – 2pm Tottenham Court Road Tube (exit 1)
18th January 2020 – London Horror Story – 7.30pm St Paul's Tube
30th January 2020 – Old Kensington – 2pm High Street Kensington Tube
30th January 2020 – Jack The Ripper – 7.30pm Tower Hill Tube (by the tram)
31st January 2020 – Beatlemania! The Beatles In London 1961-65 – 10am Embankment tube
31st January 2020 – Rock'n'Roll London – 2pm Tottenham Court Road Tube (exit 1)
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