Do You Know the Muffin Man?

Do you know the muffin man,

The muffin man, the muffin man?

Do you know the muffin man,

Who lives on Drury Lane?

We’ve all heard the children’s nursery rhyme The Muffin Man. But what is it about and…. Is he a serial killer? And where is Drury Lane?

The "Muffin Man" is a famous 19th-century English nursery rhyme. Historically, the rhyme refers to the street vendors who delivered fresh muffins and crumpets door-to-door in London.

The muffin man lives on Drury Lane, which is right next to Covent Garden in London. In the 18th century, it was a very poor area and had a terrible reputation.

Many people went there to drink, gamble and sometimes even commit crimes. The muffin man would've sold his muffins to many of the people who lived and worked nearby.

Modern internet legends falsely claim he was a 16th-century serial killer.

In Victorian London, many households lacked ovens or kitchens, and families relied on street vendors for daily food delivery. Much the same as today.

Muffin men walked the cobblestone streets with trays of freshly baked goods carried on their heads, ringing bells to announce their arrival.

The "Serial Killer" Urban Legend claims that the Muffin Man was a 16th-century serial killer named Frederick Thomas Lynwood (or the "Drury Lane Dicer") who lured children with muffins on a string and murdered rival pastry chefs.

This dark backstory is completely fabricated and originated from a fictional post on a parody website.

There is no historical evidence of any such person existing.

But now you can say:

Yes I know the muffin man,

The muffin man, the muffin man.

Yes I know the muffin man,

Who lives on Drury Lane.