http://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/ This is the place to post your old sayings, and discuss how we talk. en Fri, 10 Sep 2010 16:48:57 GMT vBulletin 1 http://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/images/misc/rss.png http://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/ http://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=32862&goto=newpost Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:30:13 GMT When tossing a coin my Father would always call, "what a cat's got" . The opposition would assume tails, but when it came down heads................. a cat has a head too. ]]> christopher short http://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=32862 http://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=32861&goto=newpost Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:26:43 GMT When my Father thought I was telling him a lie or someone told him something he could hardly believe, he would say,
"You must think I came up on the down train". A great put down, I still use it to this day.

On the same theme he sometimes would say, " Is there (or, see) any green in my eye ?" ]]> christopher short http://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=32861 http://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=32852&goto=newpost Tue, 07 Sep 2010 06:56:15 GMT Watching football, there were quite a few footballers who were bow legged.

We used to shout "You're useless, you couldn't stop a pig in an entry" ]]> christopher short http://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=32852 http://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=32768&goto=newpost Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:07:43 GMT We have all seen Bodgit and scarper, robin B'stard etc. But i Just passed a shop on Bristol Rd called 'Ashkan Quality Meat'
When we were kids, some of the old neighbors called the Dustbin the Ashcan.

Also saw a Shoe repair kiosk once, cant remember where, probably not in Brum but it was called Cobbler Khan. ]]> fatfingers http://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=32768 http://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=32749&goto=newpost Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:01:13 GMT I lived in Witton. When my mother went shopping on Witton Island, she would go "up the Witton" if she went to shop in Erdington, it was "to".
No matter in what what direction you approached the City Centre it was always "going up town".
To London from outside it is "up to town".
Uptown and Downtown in the USA are strict geographical terms, so in Brummagem, why up? ]]> christopher short http://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=32749 http://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=32713&goto=newpost Sun, 29 Aug 2010 15:28:50 GMT 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 ? ]]> fatfingers http://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=32713 http://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=32582&goto=newpost Sat, 21 Aug 2010 18:13:36 GMT Also "dog bite me" - both exclamations of frustration or anger.
Were these just confined to our family or does anyone know of these phrases ?

If you had a christian name that could be shortened, i.e. Christopher to Chris, when everything in the garden was lovely your mother called you by the short form. However, when she called you by your full name, boy were you in trouble. ]]> christopher short http://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=32582 http://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=32524&goto=newpost Thu, 19 Aug 2010 18:13:42 GMT HI GUYS; Whilst out shopping today and buying bread ; an old saying came to my mind whish was an expression i had heard many times in... HI GUYS;
Whilst out shopping today and buying bread ; an old saying came to my mind whish was an expression i had heard many times in my growing up and that was ;
stop messing about and get it together and use your loaf ; [ meaning your brain ]
to put theproblem right and stop fooling around on a situation where your brain is required
this is one old expression i have not heard in donkeys years ;as any body else
or they may have been called a dimnit dunce
but thats a expressional phrase word useing your loaf ;
best wishes astonion ;; ]]> Astonian http://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=32524 http://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=32520&goto=newpost Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:25:44 GMT "BOSTIN"

Meaning large as in "bostin great big" or enjoyable as in "bostin great time"

"AKA"

Meaning "our kid" i.e. my brother ]]> christopher short http://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=32520 http://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=32486&goto=newpost Tue, 17 Aug 2010 20:03:45 GMT Whe we was little kids at school all the rage was marbles and you could buy then for six pence a bag of twenty five and we all looked for the... Whe we was little kids at school all the rage was marbles
and you could buy then for six pence a bag of twenty five
and we all looked for the little special one hoping some one ain,t got the little special
one ;i bought mind from mr digger on lichfield rd next to roninsons fruit and veg
and we woul play shot at three you would make a little crack on the floor
and line thre of the smallest ones in your bag ,the other lad would keep taking shots at your marbles and for every one he dislodge he got to keep your marbles until he had cleard all your three every time he miss you would keep all is marbles
and when at school or at home on the streets we would say to kids do you want to play glarnies
i was so uselas at it i think i bought of glarnies every day of the week to take to school
so do you want to play glaries was the word and expression when i was growing up
best wishes astonion ;;; ]]> Astonian http://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=32486