Old local expressions

[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

Are the donkey steps those that go up to Bullough park?

If they are, we used to call them The Sharp bonks.

They are the same ones Margaret.

[maxthecollie]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

Are the donkey steps those that go up to Bullough park?

If they are, we used to call them The Sharp bonks.

They certainly are we used to go up them to my dad's pen at the side of the Globe Club.

[Margaret Pilkington]

If I went to my grandparents house(Higher Antley Street) that is the way we went to Bullough Park...but if we were at home we used to cut up the side of Highams big house(the one that is now a probation hostel) and go past Rose Place....we always called them the sharp bonks though....never heard them called the donkey steps.

[maxthecollie]

I've only known them as Donkey Steps

[davemac]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

If I went to my grandparents house(Higher Antley Street) that is the way we went to Bullough Park...but if we were at home we used to cut up the side of Highams big house(the one that is now a probation hostel) and go past Rose Place....we always called them the sharp bonks though....never heard them called the donkey steps.

I don't remember them called the sharp bonks, although I've heard "going up the bonks" as going upstairs, so perhaps there was a connection locally.

[MargaretR]

In my early days in the 40s, the expression
'up the knee moes'
meant 'go upstairs - it's bedtime'

[garinda]

Not heard for a while, until today, that made me laugh.

'Top doe' (dough?) - excitably good mood, verging on the manic.





'He were on top doe last night.'

'Couldn't shut him up.'

'A reet giddy kipper.'

[garinda]

Originally Posted by garinda

Not heard for a while, until today, that made me laugh.

'Top doe' (dough?) - excitably good mood, verging on the manic.





'He were on top doe last night.'

'Couldn't shut him up.'

'A reet giddy kipper.'

Musical origin?

Do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do?

[Margaret Pilkington]

Originally Posted by garinda

Musical origin?

Do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do?

Definitely G....I was just going to post as much.

[Margaret Pilkington]

as for going to bed...at our house there were a variety of expressions used.
'Up the wooden hill (to bedlam)'
'going to the blanket fair'
'going up the dilly dancers to bedfordshire'

I have no idea where any of these came from.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

Definitely G....I was just going to post as much.

Have you heard it though?

I thought afterwards it might just be a family saying, to do with bread.

[Eric]

Originally Posted by mobertol

Easy as pie....now where does that one come from?

It's something like a piece of cake

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

as for going to bed...at our house there were a variety of expressions used.
'Up the wooden hill (to bedlam)'
'going to the blanket fair'
'going up the dilly dancers to bedfordshire'

I have no idea where any of these came from.

We usually left Bedlam in our wake, as we climbed the wooden hill to Bedfordshire.



Up the wooden hill to Bedfordshire

[garinda]

Off topic, apologies, but I'm always tickled every time I hear Sandy, Beds.

Simple things...

[Eric]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

as for going to bed...at our house there were a variety of expressions used.
'Up the wooden hill (to bedlam)'
'going to the blanket fair'
'going up the dilly dancers to bedfordshire'

I have no idea where any of these came from.

Me neither ... but I do remember "dancers" as stairs ... not the "dilly" bit, nor "Bedfordshire" ... but certainly "get up them bloody dancers, or I'll tan your arse."