Once a Week (magazine)/Series 1/Volume 5/The Lass of Richmond Hill
THE LASS OF RICHMOND HILL.
Who was the Lass of Richmond Hill, and who composed the song and the words of it? This is a question which has been often asked, and not very satisfactorily answered, although many versions have been given, especially by some of the old inhabitants of Richmond. Amongst others, a certain pretty Miss Smith, who lived on Richmond Hill, and was a writer of poetry, was thought to be the Lass, and for this reason. Having one day made some purchases at a shop in Richmond, she was asked where they should be sent. She gave her name and address, but added, “I am better known as the ‘Lass of Richmond Hill,’” an answer probably arising from a little poetic vanity.
The following anecdote, related by Sir Jonah Barrington in his “Personal Sketches,” is amusing enough; but it must be added that what he tells us is not always to be depended on. If it were so, he has cleared up the difficulty as to the identity of the Lass of Richmond Hill.
He informs us that on the trial of Roger O’Connor, on a charge of robbing a mail-coach, a distinguished Irish barrister was engaged, Mr. Leonard McNally, author of a work on the “Law of Evidence,” and also of the song of “The Lass of Richmond Hill.” He was a great poetaster, and having fallen in love with a Miss Janson, the daughter of a very rich attorney of Bedford Row, London, he wrote on her the celebrated song of “The Lass of Richmond Hill,” her father having a house in that place. The young lady could not withstand this, and returned his flame. She was absolutely beautiful, but quite a slattern in her person. She likewise had a turn for versifying, and was therefore altogether well adapted to her lame lover, particularly as she never could spare time from her poetry to wash her hands, a circumstance in which McNally was sympathetic. The father, however, notwithstanding all this, refused his consent; and consequently McNally took advantage of his dramatic knowledge, by adopting the precedent of Barnaby Brittle, and bribed a barber to lather old Janson’s eyes as well as his chin, and with something rather sharper than Windsor soap. Slipping out of the room whilst her father was getting rid of the lather and the smart, this Sappho, and her limping Phaon (for McNally was lame) escaped, and were united in the holy bands of matrimony the same day. She continued making, and McNally correcting verses, till they were called out of this world. This curious couple conducted themselves both generally, and towards each other, extremely well after their union. Old Janson partly forgave them, and made some settlement on their children.
We regret that only a portion of this anecdote is true. Mr. Janson certainly had a house at Richmond, and Mr. McNally married his daughter, but the rest of the story may be considered as the result of the propensity of Sir Jonah Barrington to substitute fiction for truth—a second Sir Nathaniel Wraxall.
The fact is that Mr. Upton wrote the song of “The Lass of Richmond Hill,” and the music of it was composed by Mr. Hook, the father of Theodore Hook, although it was for a long time popularly ascribed to George the Fourth, then Prince of Wales, who was a fine musician. Mr. Upton composed many other songs for the convivial entertainments at Vauxhall Gardens, where they were sung by Incledon: they are probably familiar to most of our readers.
Edward Jesse.