Funny 'Poem'

[DebsyDoo]

I remember a few lines of a verse my father used to recite to us as kids - I would like to know the title & who it's by . . . it goes
T'was Christmas day in the workhouse, the snow was raining fast, a bare-footed man with clogs on . .
Can anyone help - ??

[Quizmonster]

There are multiple versions of this, some of them extremely obscene, so an actual original author will be hard to pin down. However, if you click here and read the second one listed (by Anne F), I believe it might be the one you are actually looking for.

[OldenDays]

The original verse was published by George Robert Sims in 1879, as a criticism of the harsh conditions in workhouses under the nineteenth century Poor Law.

A copy of what looks to be close, if not complete to the original complete verse can be found here:
http://www.victorianweb.org/history/poorlaw/po em.html

[DebsyDoo]

Thanx, but not the one I'm looking for

[Quizmonster]

You puzzle me, Debsydoo. The opening lines of the version I provided a link to match exactly the words you offered in your question. I know - and actually said - that there are many versions of this, but I'm puzzled as to were 'my' version goes wrong.

[DebsyDoo]

Quizmonster - It could well be the same one, but some of the lines I don't recognise & yet others I remember are missing - ??
Maybe it changed as it traversed the country, or what you submitted is pehaps not the full version ?