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by Marriott Edgar (1934)
Illustrations by John Hassall
The Return of Albert is Marriot Edgar's sequel to his most famous monologue, The Lion and Albert.
It introduces 'The Man from the Pru', a colloquial term for Prudential agents, who went door-to-door collecting insurance premiums from working class customers; in the case of the Ramsbottoms, it was 2d per person, per week.
With their relatively smart suits, these agents were considered part of 'The Establishment' (a term from which schoolchildren delighted in learning the longest word in the English language: 'antidisestablishmentarianismologists').
But I digress. Look out for the witty punchline "down in the mouth".
Priceless!
You've 'eard 'ow young Albert Ramsbottom The name of the lion was Wallace, 'E were sorry the moment 'e done it; 'E could feel the lad movin' inside 'im | |
But Albert kept kickin' and fightin', Then puttin' 'ead down in one corner, Now Wallace felt better directly Meanwhile Mr and Mrs Ramsbottom Said Mother, "It just goes to show yer |
Albert's face and hands were quite clean |
"Let's look on the bright side," said Father, A knock on the door came that moment When Father saw 'oo 'ad been knockin', |
"Excuse 'im for laughing," said Mother, Said the young man from the Prudential: When the young man 'ad 'eard all the details, |
Now what's there to laugh at? |
Come, let's understand this |
Pa 'ad scarce got 'is 'and on the money Albert came in all excited, |
The young man from the Prudential Then giving young Albert a shilling, |