Gammer Gurton's Garland

It was first published as a chapbook in 1784, but was three times reprinted in expanded editions during the following century, as were several unrelated children's books with similar titles.

Gammer Gurton's Garland put into print for the first time some of our best-known nursery rhymes.

Joseph Ritson was a young London antiquary, originally from Stockton-on-Tees, whose interests were in the early 1780s turning towards nursery rhymes.

In 1781 he bought a copy of the pioneering collection Mother Goose's Melody,[1] and the following year encouraged his nephew to note down any such rhymes he came across.

[13] In the early 19th century appeared a number of children's books naming Gammer Gurton in their titles, some of which have been mistakenly attributed to Joseph Ritson.