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'face as long as livery street'

P

Peter Walker

gone but not forgotten
In the Handsworth area this was a common way of describing some unhappy person. Livery Street was very long, straight and dull. Still is.
Peter
 
If we were being mardy, my grandparents would say "er's got a face as long as livery street"!

Janny
 
sorry - just read the exact same saying that Frantic posted in 'old sayings'. :idiot2:

my gran used to say 'mind the horses', or 'mind the horseroad' when we were going out, and my grandad used to say 'give us a kiss and i'll lend you a tanner'
 
I wonder why they chose Livery St, what about Coventry Rd, Bristol Rd or Pershore Rd.etc. :-\
 
I wondered that... the only reason I can think of is that it is alliterative! ::)
 
Interesting sites John... not just for the Brummie sayings either

Does anyone remember their old folk talking about 'cag mag' as in poor cuts of meat... Where's that from I wonder?
 
jannywanny said:
I wondered that... the only reason I can think of is that it is alliterative! ::)
Click to expand...

Just cuz I daint know the answer don't mean I'm illiterate :-[
 
jannywanny said:
Does anyone remember their old folk talking about 'cag mag' as in poor cuts of meat... Where's that from I wonder?
Click to expand...

We used to say Cag Lag Jennywenny. It sums up tough meat beautifully. :)
 
Livery Street

I am researching ancestors in Birmingham. Up until 1848 they lived on Livery Street. Could you possibly tell me the nearest parishes? I am desperately trying to find some way to find them. I use Ancestry.com and couldn't locate an exact match so hired a researcher who isn't have much luck either.:cry:

:(I can't find a birth or death certificate on William Riley who married Ann Cole. (I have a researcher working on this as I am in the USA - but we can't find an exact match for William Riley born 1794. Supposedly he died in 1849. So far we've gotten the death certificates on several Rileys around that time period but none we can say are definately him) The William we are looking for was once a steel toy maker and he and his family lived on Livery Street. His wife, Ann died of pneumonia on 5 April 1846, and together they had the following children: William 25 May 1824; Benjamin 24 May 1826, Sarah 1827, Mary Ann 27 April 1831 and Frederick 4 Oct 1836.

As you can see I am desperate by posting this in the hopes of someone matching up one Riley to the Riley I am looking for. Any help is very much appreciated.
Best regards,
Lillian (Williams) Palko
Napa CA USA
 
Livery Street

Hello & Welcome Napalil :) Livery Street comes under St Pauls Church
which is in St Pauls Square (Jewelry Quarter of B,ham) many smaller
streets run off Livery Street into St Pauls Square.
Livery St is (was) the longest street in B,ham, hence the Quaint saying.

ps, Ditch your "researcher :rolleyes: ," post your specific Surnames & a few
relevant dates,, the Folks on here will track them better,
( i hope, :D ) well we will give a good try for you And our Brummie
ancestors, Ok, Cheers & best regards John Y :cool:
 
Post any info you have under surname interests, the more info you post the better chance someone here will be able to help you.
All the best in your search.
 
My Mother used this term and we grew up in South Brum though she originally came from Erdington.
 
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hi peter
yes i was always saying that for years and to be quite honest i still used that expression in fact i have never forgotten it
it just comes out of my mouth automaticly
but now i am in worc ; i go to say livery street , then i have to stop for a mo; and correct myself and say to myself ,these people would not know the meaning nor the street i mean . so then i just change the street name to one ofour busy city stret s which as a main
line train station called fore gate st ,
so whilst i am in worc; i now say you have got a face as long as foregate st ,then they look at me very strange and puzzled
because they have not got a clue as to what i mean ,
unless they are from brum as if and when i am in brum i refer
back to livery street that was very commonly used all my life
by the adults when i was a nipper
have a nice day pete , best wishes to every body --astonian ;;;;;
 
Funny thing,but our family owned the tyre retailer at the constitution hill side of Livery st,H.Botterill tyres,later rebuilt and named Midland Tyres.I'd regularly park there and walk to town....and yes that street could be boring lol.

Here's a few pics from there.

34163922566288248605.jpg


26185943692582187554.jpg


61835284910618850014.jpg
 
That was a favourite expression of my mother's, when someone had bored her half to death - "she went on and on as long as flippin' Livery Street".

Another weird one was, if we asked her were someone lived, and she didn't know, she'd say, "Oh, I dunno, maybe on the corner of Broad Street and Dale End". Obviously, those two thoroughfares are nowhere near one another...

When she gave me a list to go on an errand (usually to Bevan's Grocery on Witton Road), she'd always say as I went out, "And get me two eggs and a quarter of coal".

My gran had the best, though. She'd describe anyone down on his/her luck, or short of a bob, as "sitting on the bones of his a-r-s-e".

Big Gee
 
I don't think it matters where you live Astonian. I still use all these old sayings. Mom and Dad always used to say about going round the Wrekin. It wasn't till we moved to Telford, that I understood what it meant. I love the old sayings
Lynda
 
If anyone did something awful he would call them varments. Don't know where he got the expression from though???. Jean.
 
To asked my mother where are you going mom
the answer ; to see how far it is , there and back
you drive me around the bend , you lot .
ah well , thats kids for you , the neibour the old lady across the yard would reply to mother
have a nice day every body , best wishes.
oh by the way ; if you are out spending your money.
dont spend it all at once save some for a rainy day i ain,t got no more .-------- astonion ;;;
 
Never mind Astonian. My mom used to say she was going to play sixes up seven street. You have a good day too. Jean.
 
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