American Toby Jug Museum 

'Ard of 'Earing character jug modeled by David B. Biggs and produced by Royal Doulton of Burslem, England, between 1964 to 1967. "Hard of hearing" occurs in an old nursery rhyme of which one verse goes: Old woman, old woman, shall we go a shearing? Speak a little louder, sir, I'm very hard of hearing. Old woman, old woman, shall I love you dearly? Thank you very kindly, sir, now I hear you clearly. This partially deaf fellow cups his hand to his left ear as he strains to catch the conversation. "Eh? What? Come again!" The expression 'ard of 'earing, obviously said with a heavy cockney accent, caught on in the 1920s after it was apparently used by A. T. Cook, General Secretary of the National Union of Mine Workers, as an excuse for ignoring the overtures of the British government. His left hand held to his ear forms the handle of this jug. A small (D6591) and miniature (D6594) version were also produced.