Olly olly oxen free

Posted by Peter Robinson on November 01, 1999

I am trying to learn about the history/derivation of "Olly Olly oxen free!" which in America we use -- or used to use when I was a child (I'm now 50) -- to culminate a children's game -- was it Hide and Seek?

There is an intriguing batch of posted messages from Sheffield Hallam University which come up as a list when I search, but I have not been able to access their content.

If you could give me a synopsis or otherwise-obtained understanding re. "Olly Olly oxen free" I'd be grateful.