Familiar Songs - Their Authors & Histories

300 traditional songs, inc sheet music with full piano accompaniment & lyrics.

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246
OUR FAMILIAR SONGS.
ad lib.
THE LASS OF RICHMOND HILL.
In the memoirs of Mrs. Pitz-Herbert, Lord Stourton says that her beauty was cele­brated in a popular song, which refers to the addresses of the heir apparent.
" I'd crowns resign to call her mine, Sweet lass of Richmond Hill."
A letter published in the London Times, and dated from the Garrick Club, March 30, 1856, signed "The Grandson of the Lass of Richmond Hill," says: "Lord Stourton is wrong. This popular song was written by Leonard McNally (born September 27,1752), a man of some repute in his day, as a barrister as well as an author. 'The Lass of Richmond Hill,' was written in honor of Miss Janson, the daughter of Mr. William Jauson, of Richmond Hill, Leybourne, Yorkshire, a lady to whom he was married at St. George's, Hanover Square, on the 16th of January, 1787. In addition to ' The Lass of Richmond Hill,' Leonard McNally wrote various ballads and romances of great merit."
The music of this song, which was long popularly ascribed to the Prince of Wales, afterward George IV., is the composition of Mr. Hook, father of Theodore Hook. The tune was in vogue when Handel was in London, and many have observed the similarity between it and the first passage of " The Heavens are Telling." The song was a favorite with George III.