Why!

Not sure I understand you, Jalima. Who is asking for help in becoming more empathetic, and ignoring advice?

Well, it does seem a little odd to start a thread posing the question “where is the respect and empathy towards other posters” but fail to show these qualities yourself. Accusing posters who merely express a different point of view of “goading” and responding to perfectly polite post with “Let it go! I’m getting bored!” is hardly respectful or empathetic.

quite right
and quite assertive for a new poster

Hand cart

Hand cart
is that just a posh name for a wheelbarrow?

or is it one of those thingamajiggies, wotsits, sedan chair?

Rickshaw is what I was trying to remember

????

'the worlds gone to hell in a hand basket'
I think it referred to this N&G

ie the world's gone to hell in a sedan chair

A handcart was just that surely. A flat bed with four wheels and handles.

A handcart shows the increasing deterioration of the situation as it would be used by the poorer section of society.

Why be all posh with a sedan chair? Surely a handcart was a cart for pushing along by hand (ie a horse and cart without the horse)?

Like the ones pushed along the side of the road by streetcleaners, packed with brushes etc.

A handcart was what I followed on with. With me old cock linnet.

And you can't trust a special like the old-time coppers, when you can't find your way home.

No it wasn't. The cart went-
Off went the cart with me 'ome packed in it.
I followed on wiv me old cock linnet
But I dillied and dallied
etc

I thought that was a van, which she was supposed to be follerin' ?

Have checked. It seems to start off as an overloaded van, with an overloaded tailboard, then change into a cart.

Yeah. She followed the van. She needed the handcart to put the budgie in. (obviously having little knowledge of ornithology)

I vote van, always is when we sing it. Pretty sure it was this one, but I have been wrong before

I think Marie Lloyd used to come on stage carrying the linnet in a cage. It probably was a linnet, not a budgie, they were caught and caged because they sang so beautifully. Budgies don't sing, they just squawk.

Yes linnet in cage. Van in verse, cart in chorus. Poetic licence it's got to rhyme hasn't it.

Cock Linnet to be pedantic!