Why is a house called a drum?

I have just had a conversation at work about my colleague buying a house. She was asked if she'd found a 'drum' yet.

Now apparently, calling a house a drum is relatively well known among the Yorkshire/Sheffield locals, but no-one could tell me why.

Is this a local thing? And if so why? Why is a house a drum?

It's from Cockney rhyming slang, but I can't recall what for at the moment....

I've never heard this and i've lived here nearly 27 years! Maybe it's just in certain areas?

Aha!

With the cockney connection google managed to find it!

Apparently its Drum 'n' Bass - Place, or home!

however, Drum 'n' Bass also means face!! How complex!!

however, Drum 'n' Bass also means face!! How complex!!

No - that's a boat race!

Because the first houses, made by cavemen, were round - cos they hadn't worked out how to make corners yet.

The roof was made of tyranosaurus hide, stretched tightly over the top of the round bit, held in place by ligaments from stegosaurus(they were regarded as the most stretchy ligaments ever apparently).

And, as there were no telephones in them days - or even mobiles innit, caveman and mrs caveman used to get on the roof and bang out a tune to let their neighbours know they were in.

Hence 'drum' - have you never read your history books?

Apparently not!!

Well apparently it has several other possible meanings - commonly used in Police and underworld circles, it may have come from the Romany Drom (meaning highway), or possibly a back formation from drummer - someone who knocks (drums) on people's doors, to buy or sell goods or looking for premises to rob!

so is it the same as "yard" i thought that was a national saying

Is it from Africa? i was doing a crossword the other day and came accross this. 9 accross ' african drum 3-3' ?

answer, mud hut.

In what context do you mean yard?

I know it as the unit of measurement, or a paved, often enclosed, back garden type area. Or enclosure in general I guess, such as timber yard or builders yard.

Not a yorkshire phrase i've ever heard.

Not a yorkshire phrase i've ever heard.

It isn't, as established earlier in the thread. It's some sort of rubbish modern cockney rhyming slang. Like Britney Spears = beers. Oof..