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sayings

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Johnfromstaffs said:
My late mother in law, Audrey, b Newcastle under Lyme in 1920, used the epithet Nanny Goon to apply to someone who was a little bit behind the times in fashion, slightly less bright and more economically challenged when compared with the normal. (As you can see, I am having a bit of a struggle being adequately politically correct.)

I thought it was a Stokey thing.
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It's not just a Stokey thing then. Maybe that's what Nan meant then. For the same description my Dublin mate's aunty would say she's a bit or she dresses a bit Mary Banger! Or she looks a bit banger. That was frumpy and old fashioned.One of my cov colleagues used to say of someone who dressed that way, she was Thoroughly Modern Milly.Sarcasm. We also had Polyseter Poll. We had names for everybody me included! My partner who is French says bonne femme (bon fam) or plook I don't know how she spells it!
 
“Daft ‘apeth” Don’t know if that’s how you’d spell it. Think maybe it came from ‘halfpenny’ ? But why a halfpenny would be daft I’ve no idea. Viv.
 
NoddKD said:
Charlies dead would also baffle most of them.
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I haven't heard that for about 40 years. We used to say it at school if more than a bit of lace was showing under our uniform skirts, we mostly wore pencil skirts and the fashion was for the lace trim from your underskirt to show at the top of the split.

Other ones frequently used by mom and nan when I was growing up:-
You'll laugh the other side of your face
Bostin but I'm not sure if that would be classed as Black Country
Fizzog
Canting, I don't know how you two find so much to cant about
Ay it, think that one is more Black Country
Gambol
Scrage, put that on a tweet a few weeks ago, and had a reply, you're from Brum!
Cack handed - awkward
Caggy handed - left handed
Bonk - bank.
Blarting - crying
When you asked where mom had been - there and back to see how far it is
When you asked what was for tea - s**t with egg on it

Nico, I recognised so many of your Black Country nan's sayings and could almost hear my nan saying them, thank you, it brought back some lovely memories.
 
jmadone said:
If I remember rightly It was a fashion statement used by Jacobite supporting ladies to mourn the death of Charles Stuart, the Young Pretender.
Would mean nothing to most of the present generation, if it meant anything at all to our generation either.
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When I was at school we ALWAYS said that if our slip was showing...shock! horror!...thanks for the explanation,
Lynn.
 
I remember how things were exaggerated, someone got a bump or scratch on their head and it would end up as 'he cut his head open! :eek:
Someone got knocked down in the road and it ended up as 'they were run over by a bus'
 
lmr3103 said:
We always called big moths bobhowlers. Eugh! I love wildlife but find them a bit scary. I've never met anyone outside Birmingham who knew what it meant!
Lynn.
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I posted this before but Nan's explanation for Bob Owlers was a when one breaks wind and it stinks. Yowm like a cart inna fulinder etc, that was grandad's. And fly blow.
 
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'Ers ad mowa men than 'ers ad 'ot dinners!

Tittle for tickle. i.e. Goo an tittle a brick. (Get Lost!)

Speak up now or forever old yer piece. Or is it peace? (Usually if Nan was asking if we wanted any more to eat.)

'Ees not backuds for comin forrads, (forwards). 'Ees never known to knock. (Dad always wanted more- well she did ask).

If yow need a pee there's a bucket be'ind me.

'Er wow crack 'er fairs (face) someone who is a bit dour.

As fair as a daisy.

As black as sin.

You can delete this one if need be, but.... babbie's yeller. (a description of the runs) Nan was very descriptive, too much so often.

'Ees all right on 'is own side. (someone not to be trusted).

Them lot wuz dragged up. (Not well brought up).

They've got a ruck o' kids. (Lots of them.)
 
I did, unpublished, Nan would be made up. Were she here. She was jealous because I wrote a poem for auntie once. And performed it, with a now defunct writers' group. Nan appears in my book but not as herself.
 
If Nan was trying on shoes that were too big she would say, them are boats. She called her brassieres, does anyone say brassier now?) me bruzz eeya. Great gran called hers her braziers. Stick a rock frocks.
 
Morturn said:
Was "as big a boats for shoes and brassier" a Birmingham thing? My mom would say the same.
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Nan was Black Country but only on the edge of it she said, and a lot of her aunties married Brummies or West Bromwichians or whatever they are called.
 
Should Nan see someone picking their nose, she would say dyow want a boat 'ook?

She was in the doctor's once, me in tow, waiting for her prescription and the receptionist shouted just her surname. So Nan's harrumphs up to the woman and snorts 'Mar name's gor an 'andle to it. It's Mrs.........to you! She would have said 'ondle normally but she was going easier on the woman, being in Cov.

If anyone referred to her as she, they would get, 'She's the cat's mother!'

Arza comin. I'm coming. It was often a something, like a dyin' a tryin' a flyin' a doin' etc.

A man's male appendage was 'is diddle um.

I'm nicky nacky nood. I am done in
 
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Nico said:
Ar. She would play to an audience or be prim and propa.
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Nan will kill me, wherever she is now but..... mum was once Secretary to Lord Pelham Leigh, Mr Leigh he called himself. At the Jaguar. He lived at Sherbourne Manor where they held an annual garden party. Mum took me and Nan once. He was nice and ordinary but we were overdressed, as everyone bar Mr Leigh wore jeans. Nan in her best tweed dress with a trendy leather tassle belt. When she was introduced to Mr Leigh she half curtsied and said (in her ooh la posh voice,) pleased to meet choo. Which I imitated out of his earshot and I was too far away for her to clout me.
 
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