Poem

[Polly62]

Over 60 years ago I had a blue sort of leather tooled encyclopedia book for Christmas. There was a poem in it called "Timothy Thomas's Christmas Tree". The first two lines were "Timothy Thomas is down in the dumps, Timothy Thomas has the mumps". It goes on to describe the horsechestnut tree coming into bloom and creating a spring Christmas tree for the little boy.
Anyone know the rest of it? I have tried Googling and asking here before but I thought I'd try again.

[Barbra]

I have the same book and love this poem, it is about the candles on a horse chestnut tree, as my husband and son's birthdays are in May we always say they are their birthday candles.

[ottertracey]

Timothy Thomas is down in the dumps
Timothy Thomas is sick with the mumps
His face looks like a big balloon
I hope the swelling will go down soon.

[Polly62]

Just come back to Answerbank - I had given up on this one - is there any chance you can let me have the whole poem, please, please, please?

[J546B]

I too had this poem but in a maroon book with embossed front in my childhood in the late 40s, early 50s. I am sure my memory is right but I can only remember the first part. The "Nanny" referred to was, I thought, a large dog, but my mind was influenced by a sketch of a large dog next to Timothy. The poem went like this:-
Timothy Thomas was sick of the mumps
Timothy Thomas was down in the dumps
His face looked just like a full, full moon
Though they told him the swelling would go down soon.
His throat felt sore
He was sick and hot
And he hated the sight of his little white cot.
(Forgotten next line)
And as for Nanny, in quarantine
Whatever a word like that may mean

I can only remember one more line "his eyes lit up and his mouth went round" when he sees the 'Christmas tree'
Good luck, I would love to hear that you have succeeded in your quest, so that I might read this wonderful children's poem again.

[Juliefolly]

Timothy Thomas was sick with the mumps
Timothy Thomas was down in the dumps.
His face looked like a full full moon
Though they told him the swelling would go down soon.
His throat was sore he was sick and hot
And he hated the sight of his little white cot.
He had no one to play with and nothing to do
I feel sorry for Timothy T don’t you.
But worse of all it was Christmas time
And the holly was bright and the turkey was prime
And the Christmas tree was as tall as a hill
And the postman was bringing in parcels still.
And Timothy T with his full moon face
Locked up with nanny in quarantine
Whatever a word like that might mean.
A long time after I think in May
The family went down to the country to stay
And there in the midst of a little green wood
A glorious blossoming chestnut stood.
Oh look said Timothy T
look what the fairies have left for me
And there I’m afraid my memory fails me

[J546B]

To Juliefolly,
Well done you, your memory is clearly better than mine and I enjoyed reading your recollection of this poem. All we can hope is that someone, somewhere, will have the full poem on record and read our pleas for it. Many thanks.