Back in the 50s and 60s Sheffield men used to address each other as "love" it was just an expression, nothing more, and meant nothing other, but it was a source of extreme surprise and amusement to outsiders (non Sheffielders that is) and I'm sure it caused some problems when Sheffield "blokes" went elswhere. Who remembers that?

It still happens.

People are always mentioning it ... and yet they still insist on doing it! :suspect: Mostly to annoy students these days, though :D

I remember it well, me old luv, but that was in the days before homosexual "issues" were being constantly rammed down your throat.

I remember it well, me old luv, but that was in the days before homosexual "issues" were being constantly rammed down your throat.

Excellent choice of words. :hihi::hihi:

One thing I remember about the custom was, after a few pints, there might be a difference of opinion or a falling out over a girl (never me, of course ;) ) and the word took on a sharper and less friendly edge, which often presaged a feight!

As girls we became pretty adapt at judging the stage at which 'love' was becoming an insult, and interjecting the time honoured words ... "Leave it, (insert name here] he's not worth it!" ... and dragging the offended warrior from the scene!

lol, what larks! :D

One thing I remember about the custom was, after a few pints, there might be a difference of opinion or a falling out over a girl (never me, of course ;) ) and the word took on a sharper and less friendly edge, which often presaged a feight!

As girls we became pretty adapt at judging the stage at which 'love' was becoming an insult, and interjecting the time honoured words ... "Leave it, (insert name here] he's not worth it!" ... and dragging the offended warrior from the scene!

lol, what larks! :D

Ah, the good old days :)

Ah, the good old days :)
Oh yes! They certainly were ;)

Back in the 50s and 60s Sheffield men used to address each other as "love" it was just an expression, nothing more, and meant nothing other, but it was a source of extreme surprise and amusement to outsiders (non Sheffielders that is) and I'm sure it caused some problems when Sheffield "blokes" went elswhere. Who remembers that?
I still get it. Being reasonably young it disturbs me slightly

Bus Drivers seem to say it a bit....although I used to think I was hearing things

Bus Drivers seem to say it a bit....although I used to think I was hearing things

Yeah I've got it off a few bus drivers

I used to work at a bookmakers in both football grounds in SHeffield (92-97), and we employed a lot of students, one day a young lady from Brighton who i was working with asked me how i knew so many people, when i said no i dont she said "why do people keep calling you luv then"

It was often used by adults of either sex when talking to younger folk, kids especially, of either sex.

Back in the 50s and 60s Sheffield men used to address each other as "love" it was just an expression, nothing more, and meant nothing other, but it was a source of extreme surprise and amusement to outsiders (non Sheffielders that is) and I'm sure it caused some problems when Sheffield "blokes" went elswhere. Who remembers that?

In Barnsley its narden me ol cock or allreet cock etc

Back in the 50s and 60s Sheffield men used to address each other as "love" it was just an expression, nothing more, and meant nothing other, but it was a source of extreme surprise and amusement to outsiders (non Sheffielders that is) and I'm sure it caused some problems when Sheffield "blokes" went elswhere. Who remembers that?

Bus drivers still do it. Just makes me smile. Not something I would ever dream of saying, even to a women.

It's still widely used by most people, not just bus drivers, "love" or "duck". My 20 year old son calls everybody love even though I've always said duck.

'Duck' is more of a Nottinghamshire thing I reckon. I read a book called 'Ey up mi duck' about Notts, think it might have Ilkeston.

In Barnsley its narden me ol cock or allreet cock etc

and they still do it now

Both myself and my wife (born in the mid - late 40's) used it all the time.My job moved us up to Middlesbrough area in 1976 and we got into real trouble using "Luv" up here particularly if you let it slip out when talking to a man. My wife was a nurse and she had trouble at work for some years until she lost the habit of using it.
You may be interested to know that up in the north east they use the term "Pet" instead of "Luv".

Why did you get into trouble? That's seems a bit unreasonable. Do they call men 'pet' as well? I bet they don't. Do we have more equality between the sexes down here?

I'd rather be called 'love' than 'pet' ... someone calls me that at work and I do find it a bit irritating, but I realise he means nowt by it ... just a turn of phrase.

I say it all the time, and hear it all the time. When it stops and all terms of endearment are possible law suits is the day I destroy the world. :P

Why did you get into trouble? That's seems a bit unreasonable. Do they call men 'pet' as well? I bet they don't. Do we have more equality between the sexes down here?

I'd rather be called 'love' than 'pet' ... someone calls me that at work and I do find it a bit irritating, but I realise he means nowt by it ... just a turn of phrase.

Because in most places love is something only expressed between very close friends and family, not something you say to random members of the public.
Maybe trouble is too strong a word, but if you said it to people outside sheffield you'd get some very funny looks from them.

I say it all the time, and hear it all the time. When it stops and all terms of endearment are possible law suits is the day I destroy the world. :P

I say it all the time and hear it all the time too. These people who get even slightly irritated by it, I find most sad and should leave Sheffield Immediately.

at my age i can getaway with almost anything, and of course i will use it luv to my advantage

These terms of endearment often relate to the local culture. When I lived in Newfoundland, an island off the east coast of Canada where fishing and hunting are a way of life, it was common to hear people address one another as "me old trout." Elderly gentlemen would be addressed as "skipper." Also, and this took more getting used to, men and women regardless of age are called "boy" and "girl." "how's she goin' boy?" meaning "'ow are tha' today, luv?"

I took an American mate to Sheffield back in the 1990 and the bus driver called him love, the look on his face was priceless.

I worked as a conductor on the trams around 1952 and it was normal to call everybody love. One time I was on late shift and the tram was full of drunks and merry makers and I said to one bloke, " 'As tha gorra ticket love " his eyes took on an icy stare and up comes his right hand and knocks all the coins out of my bag. " Don't you ever call me love " he growled in a Glasgow accent. " What's up wi thi " says I, trying to grab as many coins as i could from around peoples feet but realising it was hopeless I rang the bell and talked to the driver who stopped the tram and ordered everybody off. Luckily it was a warm summers day and they started singing, laughing and joking some sitting on the grass verge some fell asleep. The policeman turned up on his bike and asked me to collect the money but he was too late I already had checked it against the tickets sold and I was a penny short. The police sergeant shouted " The lads a penny short who's got it " a bloke shouted " Here it is ", and gave me a shilling and off we went to the Manor Top.

rogG,

Did you live in PEI before the bridge was built?

I've recently had to ring the Banking Code of Practice in London and addressed the girl on the other end of the phone as "love" and she snapped "I'm not love". They're not anything in London by all accounts.
Ah 'owd fellah is from Devon and though it was a bit strange to be called "Love" by blokes, but 30 + years at firth Browns and he was at it. Ah lass is from Holland and thinks it's brilliant. She thinks it's really friendly.
Like Aryan says, if it offends you, get a life, preferably out of the city. There are lots more nasties in this world than a man calling a stranger love.

The thing about it we in South yorkshire are sociable towards each other and the rest of the country have this invisible wall especially against strangers.

Because in most places love is something only expressed between very close friends and family, not something you say to random members of the public.
Maybe trouble is too strong a word, but if you said it to people outside sheffield you'd get some very funny looks from them.
As I've said before on local threads, 'luv' is a meaningless word in the context used in Sheffield, it's just a way of saying 'sir' or 'madam' really. I'd be upset if the best my nearest and dearest could find to call me was 'luv', quite honestly. It's not really a word used for anything other than random strangers. :D If people don't like it, well they know where to go, don't they?:P

Just in regard to your last comment, people outside Sheffield say some strange things too, 'treacle' 'pet' 'hen' 'duck' 'flower' the list is endless. If we all gave trouble everytime we were addressed by an 'endearment' we'd be constantly in the wars.

rogG,

Did you live in PEI before the bridge was built?

No, I arrived in July '97 two months after the bridge was opened. For the benefit of others who don't know what the "bridge" is, it's a 13km free standing structure that connects PEI to the mainland in New Brunswick. It takes 12 min to cross it by car. It costs nothing to cross from NB to PEI but to get off the island you pay $45 per car, which would be abt 20 pounds.

See:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/75064650@N00/1001056570/

And:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aRokBPeIOA

When my wife and I were on PEI we crossed by ferry there were two, one to New Brunswick and the other to Nova Scotia. We had a 24 foot Allegro motorhome and used to tour the eastern provinces of Canada every summer for 4 years then we discovered St Andrews in New Brunswick and stayed there all summer by the Bay of Fundy. For golf fans St Andrews like its counterpart in Fife, Scotland has a magnificent course and a beautiful hotel called the Algonquin. Try a holiday there and you'll not be disappointed.

When my wife and I were on PEI we crossed by ferry there were two, one to New Brunswick and the other to Nova Scotia. We had a 24 foot Allegro motorhome and used to tour the eastern provinces of Canada every summer for 4 years then we discovered St Andrews in New Brunswick and stayed there all summer by the Bay of Fundy. For golf fans St Andrews like its counterpart in Fife, Scotland has a magnificent course and a beautiful hotel called the Algonquin. Try a holiday there and you'll not be disappointed.

Scuse me luv we've moved away from Sheffield a bit:hihi::hihi:

I live in Leicestershire and it was bloody hard work to suppress my habit of calling blokes Love.

When Im drunk though I forget and it gets a bit dodgy at times and getting the bus or taxi and saying "Copt Oak, please love" ... god I shudder to think about it.

I managed to change the word Love to " Me owd" and that seems to get me by without too many slappings.

I do love a story my mate told me about her husband. He went down to London and greeted the snotty doorman with a friendly 'Alreet Cock'

Sorry asaw but it is an ex-pats section and i'm old and tend to ramble on a bit. Thought somebody might be interested.

I worked as a conductor on the trams around 1952 and it was normal to call everybody love. One time I was on late shift and the tram was full of drunks and merry makers and I said to one bloke, " 'As tha gorra ticket love " his eyes took on an icy stare and up comes his right hand and knocks all the coins out of my bag. " Don't you ever call me love " he growled in a Glasgow accent. " What's up wi thi " says I, trying to grab as many coins as i could from around peoples feet but realising it was hopeless I rang the bell and talked to the driver who stopped the tram and ordered everybody off. Luckily it was a warm summers day and they started singing, laughing and joking some sitting on the grass verge some fell asleep. The policeman turned up on his bike and asked me to collect the money but he was too late I already had checked it against the tickets sold and I was a penny short. The police sergeant shouted " The lads a penny short who's got it " a bloke shouted " Here it is ", and gave me a shilling and off we went to the Manor Top.
Dad married mum in 1957, he came from Aden to work in the Steel mills (Brown Bailey's) He learnt the term 'luv' very quickly, every one was 'luv' - who needed names? The reason I'm posting this remembrance is that dad told me of meeting his brother-in-law for the first time in Edinburgh (Scottish connection re your Glaswegian). Dad called him 'luv' shortly after meeting him - he was told in no uncertain terms what would happen to him if he ever called it him again!! Can only think that he was a bit touchy being a sailor?

I live in Leicestershire and it was bloody hard work to suppress my habit of calling blokes Love.

When Im drunk though I forget and it gets a bit dodgy at times and getting the bus or taxi and saying "Copt Oak, please love" ... god I shudder to think about it.

I managed to change the word Love to " Me owd" and that seems to get me by without too many slappings.
Hi Jabberwocky, Can't send you a PM as your box is full.
I see you live in Leicestershire.
I am trying to find someone who is involved in family history who can access me the Parish Records for Newtown Linford which are held in Leicester Records Office. I am trying to find the birth of an Edward Wells born around 1853 .
In the census for place of birth Edward simply wrote Newtown so its possible its Newtown Harcourt as I see that is in Leicetershire too. Newtown Linford is the most likely though I think.
Are you able to help at all or know someone who can?
Regards, John

The first time I realised that the term 'luv' wasn't worldwide, or at least UK wide, was when I worked at my first holiday camp in 1969. It was Butlins in Pwllheli, North Wales.I was working as a barman and called this miner luv and he said, 'call me luv once more boyo, and I'll knock you through that b****y wall'. Nearly forty years on and living in the states for almost 25 years, I still call women luv and 99% like it and call it me back. As the memory for names is not as it was I find this very helpful when I can't remember someones name. I also call most of the guys I come into contact with 'mate' which usually starts a conversation beginning with 'what part of Australia are you from?'

I remember in the 70s when my Liverpuddlian Uncle used our buses for the first time and he was addressed as luv.

Let's just say my aunt had to drag him off the bus before he took a swipe at the poor bloke. To say he was surprised is an understatement!

But, it wasn't long after moving here before he was using the term 'luv' himself.

I remember in the 70s when my Liverpuddlian Uncle used our buses for the first time and he was addressed as luv. Let's just say my aunt had to drag him off the bus before he took a swipe at the poor bloke. To say he was surprised is an understatement! But, it wasn't long after moving here before he was using the term 'luv' himself.
So random violence towards bus drivers isn't a new phenonemon. after all! Idiots were still idiots even in the 70s! :D

I remember it well, me old luv, but that was in the days before homosexual "issues" were being constantly rammed down your throat.

Quiet right, we dare not admit that we have had a 'gay day', and in business the word 'partner' is often confused with homosexual issues. If anyone makes comment that isn't totally PC then they are being homophobic. If that Harriet Harperson woman had her way she would make it compulsary.:loopy:

And before the PC brigade start whinging, no I am not homophobic, neither do I think that it is anyones business what Max Mosley does behind closed doors, I'm all for a good whip round. ;)

It's better than being called hey up cock as they say in Barnsley.

Being brought up in Barnsley I can agree that 'cock' is a term of endearment to everyone, not just men. In my teens I sometimes went across to the local with my dad and I found it quite heart warming that the tough old miners drinking in there called each other 'luv.'
I use the expression all the time, and don't mind people saying it to me.
I called the bus driver 'darlin' this morning- it just came out!
There's nothing wrong with a bit of friendliness, spread it around I say!

I say it all the time, and hear it all the time. When it stops and all terms of endearment are possible law suits is the day I destroy the world. :P

Quite right - I agree me old luv

What about charly williams . My owd love . I work on the building trade 1950 60 never called a brickis labourer love. Thad get the odd thrown at thee.

I agree with your sentiment Rich. I remember being at the bar in the Enfield on Broughton Lane in the days when we had a steel industry. A bloke built like a brick sh*thouse asked another guy at the bar, built equally as stoutly to, "Scuse me luv-let's get past yer." The first guy moved out of the way, politely, as any gentleman from this part of the world would. There was never any suggestion that either fellow meant anything else. I think that episode puts the use of 'luv' between males in this city into context. Its usage seems to be fading though, judging by some of the posts.

Give us another kiss and I'll call you what you like,other than late for dinner:hihi::hihi::hihi:

Right on.! I'm tiurned 80 annd use it every day to bus drivers and i supermarket and then iimediately embarrsed in case ive offended anyone,but cant get out of the habit. Ill try to be more careful in future. JOHN G]

But is'nt it all about the way things evolve though, I moved out of Sheff 40 years ago and I'm "gerrin on a bit nar", the city I new as a lad does'nt exist any more, nor does the accent, it was well known among "foreigners" that Sheffield folk had a lingo all their own & we were ribbed about it constantly, but things change, some for the better, some for the worse, when we visit now I don't hear too much accent any more, perhaps we've all become more cosmopolitan (exept me, I'm still a DeeDar) but I've had to give up calling people "LUV" they don't seem to understand!

Love when the going is good and chuff when its not.

Right on.! I'm tiurned 80 annd use it every day to bus drivers and i supermarket and then iimediately embarrsed in case ive offended anyone,but cant get out of the habit. Ill try to be more careful in future. JOHN G]

theres no reason to be embarassed, if there offended its their problem.

I work in a shop and talk to people all the time,i call the women sweetheart,love ,darling,and to the men i say owt else me owd,or duck,or love,and i have never had one complaint.But i do remember working on the isle of wight and called a lady love and she was really offended and said i am not your love and don't ever call me that again, i tried to explain that is how we talk up in Sheffield ,but i never did it again as i did not want to upset anyone.