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Oh well said Nell

F

fatfingers

master brummie
Our mom was fond of saying "Oh well, said Nell" which was quite a common phrase among old folk when I was a lad. Sometimes followed by " The holes in my ass will never get well"

But who was Nell ?

Another was " You dont know hay from a bulls foot", or was it A from a bulls foot ? once or twice I've even heard
" you dont know your ass from a bulls foot" wonder which is the right one. ( bad word finder wont let me put the right spelling)

Anybody know the origin of that one ? are they both just Birmingham sayings, or are they just old sayings from all over ?
 
What about 'It's a bit black over Bill's mother's' when it was getting ready to rain, or 'Well, I'll be blowed' What on earth does that mean? I've heard 'you don't know your a**e from your elbow'. 'Hell's Bells and buckets of blood is one I came across when I was about 13' - I would like to know the origins of that, I still say Hell's Bells now.

Shortie
 
My dad was often heard to say Oh. Well Little Nell, the hole in your Bell will never get well. She would answer Whats the good of a Well if you haven't got a bucket. I always thought it was some sort of code between them!!!! My mom's name was Ellen but dad called her Little Nell.
Miriam.
 
Miriam I too remember a saying regards Nell it went Oh well said Nell with a pimple on her bell if you pick it it will never get better. Jean.
 
i always remember the saying as
"oh well said mell this hole in my belly will never get better if i sit her and pick it"

i also remember my mom say
"well i'll go to the foot of my stairs"
if she heard some surprising gossip

ive also heard its a bit black over bills mother
i still use it today

celia
 
my mom has jus reminded me oh another saying
if i dont see you next week i'll see you through the window
whats all that about lol
celia
 
Hi folks, I have just spotted this thread and I thought you may be interested in one of my mom's saying from Vicarage Road, Aston. When something bad happened she never 'looked on the bright side', she always said 'It is better than being poked up the a**e with the wide end of a ragman's trumpet !'. I think I was scared of the rag and bone man ever after. lol lol.
Robin
 
Another version my mother used

Oh well said Nell. It will never get better if you pick it!!

Linda
 
another one that used to go with that one was if i dont see you in the spring ill see you in the mattress theres another one celia lol
 
HI My saying is;
since i was a kid; and even today i still qoute this little verse to people
Ho well said our nellie not to worry ;said our kate its to late said our kate
when she found out she was pregnant ;
have a nice day every body ,best wishes astonion ;;;
 
They are funny these sayings and how they get passed down,i remember you don't know your a**e from your elbow,meaning your a bit dim.
Another one that made me smile,(my niece lived with her boyfriend for a couple of years,she then announced they were getting engaged) to which my sister replied, "Talk about a**e about face ".
 
Well my old son if you think thats funny you ain,t seen nothink yet beleive me
and if thats a genuine article .then i,m a monkeys uncle and thats a bent ten bob note
and that my son is bobs your uncle and thats fanny your aunt
so now go and sort that lot out
best wishes astonion ;;
 
Used to know an old lady who, when she heard th clock chime would say " 8 oclock" (or whatever time it was) "and nobodys dead"
 
My aunt used to say when referring to the fire, fire can be a good friend but a bad enemy. I have never heard anyone else refer to it like that.
 
my parents still say it looks black over Bills mothers and don't know their a**e from their elbow!
My nan used to say "oh well says Nell", I always thought it was referring to herself, as she was called Nellie.
My other nan also used to say a**e up the Warwicks if she saw anyone bending over - no idea where that comes from!
 
If my mom saw someone bending over she used to say do you want to see if you have got your hat on straight. Another one she said was Red hat no drawes.
 
oh well said nell but its to late said kate i,m pregnant
oh well said nell you had beter get on with it
yes its been around for years in the brummie saying long before i was born but i would like to now whom started it
best wishes astonion
 
Alan that has given me a laugh and this thread has brought back some memories some I could not put on I am afraid. Jean.
 
Yes this thread has given me a giggle:) Some of them I have heard before but one springs to mind that my mom used to say "Jumping jessifer" Don't know if that's how it's spelled though:)
 
our sayings were
O'H well said Nell
the hole in your bell
will never get well
'specially if you pick it !

Bob's your uncle
Fanny's your Aunt
and up your muckers
with a currant bun ! ( sorry )
 
My Mom's version was "Ah well said Nell as she waved her wooden leg".

Now what was that all about then?
 
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