Large 'God Speed the Plough' mug
Made by Pountney & Co, Bristol, this mug has two verses of "The Farmer's Toast" or "Success to the Farmer" printed on it as well as a design of agricultural scenes including a plough and other reaping equipment and a dairymaid and a farmer.
The Farmer's Toast is a folk song which dates back to at least the early-19th century in its present form, and possibly to the 15th-century traditions associated with Plough Monday in its earlier incarnations.
The verse reads:
Let the wealthy and great
Roll in splendour and state
I envy them not, I declare it.
I eat my own lamb,
My own chickens and ham,
I shear my own fleece and I wear it.
I have lawns, I have bowers,
I have fruit, I have flowers -
The lark is my morning alarmer.
So jolly boys, now
Here's God speed the plough,
Long life and success to the farmer.
The mug owes its design and shape to mugs which were first produced in the early 19th century and had very simple transfer-printed designs with hand painted over colour.
This form began to be popular again following it's use for the Coronation mug produced by Wedgwood designed by Eric Ravilious for the coronation of George V and Queen Mary. This mug dates to the post-war era c1948-1965
- Height approx. 11cm
- Diameter approx. 10cm
