Ride A Cock Horse.

Greetings.  In my previous posting I announced that is was the four year anniversary of the birth of my blog.  To celebrate such a momentous occasion,  I had a contest that would include a suitably English prize for the winner.  The winner would be the first person who could answer this question : "I have lived in a place that is mentioned in a nursery rhyme.  The first person to correctly identify the nursery rhyme I am referring too, will win that suitably English prize."
I think it's been established that I didn't live in a shoe, a clock, a hill with neighbours named Jack and Jill, or lived on a wall with some dude named Humpty Dumpty.   I can also tell you I have never met Old Mother Goose,  Old Mother Hubbard, Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater, Little Boy Blue, Jack Be Nimble, Little Jack Horner, Old King Cole, Little Miss Muffet or Wee Willie Winkie.  No, in fact, 'Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary'.

Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross
To see a fine lady upon a white horse
With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes
She shall have music wherever she goes


So, there you go.  The answer is that I lived in Banbury, Oxfordshire, England, when I was eight years old.  I didn't live there that long, but I recall one memorable time.  It was the day of the 'egg and spoon' race at school.  The bigger, older chap on the same team as me, who was waiting for his turn, tapped me on the shoulder and said, 'you'd better win the race or I shall slap you!'  Charming.  Anyway, I won the egg and spoon race and my claim to fame is that I have, right up to this day, never lost an egg and spoon race.  I knew you would be impressed.  Actually and not one to self-promote, here is a posting about this awesome sport, Ever Watched An 'Egg And Spoon' Race?
And I know you might come up with some ridiculous innuendo for the poem.  Something like, 'ride a horse cock'.  


Anyway, before I forget what I'm doing and you get so bloody bored you move on to one of those really interesting, must-read blogs, I think it's time to announce the winner who was the first to correctly identify the nursery rhyme that mentioned the place I lived in.  Thus congratulations to the winner, the blogger at Raining Acorns  which is a cleverly written and varied blog.  Well worth a read, if you have not already done so.  
Very well done.  Below are the prizes.   I decided to send two.

The above is a book of some of the nearby villages, just a few miles from my home.  The Peak District is a national park.

And here is a book of the town I live in, Leek, Staffordshire, England.  I would like to add this is indeed a book of old photographs and the clothing styles have changed.  I would like to further add that I moved to Leek because I always wanted to live in a town named after an onion.


And in conclusion, I wish to thank you for your participation and your very kind, thoughtful congratulations as I reached a milestone in my blogging career.  With respect and kindness, Gary.