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A Hastings author has launched a national campaign to save nursery rhymes from extinction because they are considered old-fashioned and the number of parents reciting them to their children is fast declining. They prefer pop songs. A Hastings author has launched a national campaign to save nursery rhymes from extinction because they are considered old-fashioned and the number of parents reciting them to their children is fast declining. They prefer pop songs.

Tim Devlin, 80, who lives in the Old Town, has just published his second book on the origins of favourite nursery rhymes including: Hickory Dickory Dock, Little Miss Muffet and Sing a Song of Sixpence.

The Mother Goose Mysteries records the findings of two national surveys carried out in 2010 and 2021. They suggest that the proportion of parents reciting nursery rhymes to children fell from two-thirds to one half in those 11 years. A survey of 2,500 parents in Britain last year reported that only 36% regularly use nursery rhymes with their children.

Other findings mentioned in the book suggest that the practice of reciting nursery rhymes can be a great help in teaching children to read, particularly those with learning difficulties.

Tim calls for a national centre for the propagation of nursery rhymes to be set up as soon as possible and asks: “Could a museum, library or art centre link with a research organisation in Britain, America, Canada or elsewhere?” He adds: “Pop songs are lovely but they are no replacement for nursery rhymes in teaching children to speak and read.”

His campaign has already gathered support from leading academics and writers. They include broadcaster and former politician, Gyles Brandreth and novelist and cultural historian, Dame Marina Warner.

Another of them, Jean Gross CBE, former government Communication Champion for Children, commented: “Tim’s vision for a nursery rhyme centre is inspiring and seems to me essential if we are to keep our rich heritage of nursery rhymes alive.”

Cracking Humpty Dumpty (published in 2022) included the most likely origins of Little Bo Peep. There is strong evidence, Tim wrote, that this rhyme was about customs officers operating in St Leonards-on-Sea.

The Mother Goose Mysteries £15 plus postage can be ordered on www.crackingnurseryrhymes.co.uk

Hastings author launches campaign to save the nursery rhyme