H
Hazel B
Guest
Has anyone heard of this expression? My father used it if someone was making a scene about something - "He was playing holy hamlet". Re powks; poke means stye, as in a pig in a poke (Scottish?). I believe Lar Pom is from the French la pomme, the apple, you can make the lavatorial connection, and would probably have been picked up by the troops during the first world war. The Germans have a similar usage with the verb sich apfeln, also relating to apples! Re. san fairy ann - I believe this is from the French sans faire y ans - I think that's how you spell it, I have forgotten the meaning. Thanks for the info. on scraige, I always thought my father had invented the word, an amalgamation of scratch and graze, it perfectly describes injuries to elbows and knees when youngsters fall off their bikes -it should be used nationally!My mother told me that when she was young (20s/30s) that Erdington and Handsworth were kippers and lace districts, I think she meant that they were quite smart. I haven't lived in Birmingham for forty years and really enjoyed re-acquainting myself with some of the expressions found on this link. I had completely forgotten "being on a line" with someone. "A face as long as Livery Street" will never be forgotten though as I spent quite a few years travelling its length on a 72,3, 4, or 5 bus to Snow Hill.
