• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Sayings, legends and customs.

Status
Not open for further replies.
“Daft as a brush”. Why a brush ? What’s daft about a brush - a very useful thing.

My (Yorkshire) Mum used to say “Daft aperf”.Not sure if this is used in Brum, think it might be a northern thing. Certainly don’t hear it down south.

Viv.
I know? Like mad as a box of frogs. As right as ninepence. Why ninepence? Brown as a berry. Cool as a cucumber, drunk as a skunk, bold as brass, it goes on.
 
When I worked in a florists mixing red and white flowers as a gift for anyone in Hospital was a definite no-no (unless specifically asked of course!)
Yes I was told the same red and white was unlucky to have in flowers as the red represents blood and the white represents bandages.ALso two of my friends had red and white theme at their weddings and they are both divorced now !!!!!!!!
 
Yes I was told the same red and white was unlucky to have in flowers as the red represents blood and the white represents bandages.ALso two of my friends had red and white theme at their weddings and they are both divorced now !!!!!!!!
My parents did too, not in the same bouquet though. It also rained. They were married 52 years.Mum did say don't put them together though. Wouldn't have lilac in the house, said it foretold death, partner says it is lucky to have it. She won't have chrisanths or kalenchoes as they are only for graves and Lily of the valley given as friendship on May 1. Nan called arum lilies death lilies which seem to be fashionable as a cut flower now. Like snapdragons and ronunculous I saw yesterday. Neither would have hyacinths though, yet they both had bluebells. Bizarre.
Friend always had the Easter Palm cross up till the next year.
 
“Draw the fire” (with a newspaper). If you said that to youngsters today, they wouldn’t have a clue, except that it might involve a pencil and paper and a nice picture as a result. I doubt many people ‘draw the fire’ to get it started anymore. Viv.
hold the paper until it sets on fire. loose it, and it shoots up the chimney:(Now i use a draw tin made from an old washing machine lid.it's safer...... in case no one knows what one is this is a pic of one....1579676837265.png
 
Yes, we used a copy of the Birmingham Mail, then when the old firegrate was replaced with a tiled fireplace, it was the Mail over the fireguard - but not very effective, and then as you say, Pete, a drawtin. Happy days and a few close shaves! :)

Maurice :cool:
 
As keen as mustard ( Eager to get on with it )
As daft as a brush ( A description of me )
Fell off the back of a lorry ( Honest officer, it fell off the back of a lorry )
Flogging a dead horse ( A waste of time )
Popped his clogs. ( Gone to meet his maker )
 
Never accept the 3rd light ( Army superstition )
Never cast a clout till May is out.
The longest journey starts with a single step.
Ship shape & Bristol fashion.
Don`t spoil the ship for a hayporth of tar.
 
Never accept the 3rd light ( Army superstition )
Never cast a clout till May is out.
The longest journey starts with a single step.
Ship shape & Bristol fashion.
Don`t spoil the ship for a hayporth of tar.
Thanks smudge
The belief was that when the first soldier lit his cigarette, the enemy would see the light; when the second soldier lit his cigarette from the same match, the enemy would take aim at the target; and when the third soldier lit his cigarette from the match, the enemy would fire, and that soldier would be shot.
 
Grandad said, I'm going to the chapel where they ave 'ondles on theer prayer books. (the pub).
He also had a risqué saying about chapel hat pegs .
What are you diddling? (doing).
 
We've been right in the middle of an horrendous thunderstorm all morning and it's been abbsolutely tipping it down. It reminded me of my grandmother's saying - It's enough to give you the pip.
We never did find out what the pip actually was.

Maurice :cool:
 
We've been right in the middle of an horrendous thunderstorm all morning and it's been abbsolutely tipping it down. It reminded me of my grandmother's saying - It's enough to give you the pip.
We never did find out what the pip actually was.

Maurice :cool:
i know one thing for sure,our Maurice, when this crisis is over,i will never go there the weather is crappier there than here.....
give you the pip..
.It derives from the poultry disease known as “the pip.” The Oxford English Dictionary and Green's Dictionary of Slang reveal having or getting the pip was used to mean feeling depressed or out of sorts starting in the 1830s, and “giving [someone] the pip,” meaning to annoy or irritate, in 1896
 
Thanks, Pete. We need the rain with millions of olive trees on the island, but this heavy stuff mostly goes down the storm drains and straight out to sea. We need the steady drizzle - but it would still give me the pip! :)

Maurice :cool:
 
Thanks, Pete. We need the rain with millions of olive trees on the island, but this heavy stuff most goes down the storm drains and straight out to sea. We need the steady drizzle - but it would still give me the pip! :)

Maurice :cool:
it is nice here our Maurice. i am going to work on my garden in a while. removing loads of small volcanic rock pieces.in the patch i have rotavated:)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top