Eleanor Farjeon was an English children's writer, poet and playwright, remembered for works including Morning Has Broken and A Nursery in the Nineties.
Eleanor Farjeon
A Nursery in the Nineties
1935. Oxford University Press, 1960.
At twelve o'clock it was time to go for a walk. "Let's go to Regent's Park," said Joe. "And take some bread," added Bertie, giving the show away. Bread meant the delight of ducks and water. "Wouldn't it be nicer, dears, to go to Primrose Hill? It is such a clear day, and I can show you St. Paul's from the top." We disliked Primrose Hill, the grass was so bare, and the trees were so dull, and you never got away from the feeling of iron railings, and however clear it was I couldn't see St. Paul's and, even if I could, I didn't want to. However, when Miss Milton said firmly, "Yes, we'll all go for a nice walk to Primrose Hill," we knew there was no hope
In the 1890's the Farjeon children and their governess were living in nearby Adelaide Road. Miss Milton was one of those people who 'seemed to go against everything I wanted to discover... However, if we took our hoops we could play the game of Greeks and Trojans which Harry had invented for us, after the Iliad had been shared out fairly among us.' Miss Milton, predictably, 'thought we had better leave our hoops at home.'
Primrose Hill
From Junior Modern Poetry, selected by Richard Wilson. J.M. Dent & Sons, 1922.
Primrose Hill is green,
Primrose Hill is yellow.
As I walked over Primrose Hill
I met a pretty fellow.
We went up the Hill,
We went down the Valley,
We went through the Primroses,
And he said, "Will you marry?"...