The Legend of the true cockney

The legend that states true cockneys are born only within the sound of Bow Bells; the ones that peal every 15 minutes from Sir Christopher Wren's 1680 church, St Mary-le-Bow, on Cheapside. In fact, Bow Bells cockneys are not that exclusive a bunch. Research has shown that, without the background noise of modern London, the bells could once be heard as far as Canning Town (six miles east), Haringey (five miles north), Lambeth (three miles south) and Westbourne Green (four miles west).


Song

Oranges and lemons,
Say the bells of St. Clement's.

You owe me five farthings,
Say the bells of St. Martin's.

When will you pay me?
Say the bells of Old Bailey.

When I grow rich,
Say the bells of Shoreditch.

When will that be?
Say the bells of Stepney.

I do not know,
Says the great bell of Bow.

Here comes a candle to light you to bed,
And here comes a chopper to chop off your head!^[1]

Section from a 19th century engraving by Nathaniel Whittock from a drawing by Antony van den Wyngaerde (ca 1543-50), which shows the towers and spires of many of the churches mentioned in the rhyme

Here is a longer version:

Gay go up and gay go down,
To ring the bells of London town.

Oranges and lemons,
Say the bells of St. Clements.

Bull's eyes and targets,
Say the bells of St. Margret's.

Brickbats and tiles,
Say the bells of St. Giles'.

Halfpence and farthings,
Say the bells of St. Martin's.

Pancakes and fritters,
Say the bells of St. Peter's.

Two sticks and an apple,
Say the bells of Whitechapel.

Pokers and tongs,
Say the bells of St. John's.

Kettles and pans,
Say the bells of St. Ann's.

Old Father Baldpate,
Say the slow bells of Aldgate.

You owe me ten shillings,
Say the bells of St. Helen's.

When will you pay me?
Say the bells of Old Bailey.

When I grow rich,
Say the bells of Shoreditch.

Pray when will that be?
Say the bells of Stepney.

I do not know,
Says the great bell of Bow.

Here comes a candle to light you to bed,
Here comes a chopper to chop off your head.

Chop chop chop chop
The last man's dead!^[2][3]