{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O139500"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O139500/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014GX1785/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014GX1785/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2014GX1785","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O139500/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O139500","accessionNumber":"S.156-2007","objectType":"Music sheet cover","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"The music sheet cover features a lithograph by Augustus Butler of Frederick Robson (1821-1864) as Jem Bags singing the comic cockney ballad 'Vilikins and his Dinah' (or 'Villikins and his Dinah') by Thomas Baker in <i>The Wandering Minstrel</i>. The ballad told the sad tale of Dinah, a rich merchant's daughter who poisoned herself rather than marry as her father commanded while she was still sixteen. The museum was given this print with a silk programme featuring Robson's appearance as Jem Bags when <i>The Wandering Minstrel</i> was produced as an afterpiece at the Olympic Theatre in London's Wych Street, 26 May 1856.\r\n\r\nFrederick Robson was the stage name of Thomas Robson Brownhill, the actor and comedian who first appeared in London at the Grecian Theatre in 1844 and went on to become the mainstay of the Olympic Theatre after 1850. As well as being its star performer, Robson took over the management of the Olympic in 1857 in association with William Emden, and ran it until his death in 1864.","physicalDescription":"Music sheet cover featuring the title of the song 'Vilikins and His Dinah' and '16th Edition' in upper case lettering above an engraved image of Frederick Robson as Jem Bags (incorrectly titled 'Jim Bags') dressed in a battered top hat, a double-breasted frock coat over a waistcoat and crevat, and patched and torn striped trousers.  Below the image are the details of the song 'Sung by Mr. F. Robson in the Musical Farce of 'The Wandering Minstrel' as performed at the Royal Olympic Theatre the symphonies and accompaniments by John Barnard.'  The name of the lithographer Augustus Butler and the publisher Stannard & Dixon are printed at the bottom edges of the image.  The price 2/- appears on the bottom right-hand corner, with a signature of a Robson.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Butler, Augustus","id":"A20142"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Stannard","id":"AUTH320680"},"association":{"text":"publishers","id":"AAT25574"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"printing ink","id":"AAT187371"},{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"}],"techniques":[{"text":"lithograph","id":"x39981"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Printed ink on paper","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2014GX1785"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"007","id":"THES356699"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"music sheet cover","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"printed","id":"x46159"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"c.1856","earliest":"1851-01-01","latest":"1860-12-31"},"association":{"text":"printed","id":"AAT53319"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"S.5-2003","id":"O75771"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.3857-2013","id":"O1273756"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.2852-2013","id":"O1285524"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.4133-2013","id":"O1274339"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.228-1989","id":"O1157195"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.134:648-2007","id":"O147228"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.2252-2013","id":"O1264224"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"S.2170-2013","id":"O1264219"},"association":"Object"}],"creditLine":"Given by Rosanna Eckersley","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"33.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"22.9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'..... (?) Robson' inscribed in ink bottom right corner","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"The words of <i>Villikins and His Dinah</i> have been removed, but the song is a ballad about a daughter who dies by suicide rather than marry:\r\n\r\n'Tis of a rich merchant who in London did dwell,\r\nHe had but one daughter, an uncommon nice gel.\r\nHer name it was Dinah, scarce sixteen years old,\r\nWith a very large fortune in silver and gold.\r\n\r\ncho: Singing tu la lol la rol lal tu rol lal lay.\r\n\r\nAs Dinah was a' walking her garden one day,\r\nHer papa he came to her, and thus he did say:\r\n\"Go dress yourself, Dinah, in gorgeous array,\r\nAnd get you a husband both gallant and gay! \"\r\n\r\n\"Oh, papa Oh, papa I've not made up my mind,\r\nAnd to marry just yet, why I don't feel inclined;\r\nTo you my large fortune I'll gladly give o'er,\r\nIf you'll let me live single a year or two more.\"\r\n\r\n\"Go, go, boldest daughter,\" the parent replicd;\r\n\"lf you won't consent to be this here young man's bride,\r\nI'll give your large fortune to the nearest of kin,\r\nAnd you shan't reap the benefit of one single pin.\"\r\n\r\nAs Villikins was walking the garden around,\r\nHe spied his dear Dinah lying dead on the ground;\r\nAnd a cup of cold pizen it lay by her side,\r\nWith a billet-doux stating 'twas by pizen she died.\r\n\r\nHe kissed her cold corpus a thousand times o'er,\r\nHe called her his Dinah though she was no more,\r\nThen swallowed the pizen like a lover so brave,\r\nAnd Villikins and his Dinah lie both in one grave.\r\n\r\nMoral:\r\n\r\nNow all you young maidens take warning by her,\r\nNever not by no means disobey your gov'nor,\r\nAnd all you young fellows mind who you clap eyes on,\r\nThink of Villikins and Dinah and the cup of cold pizen.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Music sheet cover for 'Villikins and his Dinah' by John Barnard featuring an image of Frederick Robson (1821-1864) as Jem Bags in 'The Wandering Minstrel'. Lithograph by Augustus Butler, published by Stannard & Dixon.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<i>Robson of the Olympic</i> by Molly Sands. Published London : Society for Theatre Research, 1979."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.156-2007"],"accessionNumberNum":"156","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2007,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-02-18","recordCreationDate":"2007-09-24","availableToBook":true}}