The farmers got a wife, the farmers got a wife...ee ahh allio, the farmers got a wife....
The farmers got a bull, the farmers got a bull....ee ahh allio the farmers got a bull.....etc etc etc.
That's how I remember it. (Maltby St School playground, 1947-1957) :hihi:

I thought it was "The farmer wants a wife".

Or maybe "The farmer takes a wife" ?

We used to play one where you throw a tennis ball at some one if you hit them they were on, now that could get nasty..

Those were the days when toilets had chains....
Or should that be closets...
At school the toilets didn't have seats just a strip of wood screwed on either side of the bowl....

There was a ball game the girls used to play.
One two three olaira,
four five six olaira ,
seven eight nine olaira,
ten olaira catch the ball...

We used to play "splits" or stretch, where you stood opposite each other and took turns to throw a pocket knife to each other's side. Wherever the knife stuck in the grass, you had to keep one foot in place and stretch with the other foot to reach it. Second time around, the thrower had to throw to the other side i.e. if the first throw went left, the next one had to go right and so on. Later on "chicken" was developed, which was an exact reverse of splits. I can't see boyhood pastime this being allowed today !!!

Then we would play SPOT in the school yard or anywhere where we could kick a ball against a wall. The game would start with 137 (as many as you like) playing and each had to kick a (sometimes tennis) ball against the wall (with me so far ???) when you missed the wall you became S, then P, then O and finally out on T. There was always a "doggie" life for the first one out. The game was frequently spoiled by people claiming to be SP when they were actually SPO. Great arguments would break out and before you knew it the bell was ringing...........

I thought it was "The farmer wants a wife".

Oohhh yes :huh: it was wasn't it? sorry.:roll:

The farmers got a wife, the farmers got a wife...ee ahh allio, the farmers got a wife....
The farmers got a bull, the farmers got a bull....ee ahh allio the farmers got a bull.....etc etc etc.
That's how I remember it. (Maltby St School playground, 1947-1957) :hihi:

Just reading this again and it came back to me that when I was a little girl I had a wind up toy of this. It was a metal farmhouse with two doors at the front , when you turned the handle the characters came out one by one while the tune played. Out of one door and back in the other, The last one was a piece of cheese like the man in the moon.:smile:Aahh I havent thought of that in perhaps 40 odd years. I wish I still had it today, along with the wooden dolls crib and the metal tortoise that walked along the floor. My parents must have given them away when we moved house when I was ten:sad:

There was a ball game the girls used to play.
One two three olaira,
four five six olaira ,
seven eight nine olaira,
ten olaira catch the ball...

I remember doing that in time with twosies juggling two balls up against a wall and eventually progressing to twosies up in the air and then maybe even threesies.

The farmers got a wife, the farmers got a wife...ee ahh allio, the farmers got a wife....
The farmers got a bull, the farmers got a bull....ee ahh allio the farmers got a bull.....etc etc etc.
That's how I remember it. (Maltby St School playground, 1947-1957) :hihi:

and we all bashed the one in the middle when it came to, "We all pat the dog, we all pat the dog......."

Before we patted the dog the farmer chased the dog round the circle while the rest of us animals (the cow, the sheep, the pig, etc that the farmer wanted) chanted "the farrer chased the dog". Eventually the farmer got the wife and had to kiss her in the middle of the circle. If we didn't think it was a good enough kiss we wouldn't lift up our arms to let them out of the circle until they's done it properly. Oh the good old days.

Delallio, I think it was called.

Also, we used to do a strange weaving "dance" to a song," the big ship sailed on the alley-alley oh", which involved us ending up with crossed arms (like "Auld Lang Syne") joined up in a circle.

The origin of this rhyme seems uncertain, but manoeuvers carried out by WW1 British "Line of Battle "ships and the Manchester Ship Canal have been mooted.

There was a ball game the girls used to play.
One two three olaira,
four five six olaira ,
seven eight nine olaira,
ten olaira catch the ball...

I remember doing that in time with twosies juggling two balls up against a wall and eventually progressing to twosies up in the air and then maybe even threesies.

"one, two, three o-lary" was one ball game we also played, but the last line in our version went "ten, eleven, start again, one two three o-lary (etc)" with the "two-balls being passed smoothly to the next player (theoretically) without a hiccup.

We also played "Donkey" which was pretty similar to "Spot" which Ibn Batotah mentioned above, and a game we called "Sevens" which was played thus (slight fog of age notwithstanding :hihi:)

Seven straight throws against the wall under-hand.

Six straight throws against the wall over-hand.

Five throws against the wall with the ball bouncing once on the floor on each return.

Four throws against the wall, with the ball bouncing on the floor before hitting the wall, and returning to the thrower without a second bounce...

Three throws against the wall with a hand-clap before catching the ball.

Two throws against the wall with a 360 degree spin

and sadly, I forget the "One" that was the final throw. I have vague memories of the final single throw being a straight throw at the wall, and a jump, over the ball, as it bounced on return. The following player would catch the ball and start the seven throws all over again.

There was another "two-ball" game we played "Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, next door neighbour, carry on" where the next player carried on the throwing without a hiccup.

"one, two, three o-lary" was one ball game we also played, but the last line in our version went "ten, eleven, start again, one two three o-lary (etc)" with the "two-balls being passed smoothly to the next player (theoretically) without a hiccup.

We also played "Donkey" which was pretty similar to "Spot" which Ibn Batotah mentioned above, and a game we called "Sevens" which was played thus (slight fog of age notwithstanding :hihi:)

Seven straight throws against the wall under-hand.

Six straight throws against the wall over-hand.

Five throws against the wall with the ball bouncing once on the floor on each return.

Four throws against the wall, with the ball bouncing on the floor before hitting the wall, and returning to the thrower without a second bounce...

Three throws against the wall with a hand-clap before catching the ball.

Two throws against the wall with a 360 degree spin

and sadly, I forget the "One" that was the final throw. I have vague memories of the final single throw being a straight throw at the wall, and a jump, over the ball, as it bounced on return. The following player would catch the ball and start the seven throws all over again.

There was another "two-ball" game we played "Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, next door neighbour, carry on" where the next player carried on the throwing without a hiccup.

We also played the ball games one handed which included passing the balls on to the next player both using only one hand.

The origin of this rhyme seems uncertain, but manoeuvers carried out by WW1 British "Line of Battle "ships and the Manchester Ship Canal have been mooted.

The big ship, sailing down the Alley (Manchester Ship Canal) sounds like a logical subject, The song celebrating the canal.

We also played the ball games one handed which included passing the balls on to the next player both using only one hand.

I could "two-ball", but I was never quite dexterous enough to be able to "two-ball" with just the one hand. :( Some of my friends could, but not me.

Other games we played was "standing on our hands against a wall", in the playground.

We'd have variations on that, such as lifting one hand across our chest, then lifting the other, balancing on the other hand, and one which sounds a bit dodgy, these days, where one lass would handstand, then, she'd make an X shape with her arms and legs, and another girl would handstand into the space her legs had left. The game would be to see how many lasses could get into the handstand group without injury/ without the group collapsing.

Can anyone remember the chants girls called out when they were playing French skipping with elastic stretched round their mate's legs? Or was it just a "caller" shouting out what to do next?

I could "two-ball", but I was never quite dexterous enough to be able to "two-ball" with just the one hand. :( Some of my friends could, but not me.

Other games we played was "standing on our hands against a wall", in the playground.

We'd have variations on that, such as lifting one hand across our chest, then lifting the other, balancing on the other hand, and one which sounds a bit dodgy, these days, where one lass would handstand, then, she'd make an X shape with her arms and legs, and another girl would handstand into the space her legs had left. The game would be to see how many lasses could get into the handstand group without injury/ without the group collapsing.

What about handstands against the wall then walking down the wall until you could put your feet on the floor and you were a crab? That was beyond me. Ofcourse there were always the clever girls who could do handstands and flip over into a crab without a wall.

What about handstands against the wall then walking down the wall until you could put your feet on the floor and you were a crab? That was beyond me. Ofcourse there were always the clever girls who could do handstands and flip over into a crab without a wall.

We used to "walk" backwards with our hands down the wall till we were in the "crab". What about the really really agile, and clever ones who could simply lay on the ground, and raise themselves up into the crab shape?.

Can anyone remember the chants girls called out when they were playing French skipping with elastic stretched round their mate's legs? Or was it just a "caller" shouting out what to do next?

"In- out,

In, out,

in, out, ON!"


You'd start with the elastic at floor level, then just below your ankles, then ankle height, shins, then at your knees.

The really skilful would do as high as hips and waist !

"In- out,

In, out,

in, out, ON!"


You'd start with the elastic at floor level, then just below your ankles, then ankle height, shins, then at your knees.

The really skilful would do as high as hips and waist !

I also remember things such as 'cross over', 2 left, 2 right, over and under which were positions of your feet on the elastic. Sometimes the elastic was crossed, you stood on it, jumped and had to land on the un-crossed elastic. Sometimes two or even three girls would be jumping on the elastic at the same time.

Can anyone remember the chants girls called out when they were playing French skipping with elastic stretched round their mate's legs? Or was it just a "caller" shouting out what to do next?

When i was at work a few years ago my mates and I got into bother when the sales manager came in unexpectedly and caught us demonstrating french skipping to one of the girls who hadent played it at school, we were all well over 40 at the time:hihi::hihi:
Also ,do you remember the "choosing" games at school like "one potato, two potato" and "ickle ockle chocolate bottle "?:hihi:

When i was at work a few years ago my mates and I got into bother when the sales manager came in unexpectedly and caught us demonstrating french skipping to one of the girls who hadent played it at school, we were all well over 40 at the time:hihi::hihi:
Also ,do you remember the "choosing" games at school like "one potato, two potato" and "ickle ockle chocolate bottle "?:hihi:

Dare I ask where you got the elastic from? :o

I remember the choosing games. One potato two potato was our favourite.

What about the
eeny meeny minny mo
put the baby on the po
when its done wipe its bum
eeny meeny minny mo.

What about the
eeny meeny minny mo
put the baby on the po
when its done wipe its bum
eeny meeny minny mo.

hiya also round and round the garden, and this little piggy went to market.and patacake patacake ,we are going back arn't we.

Some times you would get a teacher who would read the class a story, one that stuck in my memory from the infants was "The little tin soldier" it seemed to be so sad and unfair ...

Also ,do you remember the "choosing" games at school like "one potato, two potato" and "ickle ockle chocolate bottle "?


...and before you could start one potato etc. - you had to put your spuds in meaning your fists...

hiya also round and round the garden, and this little piggy went to market.and patacake patacake ,we are going back arn't we.

What about "the lady goes a nim nim nim nim nim"? I've read posts on other threads about old nursery rhymes.

Dare I ask where you got the elastic from? :o

I remember the choosing games. One potato two potato was our favourite.

:hihi::hihi: We use elastic in some of the items we make , honest:hihi::hihi::hihi::hihi:

Does anyone remember this little rhyme from the end of the school term:

..No more school, no more stick
..No more rotten arithmetic
..No more English, no more French
..No more sitting on the old school bench
..If the teacher interferes
..Get him down and box his ears
..If that doesn't serve him right
..Blow him up with dynamite!.:P

Does anyone remember this little rhyme from the end of the school term:

..No more school, no more stick
..No more rotten arithmetic
..No more English, no more French
..No more sitting on the old school bench
..If the teacher interferes
..Get him down and box his ears
..If that doesn't serve him right
..Blow him up with dynamite!.:P

I remember it as

No more school, no more stick,
No more rotten arithmetic.
No more latin, no more French,
No more sitting on the big fat bench.

The rest I dont remember, we used to chant this when school finished fof the summer holidays. This was back at Ranbow Forge School in the late 50,s to the early 60's. What happy days, the childeren of today do not have the basic education we had

Has the shoe one been mentioned yet? It goes...Your shoes need a jolly good clean so please change your foot.This worked that you started with both shoes 'in' if the word foot landed on you then you withdrew 1 of your shoes out of the ring then it continued till the last shoe in was on..

My Mother came out with a Sheffield expression a few years ago,which i hadn't heard in years.As we left Sheff for Coventry 25 yrs ago i was surprised she remembered it.Thing that was amazing was the fact that her family are cockneys !!
The term was for an alleyway or "genal"

Sheffreject

(Redmires til i die)

...The term was for an alleyway or "genal"...

Quite right, as in my post #777 on this thread, here are a few of the many words used for an alleyway:

Sheffield.... -... gennel
Barnsley.... -... ginnel
Leicester... -... snicket
Sussex...... -... twitten
North Lincs..-... tenfoot (except Grimsby - eightfoot. Funny lot in Grimsby.;))

Quite right, as in my post #777 on this thread, here are a few of the many words used for an alleyway:

Sheffield.... -... gennel
Barnsley.... -... ginnel
Leicester... -... snicket
Sussex...... -... twitten
North Lincs..-... tenfoot (except Grimsby - eightfoot. Funny lot in Grimsby.;))

I always spell Sheffield gennel with a g but pronounce it as a j. But a Barnsley ginnel with a g is a ginnel with a g. Have I got it wrong?

Definitely jennel

I always spell Sheffield gennel with a g but pronounce it as a j. But a Barnsley ginnel with a g is a ginnel with a g. Have I got it wrong?

That's right - a Sheffield gennel is pronounced with a soft 'g' as in 'George' but a Barnsley ginnel has a hard 'g' as in 'give'..:) The O.E.D. agrees, and even gives a Sheffield quotation of 1862 with the 'jennel' spelling - see here http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u219/twigmore/Gennel.jpg

When I die bury me deep,
bury my spelling book at my feet
tell my teacher I've gone for a rest,
and wont be back for my spelling test...

If this book should ever roam.
smack it's bum and send it home...

Quite right, as in my post #777 on this thread, here are a few of the many words used for an alleyway:

Sheffield.... -... gennel
Barnsley.... -... ginnel
Leicester... -... snicket
Sussex...... -... twitten
North Lincs..-... tenfoot (except Grimsby - eightfoot. Funny lot in Grimsby.;))

naturaly i wasnt sure on the spelling !

What about the word "skerrick" as in, "I haven't got a skerrick".

Duffems

Yes - my mum would sometimes say, for example, "There isn't a skerrick o' coil in t' cellar"..:)

Yes - my mum would sometimes say, for example, "There isn't a skerrick o' coil in t' cellar"..:)

Foreigners i.e. not of Sheffield birth look at you "gone aht" when you say skerrick, that's another one isn't it, "gone aht" (gone out).

Duffems

what about otha goowin aht

...else otha goowin ooam terneet?.;)

Foreigners i.e. not of Sheffield birth look at you "gone aht" when you say skerrick, that's another one isn't it, "gone aht" (gone out).

Yes - "gone aht"!.:)

The O.E.D. even includes 'skerrick' - see here (http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u219/twigmore/Skerrick.jpg) but they reckon it's an "Australian colloquialism". I dunno - somebody'll 'ave ter edicate them posh fooeks dahn south...

...else otha goowin ooam terneet?.;)

otha goowin bytheesen

otha goowin bytheesen

nayow, am not traypsin round town on mi oowen...

God yes Skerrick, I still say that !
Does anyome remember calling a childs head 'polly' ? As in ''don't bang your polly'' :hihi:

God yes Skerrick, I still say that !
Does anyome remember calling a childs head 'polly' ? As in ''don't bang your polly'' :hihi:

And don't forget the Tussypegs!

And don't forget the Tussypegs!

tha nose weer ta cum wen tha wants owt, wats tha think iam a workin bank get thisen arovit av gotnowt mesen.as the erd latist abart him acros rooard is got six munths darnt line,e mustav dun summat rong eh.

'He/they looked at me gone aht' when I pulled out the wad of £20 notes'. What does that saying convey? Disbelief, suprise, incredulity ? Whatever, it's a great piece of Sheffspeak.
The only other that comes near it is 'Doubletake'.

...and before you could start one potato etc. - you had to put your spuds in meaning your fists...

hiya what about ikle okle choklat bokle ikle okle out'
there was one when you would stand in a circle with you foot outstreached it was something about your shoes need a clean i think.
one two buckle my shoe was ANOTHER.
at hiddy it was all in all out last man gets a clout
any dispute at cricket in our school yard , the answer was "hit or miss run two"
and at rounders if the ball hit a wall before it hit the ground you hAD to catch it one handed ,

nayow, am not traypsin round town on mi oowen...

thaal afta if nobdays goowin withi

Is "traypsin" a Sheffield word or what ?
My mam used it if she had to go out to find some thing .
"I've been traypsin all round shops looking for it." or "she had me traypsin all or town"
And you could also trayps muck into the house.

Is "traypsin" a Sheffield word or what ?
My mam used it if she had to go out to find some thing .
"I've been traypsin all round shops looking for it." or "she had me traypsin all or town"
And you could also trayps muck into the house.

I don't know if traipse / traipsing is a Sheffield-specific word, but I've certainly done my fair share of traipsing in my time.

In fact, the last time I traipsed was only last week. My sister (NB, sis lives out of Sheffield) decided she wanted to visit Mad-as-hell to do some of her Xmas shopping. :gag:

So we traipsed to Meadow-hell, and then spent the day traipsing our way around the place till she'd found the items she wanted. *tears hair out*.

Well, that's me done for visiting Meadow-hell for the next few months/ years.

*goes off to find a wall to beat her head against*

Another thing folk don't seem to do now is "Gallivant". Now when I was a kid mi Mam said, instead of doing what I should be doing I was always Gallivanting off some where else....

Used to be a reight good gallivanter me...

Another thing folk don't seem to do now is "Gallivant". Now when I was a kid mi Mam said, instead of doing what I should be doing I was always Gallivanting off some where else....

Used to be a reight good gallivanter me...

and what about "Mimmi-mawking"?

if we were pulling faces, being cheeky or taking the mickey out of something/someone my mother called that "mimmi-mawking"

"thar't Mimmi-mawking agee-un, and tha can gie- owwer, or a'ss'l gi thi a clout!"

I don't know if traipse / traipsing is a Sheffield-specific word, but I've certainly done my fair share of traipsing in my time.

In fact, the last time I traipsed was only last week. My sister (NB, sis lives out of Sheffield) decided she wanted to visit Mad-as-hell to do some of her Xmas shopping. :gag:

So we traipsed to Meadow-hell, and then spent the day traipsing our way around the place till she'd found the items she wanted. *tears hair out*.

Well, that's me done for visiting Meadow-hell for the next few months/ years.

*goes off to find a wall to beat her head against*

Yes it's my bad spelling.
"Traipse or trapes is in the dictionary; a long tiring walk,trudge.
Says it is 16Th century but they have no idea where it came from, so I'm claiming it for Sheffield....

"Don't stand theer like souse" was one I used to get.....and " You'd ave it finished if yer wernt sa daital"......

It's great reading through this thread. I find myself "reading " it in my moms or my dads voices and I haven't heard them for 30 years now.

Me hair stuck up like "Alf Phalpha", know who he was, but who the heck was "Lizzie Drippin"?

Me hair stuck up like "Alf Phalpha", know who he was, but who the heck was "Lizzie Drippin"?

Wasn't she a comic strip character.?....

Me hair stuck up like "Alf Phalpha", know who he was, but who the heck was "Lizzie Drippin"?

For the uninitiated, Al Falfa was named after the alfalfa sprouts. he was a character in some of the 1930's/ 40's short films ("Little Rascals" or something?) he looked a bit like lord snooty in the beano, and had his hair plastered down firmly with brilliantine ( a hair pomade stuff, like brylcreem) apart from this one tuft, that stuck up like a sore thumb.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/cf/Our-gang-title-card.jpg al falfa is on the top left hand corner of this playbill

It's great reading through this thread. I find myself "reading " it in my moms or my dads voices and I haven't heard them for 30 years now.

I think a lot of contibutors to this thread relate in the same way. I for one think of my parents, neighbours etc speaking a dialect that is now etched in my mind. Sometimes we 'put it on', but they were the genuine characters.

Another thing folk don't seem to do now is "Gallivant". Now when I was a kid mi Mam said, instead of doing what I should be doing I was always Gallivanting off some where else....

Used to be a reight good gallivanter me...

Years ago my teenage cousins went gallavanting when they went out on the pull.

We used to gallivant when we were doing something that was more fun than what we should have been doing.

there was looks like back of a tram then they took trams off so it got up dated also like sh#t of a shovel never struck me as being very fast unless you had the runsbut then sounds manky to me ill go to foot of ar stairs tally man cheers lol.

It's great reading through this thread. I find myself "reading " it in my moms or my dads voices and I haven't heard them for 30 years now.

I think a lot of contibutors to this thread relate in the same way. I for one think of my parents, neighbours etc speaking a dialect that is now etched in my mind. Sometimes we 'put it on', but they were the genuine characters.

I've not lived in Sheffield for 34 years but everytime I go "home" I quickly drop into the accent/dialect. My kids used to think I put it on until they realised that it always took me several days to lose it when we come home. Sheffield phrases are always slipping into my conversations.

worabart Sloppy Joe it was one of mi mutha`s words anyone Lnow warritwer ?

I've not lived in Sheffield for 34 years but everytime I go "home" I quickly drop into the accent/dialect. My kids used to think I put it on until they realised that it always took me several days to lose it when we come home. Sheffield phrases are always slipping into my conversations.

I know the feeling, I lived in Germany for 24 years. I came back in September
last year and it took a while to get back into the 'language of the locals'. Still don't know what I'm saying sometimes.

worabart Sloppy Joe it was one of mi mutha`s words anyone Lnow warritwer ?

Always thought a sloppy joe was a big baggy sweater

Always thought a sloppy joe was a big baggy sweater

In America it's also a breadcake with chilli on it.

Dip,dip,dip my blue ship,sailing on the water like a cup and saucer......

We called these 'choosing' songs dipping

When did we become the Irish/Yorkshire ?
We are called DE-DARS, by people from Barnsley and yet the hard "A" is Barnsley not Sheffield...
As a child I was always pulled up for THEEING and THOUING, don't remember ever deeing or daring....

Dip,dip,dip my blue ship,sailing on the water like a cup and saucer......

We called these 'choosing' songs dipping

Any one mentioned Dib Dab Dob ?

Dip,dip,dip my blue ship,sailing on the water like a cup and saucer......

We called these 'choosing' songs dipping

Bassmanjack you have got me sniffing now:cry: had completely forgotten that one and suddenly I'm back in the yard at playtime aged 8 with my schoolfriends. ....sniffs, wipes eyes and smiles recalling happy days playing Kiss catch :)

do you also remember the game counting buttons on your cardi "Lady,baby , gypsy, Queen, elephant,tiger,tangerine ?:hihi:

When did we become the Irish/Yorkshire ?
We are called DE-DARS, by people from Barnsley and yet the hard "A" is Barnsley not Sheffield...
As a child I was always pulled up for THEEING and THOUING, don't remember ever deeing or daring....

True, I used to have to moderate pronunciation a tad when indoors at home and school (Manor Estate in the 50s) but when playing with pals outside it was always dee, daa and naaden.

Bassmanjack you have got me sniffing now:cry: had completely forgotten that one and suddenly I'm back in the yard at playtime aged 8 with my schoolfriends. ....sniffs, wipes eyes and smiles recalling happy days playing Kiss catch :)

do you also remember the game counting buttons on your cardi "Lady,baby , gypsy, Queen, elephant,tiger,tangerine ?:hihi:

Or what about;Hip,dip;sky,blue,it is not you....:cool:

Anyone remember adding up the numbers on their bus tickets....keep adding until 1 number then saying.
1 for sorrow
2 for joy.
3 for a letter
4 for a boy.
5 for silver
6 for gold
7 for a secret never to be told.
there must have been and 8 and 9 but for the life of me I can't remember them.:huh: anyone:?:

Anyone remember adding up the numbers on their bus tickets....keep adding until 1 number then saying.
1 for sorrow
2 for joy.
3 for a letter
4 for a boy.
5 for silver
6 for gold
7 for a secret never to be told.
there must have been and 8 and 9 but for the life of me I can't remember them.:huh: anyone:?:

That's the old magpie rhyme
8's a wish
9's a kiss

We used to count them and if it added upto a number 7 or with 7 in it it was a lucky ticket and you kept it, for a while any way.

That's the old magpie rhyme
8's a wish
9's a kiss

We used to count them and if it added upto a number 7 or with 7 in it it was a lucky ticket and you kept it, for a while any way.

Yes thats it....add it up , divide it by 7 and it was the remainder that you did the ryhme for, so that would explain why it only went up to 7 wouldn't it.....:thumbsup: and if it was exact, then yes, it was a lucky one...Thank you :hihi:

Always thought a sloppy joe was a big baggy sweater

It wera name she used for baggy t-shirts .
glad im not the only on to remember it

Anyone remember adding up the numbers on their bus tickets....keep adding until 1 number then saying.
1 for sorrow
2 for joy.
3 for a letter
4 for a boy.
5 for silver
6 for gold
7 for a secret never to be told.
there must have been and 8 and 9 but for the life of me I can't remember them.:huh: anyone:?:

there were two versions, only what the numbers meant for one-to-four differed:-

One for Sorrow,
Two for Joy
Three for a Girl,
Four for a Boy
Five for Silver,
Six for Gold,
Seven is a Secret,
Never to be told
Eight's a wish,
Nine's a Kiss,
Ten is a bird you must not miss.

the other version went
"One for Sorrow
Two for Mirth
Three for a Wedding,
Four for a Birth... etc"

Joanl, the four for a letter rhyme was something to do with sneezes, IIRC:-

Sneeze on Monday, sneeze for danger,
Sneeze on Tuesday, kiss a stranger,
Sneeze on Wednesday, sneeze for a letter,
Sneeze on Thursday, something better,
Sneeze on Friday, sneeze for sorrow,
Sneeze on Saturday, see your sweetheart tomorrow.

Wasn't that also Magpie..

When my daughter was at school I remember there was a skipping/ clapping song she and her friends sang..
When Susie was a baby a baby Susie was and she'd go. (Baby noise ?)
When Susie was a school girl a school girl Susie was, and she'd say, Miss Miss I can't do this.
and so on any one remember this one

We used to say a rhyme walking home "tread on a square, you'll marry a bear, tread on a line ,you'll marry a swine.. I must have been good at it because my OH is neither !

Wasn't that also Magpie..

When my daughter was at school I remember there was a skipping/ clapping song she and her friends sang..
When Susie was a baby a baby Susie was and she'd go. (Baby noise ?)
When Susie was a school girl a school girl Susie was, and she'd say, Miss Miss I can't do this.
and so on any one remember this one

I remember

When Susie was a teenager a teenager Susie was, and she'd go
ooh- ahh
I lost my bra, I left my knickers in my boyfriend's car!

:wow:

We used to say a rhyme walking home "tread on a square, you'll marry a bear, tread on a line ,you'll marry a swine.. I must have been good at it because my OH is neither !

..."tread on a crack, break your mother's back!"

I remember

When Susie was a teenager a teenager Susie was, and she'd go
ooh- ahh
I lost my bra, I left my knickers in my boyfriend's car!

:wow:

Dam sure I didn't hear that bit, or there would have been trouble:suspect:

Dam sure I didn't hear that bit, or there would have been trouble:suspect:

I remember

When Susie was a teenager a teenager Susie was, and she'd go
ooh- ahh
I lost my bra, I left my knickers in my boyfriend's car!

:wow:

carnt say i know this one :confused:

I remember it !:roll:

Wasn't that also Magpie..

When my daughter was at school I remember there was a skipping/ clapping song she and her friends sang..
When Susie was a baby a baby Susie was and she'd go. (Baby noise ?)
When Susie was a school girl a school girl Susie was, and she'd say, Miss Miss I can't do this.
and so on any one remember this one

hiya what about this one hark hark the guns are roaring must have been the beans i had this morning, quick quick to the cl###t door too late too late it's on the floor,
this was thought to be cheeky when i was growing up.

hiya i've just been reading a suppliment of the daily mirror newspaper price 1d dated monday 4th september 1939. the first day of the second world war as i'm reading it states petrol is to be rationed at 1/6d per gallon.(7.5 p) cheap? the the price of a pint of beer i think was 6d (2.5 p) three pints of beer for 1 gallon of petrol.another was a well known antiseptic ointment still on sale today their prices for a tin was 6d, 1/3d, 3/-d, and 12/-d, if you think of converting to pints of beer, it looks like this 1 pint, 2 .5 pints, 6 pints, and 24 pints.can you imagine it the price of 24 pints of beer for a tin of antiseptic cream,at today's prices the younger ones must think i am lying mind it does seem a bit over the top but it is the truth

hiya what about this one hark hark the guns are roaring must have been the beans i had this morning, quick quick to the cl###t door too late too late it's on the floor,
this was thought to be cheeky when i was growing up.

No, I'm pretty sure she never sang that one :rolleyes:

Any one ever dance round the May pole ? ( Now that was a recipe for disaster,)
What was the song you sang, was it "Here we go round the mulberry bush"

hiya can any of the seniors who use this thread remember sixty odd years ago when money was really short, i know this is not sheffield sayings or rhymes, but it was a sign of the times when you wore a v neck jersey a few days, then it was a round neck another few days then back to a v neck inside out, then a round neck inside out then have it washed, people got their wear out of their sweaters(jerseys) in those days.

hiya can any of the seniors who use this thread remember sixty odd years ago when money was really short, i know this is not sheffield sayings or rhymes, but it was a sign of the times when you wore a v neck jersey a few days, then it was a round neck another few days then back to a v neck inside out, then a round neck inside out then have it washed, people got their wear out of their sweaters(jerseys) in those days.

Yes and the same with the socks when they had a hole in the heel.You just curled the toe part under a bit.

Yes and the same with the socks when they had a hole in the heel.You just curled the toe part under a bit.

Sundays in the tin bath and then a clean pair of underpants to last the whole week, if you were lucky enough to have underpants!

My dad used to sing this to us as kids anyone remember it

Aye up aye up old Billy Ward
Aye up aye up old Billy Ward
Pinchin turnips out or ar yard
When i catch im i will bash im
Aye up aye up old Billy Ward

Sundays in the tin bath and then a clean pair of underpants to last the whole week, if you were lucky enough to have underpants!
No never had underpants.

and what about "Mimmi-mawking"?

if we were pulling faces, being cheeky or taking the mickey out of something/someone my mother called that "mimmi-mawking"

"thar't Mimmi-mawking agee-un, and tha can gie- owwer, or a'ss'l gi thi a clout!"

Favourite of mi mam's is that. "Geeower bloody mimi-mokin'"

Yes - my mum would sometimes say, for example, "There isn't a skerrick o' coil in t' cellar"..:)

Me and our kid have always said it as "skerrit".

Yes and the same with the socks when they had a hole in the heel.You just curled the toe part under a bit.

What about when it snowed, if you hadn't any gloves your wore socks on your hands...

And with those v neck no sleeve jumpers ,when you got undressed you could get away with just undoing a couple of top shirt buttons and taking shirt and pullover off as one, then save time the next morning by putting them back on the same way......Magic

What about when it snowed, if you hadn't any gloves your wore socks on your hands...

And with those v neck no sleeve jumpers ,when you got undressed you could get away with just undoing a couple of top shirt buttons and taking shirt and pullover off as one, then save time the next morning by putting them back on the same way......Magic

..........and all your clothes went on top of the bed at night for extra warmth!
Talking of snow, do you remember having a permanent ring around your calf where your wellies (wellows) rubbed because your socks had fallen down or as we called it, "Mi socks 'av gone to bed".

Duffems

..........and all your clothes went on top of the bed at night for extra warmth!
Talking of snow, do you remember having a permanent ring around your calf where your wellies (wellows) rubbed because your socks had fallen down or as we called it, "Mi socks 'av gone to bed".

Duffems

.........and a black ring round your neck, affectionately known as the 'tide mark'. Everybody knew which way you'd been wearing your V neck jumper.
Had a mate called "Danny Stiffneck" for obvious reasons.

Yes, I'd forgotten the "tide mark", that's got to be a Sheffieldism!

Due to the strong Sheffield accent of my father did anyone (like myself) grow up knowing a place name different from anyone else?
I grew up knowing:
Edmund rooad drill oil
Gooin oar Woodeeard
Chapel enry frith
Years later as an adult I learned that these places were in fact:
Edmund Road Drill Hall
Woodhead
Chapel-en-le Frith
The Sheffield accent has a lot to answer for a child's embarrassment!
Duffems

I lived in Treeton and used to walk to 'Catley' (Catcliffe).

Yes, I'd forgotten the "tide mark", that's got to be a Sheffieldism!

Due to the strong Sheffield accent of my father did anyone (like myself) grow up knowing a place name different from anyone else?
I grew up knowing:
Edmund rooad drill oil
Gooin oar Woodeeard
Chapel enry frith
Years later as an adult I learned that these places were in fact:
Edmund Road Drill Hall
Woodhead
Chapel-en-le Frith
The Sheffield accent has a lot to answer for a child's embarrassment!
Duffems

hiya around our way to hear your dads accent there would be nothing to be embarrassed about because as i've stated before this was how we all spoke in the old days, now if you were to speak any different like all, lah-de-dah, or all posh as we would say, now that would be an embarrassment. gerrit meowd. p.s i suppose i was an uncouth youth.

hiya around our way to hear your dads accent was nothing to be embarrassed about because as i've stated before this was how we all spoke in the old days, now if you were to speak any different like all, lah-de-dah, or all posh as we would say, now that would be an embarrassment. gerrit meowd.

Embarrassing though when you pass to go to grammar school and your dad's the only father with the trade as a lorry driver and the accent/language to go with it.
My father took no notice whatever of my education, he didn't even know which school I attended so, fortunately he didn't attend parents' night, I doubt if the teachers would have understood a word he said.

Yes, I'd forgotten the "tide mark", that's got to be a Sheffieldism!

Due to the strong Sheffield accent of my father did anyone (like myself) grow up knowing a place name different from anyone else?
I grew up knowing:
Edmund rooad drill oil
Gooin oar Woodeeard
Chapel enry frith
Years later as an adult I learned that these places were in fact:
Edmund Road Drill Hall
Woodhead
Chapel-en-le Frith
The Sheffield accent has a lot to answer for a child's embarrassment!
Duffems

It is strange how they changed the place names since I was a kid, like, Shercliff is Shirecliffe now Grenhill is Greenhill, Medareard is Meadow head even Owlerton football ground is now Hillsborough, where's it all gone:(

It is strange how they changed the place names since I was a kid, like, Shercliff is Shirecliffe now Grenhill is Greenhill...

.... and ".t' bottom o' t' Mooer" is Moorfoot..:rolleyes:

hiya i don't know if this was a sheffield poem but it was told to me by my dad here goes,
der boy stud on der berning dek pikin is nooers lyke mad,
ee rowld um itu lickle balls an threw em atis dad.

.... and ".t' bottom o' t' Mooer" is Moorfoot..:rolleyes:

what abart oil int rooad...............

hiya i don't know if this was a sheffield poem but it was told to me by my dad here goes,
der boy stud on der berning dek pikin is nooers lyke mad,
ee rowld um itu lickle balls an threw em atis dad.

My Grandads version was-

The boy stood on the burning deck
His legs were all a quiver
He gave a cough
His head fell off
And floated down the river

He also told one that started -

Twas christmas night in the workhouse
And the snow was raining fast
A barefooted boy with clogs on
Stood sitting on the mat


I'm sure there was more too it than that. Does anyone know anymore of it?

Here's the version my grandad told me:

It was Christmas night in the workhouse
The snow was raining fast
A barefooted boy with clogs on
Came slowly whizzing past
He turned a straight crooked corner
To see a dead donkey die
He pulled out a gun to stab it
And it punched him in the eye.

When I was a toddler my mother used to sing this rhyme:

Old King Cole was a merry old soul and a merry old soul was he
He called for his pipe in the middle of the night and he called for the closet key.
The wind blew out the candle, the candle had a fit,
And old King Cole fell down the hole and swallowed a lump of Umpar- par, Umpar-par!

For the uninitiated, a "closet" was the outside toilet which was usually fitted with a simple lock, you didn't want strangers using it! Also, as there would be no light in it we would sometimes take a candle across.

what abart oil int rooad...............

classic :hihi::hihi::hihi::hihi::hihi::hihi::hihi:

Wor abart t`wicker wier t`water runs oert t`wier.

Another one which I'm sure is a Sheffieldism:
If a woman had a large rear she was said to have "a bucket a*se".

There were also some classically descriptive ways of explaining things to you,
for instance.
A badly finished job would be " As ruff as a bears ar$e" .
If it was obvious it would be "As plain as nooes on thi face".
or if some one was a bit loud he'd got "A reight gob on im"....
Or should that be "A gob as wide as Wicker archers"....

People have mentioned the tin bath days on here, but for most what happened more regularly was the "Strip wash"..
This consisted of a towel, a bowl of hot water, a flannel and a rather large cake of green soap, usually preceded by the warning "don't any body come in kitchen am avin a wesh".

In those days remember in the old terrace houses there wasn't two taps on the sink, just a cold tap and the hot water usually came from the kettle on a gas ring or a pan on the Yorkshire range or both if you were having a bath.
The gas/electric oven really came into it's own with advent of the "Tiled fireplace" or was it the other way round..
The large cake of green soap was interesting, usually Fairy you also wash your pots with it.
Sunlight (yellow) was for your clothes and Carbolic soap (red) was used for the floor...
I think.. ...

People have mentioned the tin bath days on here, but for most what happened more regularly was the "Strip wash"..
This consisted of a towel, a bowl of hot water, a flannel and a rather large cake of green soap, usually preceded by the warning "don't any body come in kitchen am avin a wesh".

In those days remember in the old terrace houses there wasn't two taps on the sink, just a cold tap and the hot water usually came from the kettle on a gas ring or a pan on the Yorkshire range or both if you were having a bath.
The gas/electric oven really came into it's own with advent of the "Tiled fireplace" or was it the other way round..
The large cake of green soap was interesting, usually Fairy you also wash your pots with it.
Sunlight (yellow) was for your clothes and Carbolic soap (red) was used for the floor...
I think.. ...

And the donkey stone for the steps,from the rag man,Donkey stone for old rags was the saying he would shout.

We had one at work the other day "I'll have to throw me cap in afor ah go in" Hadn't heard that for a long time and we couldn't stop laughing. Don't know where it comes from but I remember we refined it later by adding " an it were Kier Hardie's cap an all !" that was after we used to watch "Brass" LOL

Quote: "In those days remember in the old terrace houses there wasn't two taps on the sink, just a cold tap and the hot water usually came from the kettle on a gas ring or a pan on the Yorkshire range or both if you were having a bath."

Hey grinder, you forgot "The Copper". This was like a Witches cauldron built in to a corner of the kitchen with room for a coal fire underneath. Had its' own chimney too. It was used nearly every day e.g. Sunday the kids were bathed in it, Monday the weshin'.
One day a week (H) 'ash was cooked in the copper, with the big families, you'd never find a better or bigger cooking pot.
Look in an old, modernised terraced house today and you may still find remnants of the copper. Namely the chimney. If one corner of the kitchen, usually on an outside wall, is sort of triangular, then that's the chimney.

Don't think it's exclusive to Sheffield but something I haven't heard in a long time is being shoved from pillar to post.

Hi borick.
The copper. That's some thing I've heard about but never lived with.
Born in 39 the first homes I remember were flats till dad came back and we got a Prefab in 46.
Both sets of Grand parents live on the Parsons Cross, a modern estate in those days, with a bathroom and an almost inside toilet.
Didn't live in a terrace house till 53, things had changed a bit by then, it were all tiled fire place, Kitchen cabinets and one of those little gas boilers over the sink for hot water ...
Mind you, the toilets were still a trek...

Any way, better get on, this'll not get babby a new bonnet....

Hi grinder,
I was born at Treeton in 1948 in a 'pit house' (belonging to the Colliery). They all had coppers. Been bathed in it a time or two. Moved into a terraced house at Tinsley in the late 60's and they'd all had coppers too (tell tale chimney). I know if you tried to knock these chimneys out without giving it a bit of thought, you were in for a shock, because it was usually shared with the house next door! They were liable to get as much muck and soot as you did. I'm speaking from experience now. One of the reasons that I'm a much wiser man today!!!

I once bought a book (which i have still got) called Sheffieldish a begginers phrase book,
it was published in 1981 by City of Sheffield publicity dept.
it has got phrases in it like keep thi nooers art also indivadual word translations;
hole - oyal
coal - coyal
head - eead
etc

and some poems in sheffield dialect. Some of the poems are by a man named Tom Hauge who wrote a book called Totley Tom.
My dad always quotes that one

My dad always quotes that one

Totley Tom (Tom Hague) was an old workmate of mine from the days at Orgreave pit.
I've got the book too, my second copy, because the first one got destroyed in the Pickfords fire back in 1984. Original price £3:00. Second copy cost me £20:00, second hand.

ooh mi gob feels like gandhi s flipflop :hihi:

Am spitting feathers cos am that dry.

hiya looking back to the 40s/50s it seems unreal in todays world, though i suppose it is, at home we never had a socket in our house the electric was all run from the one electric wire that was the central light inthe centre of the single room living space there were a double adapter we ran the radio from it there was no fridge,television,cooker,washing machine, computer,when mum did the ironing she would unplug the radio to use the iron,and wash days in bad weather was worst with washing hung up all over the house. thaas gorra heeard like a setpot you heard this said, i remember the setpot at our house, i remember the bathtimes when i was small, mum used it for boiling clothes ours had a wooden board over the pot and a single gas ring on it, later progressed to a double gas ring,mum still used the yorkshire range for cooking the meat, the sink was in the same area with single cold tap,many a time on washday i would have a wash,/scrub/,scrape,/ depending on the need ,in the washtub, i had to move the posher and the rubbin booerd aart ot way.about the set pot my dad told me of the time when he was younger that his dad with 4 or 5 children decided to make the childrens breakfast he made it in the setpot, when the porrage was finished he tried to get it out of the pot but it was stuck, so he used the small coal shovel to get it out,

hiya looking back to the 40s/50s it seems unreal in todays world, though i suppose it is, at home we never had a socket in our house the electric was all run from the one electric wire that was the central light inthe centre of the single room living space there were a double adapter we ran the radio from it there was no fridge,television,cooker,washing machine, computer,when mum did the ironing she would unplug the radio to use the iron,and wash days in bad weather was worst with washing hung up all over the house.
I can remember my mother using the flat iron straight from the fire.She had 2 because one was warming while she used the other.Boy did the women work then.

hiya looking back to the 40s/50s it seems unreal in todays world, though i suppose it is, at home we never had a socket in our house the electric was all run from the one electric wire that was the central light inthe centre of the single room living space there were a double adapter we ran the radio from it there was no fridge,television,cooker,washing machine, computer,when mum did the ironing she would unplug the radio to use the iron,and wash days in bad weather was worst with washing hung up all over the house.

Treeton, where I was born was the first village in England with electric street lighting, that was inthe 1890's. our house first got an electricity supply round about 1955. Until then we gas lighting, you know, with gas mantels like in a caravan. Only the main bedroom had a gas light, the other bedroom and the attic were lit with candles. Now all go aaaaaaaaaaaah!

hiya looking back to the 40s/50s it seems unreal in todays world, though i suppose it is, at home we never had a socket in our house the electric was all run from the one electric wire that was the central light inthe centre of the single room living space there were a double adapter we ran the radio from it there was no fridge,television,cooker,washing machine, computer,when mum did the ironing she would unplug the radio to use the iron,and wash days in bad weather was worst with washing hung up all over the house.

I remember the electric double socket thingy for a light bulb and a plug in the centre of the ceiling. On wash days my mam used to go to the wash house and bring home damp washing that had been through a mangle. In winter mam would hang the washing up to dry on a rack suspended from the ceiling above the kitchen fire which was lowered and lifted on a pully.

I remember the electric double socket thingy for a light bulb and a plug in the centre of the ceiling. On wash days my mam used to go to the wash house and bring home damp washing that had been through a mangle. In winter mam would hang the washing up to dry on a rack suspended from the ceiling above the kitchen fire which was lowered and lifted on a pully.

I know a woman who still uses one of those.It is a clothes horse.

Treeton, where I was born was the first village in England with electric street lighting, that was inthe 1890's. our house first got an electricity supply round about 1955. Until then we gas lighting, you know, with gas mantels like in a caravan. Only the main bedroom had a gas light, the other bedroom and the attic were lit with candles. Now all go aaaaaaaaaaaah!

aaaaaaaaaaaah!

Thanks mr blue owl, I knew somebody out there had a heart.

[/B]I know a woman who still uses one of those.It is a clothes horse.Clothes horse/maiden/airer stands on the floor. The thing described is a pulley or a rack, iirc. They're still readily available, probably more environmentally sound than using a tumble dryer. :)

Clothes horse/maiden/airer stands on the floor. The thing described is a pulley or a rack, iirc. They're still readily available, probably more environmentally sound than using a tumble dryer.

Yep - you can even buy them on eBay (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ceiling-Airer-Dryer-Kitchen-Laundry-Rack-Creel-White_W0QQitemZ270439291729QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_D efaultDomain_3?hash=item3ef7701b51). As my mum pulled on the rope to raise the rack, she used to hum a hornpipe as if she was a sailor hoisting the mains'l (had a good sense of humour, did my mum)..:)

Another I thought of today again not necessarily a Sheffield term is when somebody says they're browned off meaning they're fed up.

Have we had Yonder - as in "Look, e's o'er yonder" - I haven't heard yonder anywhere else except Sheffield

I think that "yon" and "yonder" are dialect words, though not confined to Sheffield. At least, my Lincolnshire great-grandad would often say for example "over yon side..", and the Worcestershire poet A.E. Housman wrote a poem Yonder see the morning (http://www.poemtree.com/poems/YonderSeeTheMorning.htm)..:)

Clothes horse/maiden/airer stands on the floor. The thing described is a pulley or a rack, iirc. They're still readily available, probably more environmentally sound than using a tumble dryer. :)

I stand corrected.

Have we had Yonder - as in "Look, e's o'er yonder" - I haven't heard yonder anywhere else except Sheffield

On yonder hill there stands a maiden,
who she is I do not know.
I will ask her for her favors,
will she answer yes or no.

Oh, no John-no John-no-o-John No..

Takes ya back dun it

What about "getting hold of the wrong end of the stick"
I've often wondered why is it the wrong end, I mean where have they had it ?...
Another one is, "tha wants what Mary got".......WHAT !!!!!
And who the hell is Mary ?

"Pot doggin".......... Dooin' nowt, 'avin' a minit.
I don't know if Pot Doggin' is a Sheffield saying or if it was peculiar to the pits'
In case you don't know, the saying is taken from the two porcelain dogs what always sat at each end of the cornice (mantelpiece), dooin' nowt.

What about "getting hold of the wrong end of the stick"
I've often wondered why is it the wrong end, I mean where have they had it ?...
Another one is, "tha wants what Mary got".......WHAT !!!!!
And who the hell is Mary ?

"shi wants wot Mary got!" was a frequent comment from my grandma. Someone suggested it referred to Mary Queen of Scots, and how "shi gorrer eeyud chopp't off"

I was a real pest when I was young and one of my mothers sayings was I`ll swing for you yet

If I asked my Dad where Mum was,he'd say "gone fishing in Barker's Pool"

"Pot doggin".......... Dooin' nowt, 'avin' a minit.
I don't know if Pot Doggin' is a Sheffield saying or if it was peculiar to the pits'
In case you don't know, the saying is taken from the two porcelain dogs what always sat at each end of the cornice (mantelpiece), dooin' nowt.

Cornice ? We always called it a Cornish, apparently because the mantelpiece was usually made from a piece of Cornish slate....

Not heard of "Pot doggin" but you could "Put the dog in" for some one, meaning you got them into trouble ...

Not very PC but when I used to ask me Dad "Weerz me Mam?" he'd say "She's run away wee a black man" and when I asked "What's fo tea?" he'd say "S**t wi sugar on"

If I asked my Dad where Mum was,he'd say "gone fishing in Barker's Pool"

At one time they did!!
There was a pool there and every so often they would open the sluice gates and let the water wash away all the muck on the streets down into the Don....

I remember as a young lad i always had a good appetite, and my dad would say----thad eyt a buttered firebrick! or he would inform anyone listening that ------I could eyt 2 tayters more than a pig!! and sometimes say that i would eat ------s**t with sugar on.

I remember as a young lad i always had a good appetite, and my dad would say----thad eyt a buttered firebrick! or he would inform anyone listening that ------I could eyt 2 tayters more than a pig!! and sometimes say that i would eat ------s**t with sugar on.

Anyone, whether or not they had "eyes bigger than their belly" (another saying, there!) could be said to "eyt two taters more'n a pig."

(I've never heard "Buttered firebrick" that's really tickled me, that one has.

My mother would say "I could eyt horse between two bread-vans, and come back for't saddle". when she was really hungry.

I have heard of this one too - with an extra verse and set to a tune....... I'm not sure I can write in true 'Sheffield' style but I'll have a go.

Rate Dah'n in coyle oil,
wheer t' muck slats on t'winders,
we've used our coyl up,
n rate dah'n to cinders.

Ee wen yon bayliff cums
E'll never feend us
Cos weer rate dah'n in coyle oil
Wheer t' muck slats on t'winders

This is the version I remember and only one verse for translation
[Maybe we were more backward in Sharrow]

Wheer reight down in 'coyle oyle
Wheer muck 'collects on t'winders
Wheer 'bailiff waint find us
'Cos wheer reight down among 'cinders

Tha mont cum runnin' to me when tha falls off that wall an' breaks thi legs!
What a thing to say to a child but, it was said by most parents to their offspring.

ears one for t pub
Gerrum in
Dus tha want one
Ar gerus a pint
Gerra waywithi
Tha can av aif or nowt atall

hya i've heard more than once" wen arr want the that noweer ta be seen an wen aar dont want the that orlus unda me feet"" narr den worrav arr toldie,geeor wiltta that gein meea eeardake upta eear""is gorra mowth lyke a fogorn" remember at school the times tables from 2x to 12x each and every morning before arithmetic lesson and the twelve pence one shilling, eighteen pence one and sixpence, twenty pence one and eight pence, twenty four pence two shillings, and so on." ee tha as hert thesen luk at siz ot cobnut on the eeard" some of the nicknames that kids at school had, were pure sheffield here's a few mine was wilber, there were pearler,basra or barth ,barrel,jaffers,chinny,peg leg,pashun,oatlank or titus,davvo,bongo,dixie, duck duck,chicko,ivan, tets.patsy,

hya i've heard more than once" wen arr want the that noweer ta be seen an wen aar dont want the that orlus unda me feet"" narr den worrav arr toldie,geeor wiltta that gein meea eeardake upta eear""is gorra mowth lyke a fogorn" remember at school the times tables from 2x to 12x each and every morning before arithmetic lesson and the twelve pence one shilling, eighteen pence one and sixpence, twenty pence one and eight pence, twenty four pence two shillings, and so on." ee tha as hert thesen luk at siz ot cobnut on the eeard" some of the nicknames that kids at school had, were pure sheffield here's a few mine was wilber, there were pearler,basra,barrel,jaffers,chinny,peg leg,pashun,oatlank,davvo,bongo,dixie,duck duck,chicko,ivan, tets.

In our house, if you had a big mouth, you either had "Moo-er rattle than a can o' mabs!" or tha " 'ad a gob that cud gerra shilling stick o' rock in, sideways!"

A were stood at bar o me local,
thi alcohol was flowin free.

When a suddenly thought some one's missin,
a look round an saw it were thee.

A wondered, now where as e gone to ?
Cause thar were no where to be found.

It were then like a flash it came t mi,
o course, it's thar bloody round..

whenever my parents were having a arguement , my dad would eventually raise his voice and shout at my mum :----------shut thi bleedin rattle panshun mouth, or sometimes it would be shut thi rattle , hopper gob.

A very old Sheffield rhyme:
Roundlegs to Wadsley went to see why 'is legs were bent.
Roundlegs to Wadsley went foldiroldee,
Roundlegs fell o'er a wall and ler all 'is currant cakes fall,
Roundlegs to Wadsley went foldiroldee,
Roundlegs knocked 'ont dooar and said, "is there any deead fooalks live 'ere,
Roundlegs to Wadsley went foldiroldee.

Apparently, Roundlegs was the local bandy legged undertaker who lived in Wadsley, the currant cakes were the food for the wake.

Duffems

This was the first verse of an old schooldays song. If anyone knows any other verses I’d enjoy having them.

I’ll sing you a ditty that’s certain to please,
Of a great farting contest at Wyndham-on-Seas,
Where all the best arses parade in a field,
In hope for the win of a cup or a shield.

This was the first verse of an old schooldays song. If anyone knows any other verses I’d enjoy having them.

I’ll sing you a ditty that’s certain to please,
Of a great farting contest at Wyndham-on-Seas,
Where all the best arses parade in a field,
In hope for the win of a cup or a shield.

See post #85 on this thread (http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=245708&page=5).:hihi:.:hihi:.:hihi:

Wot about "pick it, lick it, roll it, an flick it":D

IF tha dunt stop pickin thi nooerz, thi eeerd,ll cave in.

Stop scratchin thy eead or thal get splinters in thy fingers.

Thas got more rattle than a can o mabs.......:banana:

A gob like a parish oven.

Wots up wi thee, thas gorra face as long as Norfok Street? and Ees gorra face like a busted snap tin.

Ee can eyt owt is gorra stomach like a dustbin.

One word I love is "LOLLOPING"....
You can have been lolloping round the house all day or you can come lolloping in after being out all night.
Folk can even be seen lolloping down the road...

Thought this was Sheff-speak but it int.....

Now giving some one a right "LARAPIN" may be, any body know different ?

My long dead Dad when referring to someone ex naval " 'e ant 'ad enough watter under 'is aas ta boil an egg"

..Now giving some one a right "LARAPIN" may be, any body know different ?

The Oxford dictionary gives "larrup" as a dialect word meaning "to flog or thrash". But I think "a reight larrupin'" sounds somehow worse...

Larrupin' means putting too much butter on your bread, too much paint on a wall or too much Germalene on your poorly.

Larrupin' means putting too much butter on your bread, too much paint on a wall or too much Germalene on your poorly.

Well, that's a new one on me (an' me dad were allus geein' me a larrupin'...)..:(..Mind you - ah usually deserved it..:hihi:

'Snap', 'Bait', 'Packin' up', all mean the sandwiches that you took to work, but I think only the first and third are proper Sheffield, could be wrong though.
So, 'What's tha' got for thi' packin' up?' 'Bread and scrape'. I like the 'scrape' term. What is it? I always think of it as dripping. (Or drippin').
Always used 'snap tin' or 'snap box' though. My grandad always said 'tommy box'. So he used to take his 'snap' in a 'tommy box'.

'Snap', 'Bait', 'Packin' up', all mean the sandwiches that you took to work, but I think only the first and third are proper Sheffield, could be wrong though.
So, 'What's tha' got for thi' packin' up?' 'Bread and scrape'. I like the 'scrape' term. What is it? I always think of it as dripping. (Or drippin').
Always used 'snap tin' or 'snap box' though. My grandad always said 'tommy box'. So he used to take his 'snap' in a 'tommy box'.

"Scrape" was "maggie-ann" (margarine).

Larrupin' means putting too much butter on your bread, too much paint on a wall or too much Germalene on your poorly.


hiya
when i was young the sayings and rhymes of sheffield was at the time not such a big thing, as i have said before everybody spoke like this around where i lived in fact every time we opened our mouths it was thought normal, as older ones, and the younger ones, when they started talking would start deein and darrin an dissin an datttin, an missen an dissen,an uzz an arze, an tingy, da noze oo a meean. i said before on another page when i went to school to call out ,or call for someone, didn''t make sense to me as i thought call was a posh way of saying coyle, the stuff that you put on the fire you know coal

ps as for the sloppy joe i first heard it just after the war it came over from america i think it was a oversize sweater;,
like the crew cut for men, later d a, tony curtis, hairstyles, i remember one teacher when i was 13 years old asking what the d a for the haircut meant i said district attourney; instead of ducks a..e.

'Snap', 'Bait', 'Packin' up', all mean the sandwiches that you took to work, but I think only the first and third are proper Sheffield, could be wrong though.
So, 'What's tha' got for thi' packin' up?' 'Bread and scrape'. I like the 'scrape' term. What is it? I always think of it as dripping. (Or drippin').
Always used 'snap tin' or 'snap box' though. My grandad always said 'tommy box'. So he used to take his 'snap' in a 'tommy box'.

Think i've mentioned it already in this thread but a sandwich made with a bread cake was always called a banjo,I always thought of dripping being scrape because if you put more than a scrape of it on you'd be sick.:(

heres another version. i always thought it was called : scrape : because it was scraped from the roasting tray after a joint of meat, usually sunday dinner, had been cooked.:love::love:

I remember the electric double socket thingy for a light bulb and a plug in the centre of the ceiling. On wash days my mam used to go to the wash house and bring home damp washing that had been through a mangle. In winter mam would hang the washing up to dry on a rack suspended from the ceiling above the kitchen fire which was lowered and lifted on a pully.

I still use these for all my clothes drying needs. They call them Victorian Airers!

What about MASHIN.
I know you can mash potatoes, but mashin tea must be local don't you think ?
Other places usually call it brewing tea, whereas I always used to take a "MASHIN" to work, and mash my tea in a pint pot...
But I didn't mash (crush) it as with potatoes, I just added water and allowed it to mash (brew) on it's own....

What about MASHIN.
I know you can mash potatoes, but mashin tea must be local don't you think ?
Other places usually call it brewing tea, whereas I always used to take a "MASHIN" to work, and mash my tea in a pint pot...
But I didn't mash (crush) it as with potatoes, I just added water and allowed it to mash (brew) on it's own....

Mash can surely?

Mashin' is actually a beer brewing term, they mix the hops and stuff with boilin water and let it mash in big metal containers called mash tuns.

heres another version. i always thought it was called : scrape : because it was scraped from the roasting tray after a joint of meat, usually sunday dinner, had been cooked.:love::love:

I think it was termed "scrape" because, in hard times (weren't they always!) the dripping/margarine/butter was put on the bread then scraped off to make it go further, you still got the taste on the bread but, it meant that it covered more slices of bread.

Duffems

What about MASHIN.
I know you can mash potatoes, but mashin tea must be local don't you think ?
Other places usually call it brewing tea, whereas I always used to take a "MASHIN" to work, and mash my tea in a pint pot...
But I didn't mash (crush) it as with potatoes, I just added water and allowed it to mash (brew) on it's own....

Mashing the tea (even a teabag in a mug) is one of the few Sheffieldisms that I have successfully transferred to my southern jessie OH and sons. Unfortunately they've never taken to calling "breadcakes" "breadcakes".........

What about MASHIN.
I know you can mash potatoes, but mashin tea must be local don't you think ?
Other places usually call it brewing tea, whereas I always used to take a "MASHIN" to work, and mash my tea in a pint pot...
But I didn't mash (crush) it as with potatoes, I just added water and allowed it to mash (brew) on it's own....

With mashed spuds don't you have to mash them first for 20 mins then mash them?

No because mashing isn't the same as boiling, it's soaking things in boiling water off the heat, like in beer making..an infusion to give it its posh name.

My Granny used to call a brolly a "gamp".

I don't think this is a Sheffield-specific word, I believe it came into use after Charles Dickens, the author called one of his characters "Sairey Gamp", (the nurse) and the "trademark" of this character was that she always carried an umbrella.

No because mashing isn't the same as boiling, it's soaking things in boiling water off the heat, like in beer making..an infusion to give it its posh name.

I say, jolly good what! :)

hiya don't know if it's been mentioned before; tingy me bobs, lets go tut hippo,union, staar,
rooerd had two meanings ,road and cried,and when tha wer off tut pub years agu most said i'm gooin far a gill.

hiya don't know if it's been mentioned before; tingy me bobs, lets go tut hippo,union, staar,
rooerd had two meanings ,road and cried,and when tha wer off tut pub years agu most said i'm gooin far a gill.

...........or gooin far a jar or to "see a man abaat a dog".

A bloke from Yorkshire goes into a Jewellers. He says, "Can tha mek a gold statue o mi dog?"
Jeweller replies, "Aye, reckon I can. Does tha want it eighteen carat?"
The bloke replies, "Na ya daft pillock I want it chewin a bone !!!"

A tale of hapless youth in 70s Sheffield - worth a laugh - www.birkett.yolasite.com

hiya don't know if it's been mentioned before; tingy me bobs, lets go tut hippo,union, staar,
rooerd had two meanings ,road and cried,and when tha wer off tut pub years agu most said i'm gooin far a gill.

I remember rooerin was crying but I can't remember saying rooerd for cried, but I guess I must have.

Its roower babby

A bloke from Yorkshire goes into a Jewellers. He says, "Can tha mek a gold statue o mi dog?"
Jeweller replies, "Aye, reckon I can. Does tha want it eighteen carat?"
The bloke replies, "Na ya daft pillock I want it chewin a bone !!!"

A tale of hapless youth in 70s Sheffield - worth a laugh - www.birkett.yolasite.com
Bloke tells his mate he's just got a cat, his mate sez "Is it a Tom?" bloke sez "No I browt it wi mi"

"ali ali aster rain rain faster" springs to mind from my school days

As a 16 year old apprentice bragging (lying) about my sexual exploits, I was told by the fitter I was with - "At thy age lad, tha only shooits tater watter!"

Dunt da under stand plain English;
Da can rooer ave rooered and still bi roorin !!!!

Wesh di lugs out.....

Ey up!! wots it got to do wi de ?
Oh shut de gob an gi di ar$e a chance....

"ali ali aster rain rain faster" springs to mind from my school days

This one has its own thread, here (http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=317763)..:)

Not sure if this has been said before but my dad used to say"shift then n let dog see't rabbit"...........

Don't forget "Dashin about like a scolded cat"...

It's Funny but kids like Parrots only seem to remember the naughty words.
I can remember as a child some one being called a "SET POT" ? now I still don't know exactly what that is, but I'm sure it's not a compliment.....

Don't forget "Dashin about like a scolded cat"...

It's Funny but kids like Parrots only seem to remember the naughty words.
I can remember as a child some one being called a "SET POT" ? now I still don't know exactly what that is, but I'm sure it's not a compliment.....

hiya grinder me ageean the set pot in our house was at the side of the sink between the sink and the yorkshire range fire it was square brick built with a cast iron inner (set pot) where they could boil their washing, it had a small ash nook (another old name just came to me) where a small fire could be lit to keep the water hot i remember when washing was done the kiddies would have a bath in the warm water(no sink side hot water then) they would say (thas gorra heeard like a setpot) the area it took up was about 3' high by about 2 ' square with a square wooden top to stand gas ring on and when you had a double gas ring then you were moving on a bit.

I remember rooerin was crying but I can't remember saying rooerd for cried, but I guess I must have.

hiya didn't you ever hear this " he rooerd and rooerd alt wey hooam he gorron me nervs"

Don't give me non of yer flannel.
Don't try and soft sooap me.
And today I've been accused of driving like a "mad eye"

"mad eye"
not heard that one for years :hihi::hihi:

Don't give me non of yer flannel.
Don't try and soft sooap me.
And today I've been accused of driving like a "mad eye"

I always thought it was "mad iking"?

nayow itwa mad eye

Don't give me non of yer flannel.
Don't try and soft sooap me.
And today I've been accused of driving like a "mad eye"

Oh! I always thought my mother was saying "Mad Ike".....like someone was driving like a mad ike.....

Oh! I always thought my mother was saying "Mad Ike".....like someone was driving like a mad ike.....

Ike who???

Ike who???

Dunno :huh: and I never thought to ask......just know I can hear her saying it :)

Don`t know if it is a Sheffield saying or not but I always liked "he`s as nutty as a fruitcake".

i remember one , ooz dat ?,icky,? icky hoo ?,icky wee is eye cut, and thin as a rake, and all ort shop, all ort shant, all ort show, ear an theer.orl or nowt, watsis den,wots up withee,we amt got too pennystu rub tugether, then tha nose that skint, geeor mownin that like a cracked record ,weer tha avin thee ollidys ? arm avin mine int dog an gun dinner an neet.
lyk a fiddlers elbow,don't know if it's been said before it was, upsa daisy, gerron weeit den,

ps i remember my first pair of sport shoes around 1948/9 they were brown material uppers and rubber all one sole and heel
with rubber discs at the side to stop getting knocks to your ankles, they were known as basketball boots.

i remember one , ooz dat ?,icky, icky hoo,icky wee is eye cut, and thin as a rake, and all ort shop, all ort shant ,ear an theer.
lyk a fiddlers elbow,don't know if it's been said before it was, upsa daisy, gerron weeit den,

What about,
" Da nose im, Walks backards and spits a lot, got a corduroy walking stick" ...

Some times he even had a 3 speed walking stick....

And remember as a kid having a "tiddle"

Remember when everything was an a'porth
He's not worth an a'porth o tar
He's not bin an a'porth o trouble

Just thought of another one "clobber" for clothes , as in wearing his best clobber..

Is this a sheffspeak ?

Remember when everything was an a'porth
He's not worth an a'porth o tar
He's not bin an a'porth o trouble

I remember ahpeth o' sweets.

Just thought of another one "clobber" for clothes , as in wearing his best clobber..

Is this a sheffspeak ?

I thought it was a foreign import from dahn south.

I remember ahpeth o' sweets.

We always called them spice.

my Grandpa used to say, if we were to go to some posh event,

"And come wi' thi shoes blacked! - even if they're brown!"

is the word PUMPS as in trainers, a common word or just a sheffield term and does anyone know how the word originated?

When I was a little chabby, 70 years ago, my mum used to call what later became known as plimsols, running pumps - they went on later to become known as trainers. There was also a boot version of the plimsol which was called baseball boots or sneakers. There was also a patent leather version of the running pump which was called the dancing pump.

Mike

That's opening a can o' worms puffin4. Where I live now, what we at Pye Bank school used to call 'running slippers' are called 'daps down here on the south coast. I suppose they're the old fashioned tennis shoes. Now it's 'trainers', an entirely different animal altogether. The name 'pumps' makes my contempories down here laugh (or throw up).

pumps come from the fact they were originally made from old tyres hence pumped up then some bright sod shortened it to pumps but again first sold as pumpers lol cheers.

pumps come from the fact they were originally made from old tyres hence pumped up then some bright sod shortened it to pumps but again first sold as pumpers lol cheers.

Does anyone remember a brown version of pumps/pumpers called "bumpers"?
They were around in the 1950's and had a thicker sole than the ordinary black pumps and were coloured a horrible shade of brown. My brother had some and they made his feet sweat so much he was unable to walk in them because his feet were so sore!

Did any one else wear clogs ?
I remember round about 1950 having a couple of pairs of clog bought for me from down the market.
Leather lace up boot tops, wooden soles with a metal strip round the edges of both the sole and heel..
I remember them as being surprisingly comfortable, but noisy ...

Did any one else wear clogs ?
I remember round about 1950 having a couple of pairs of clog bought for me from down the market.
Leather lace up boot tops, wooden soles with a metal strip round the edges of both the sole and heel..
I remember them as being surprisingly comfortable, but noisy ...

I don't remember kids having clogs but, I recall some lads in our school having those "free" boots, they were black with a tab up the back and they sounded like they had "Segs" (anyone remember Segs) when they walked.
One lad in our class had them and far from picking on him for having to have "free" clothing we were envious because he could skid from top of school yard right down to bottom and he had sparks flying of 'em!

They were all 'sneakers' when I was growing up :hihi:

Whenever I hear clogs I remember my Dad used to say ''We used to go to school in a clog and a boot''

I had a pair when they had a bit of a comeback in the 70s - very comfortable but a bit dicy in wet weather on pavements. When I started teaching in Huddersfield I had the daughter of the Walkley Clogs firm in my class - Imogen - They're still in business at Mytholmroyd in Hebden Bridge if you fancy a pair www.clogs.co.uk

www.birkett.yolasite.com for 'First Job' a tale of crime in 70's Sheffield

clogs were the finest inventions ever warm in winter cool in summer,winter ones had bike tyre soles to make them none slip and steel toe caps ones were great for sledging down manor lane or piggys field digin your toes for turning also very good on pavement slides just be careful of the gaslamps and ashes which neighbours would throw on the pavement hit those when you were sliding and it was arse over tit but a good laugh.any body use an old air raid shelter as a sledge that was great apart cut fingers trying stop it would hold about a dozen of us but it was murder to stop ,happy days and nites lol

While we're talking clogs, anybody old enough to remember that shop on the the Wicker, opposite the end of Blonk St, he made and sold nothing else.

While we're talking clogs, anybody old enough to remember that shop on the the Wicker, opposite the end of Blonk St, he made and sold nothing else.

Yes and he would make you a leather belt while you waited.

While we're talking clogs, anybody old enough to remember that shop on the the Wicker, opposite the end of Blonk St, he made and sold nothing else.

hiya i wore clogs around 1944 i was the only one i remember having them, my mum would take the steel from around the soul and nail bars of leather strips across the sole.the clog shop was at the bottom of brookhill and garden st, opposite townhead st, i still remember the ditty kids would say when i walked in them it was " cloggy one cloggy two give em a kick and that will do"

in the early 50s we would go out in clogs down the cliff dancing atthe astoria above burtons corner of staniforth rd then get chucked after about an hour literally chucked down the stairs,then across the road to the carlton then every pub down the common or as many as possible before we fell over and crawl in the puke get home smelling like the outside bog.lol

Clog dancing, now that was an art, last time I remember seeing any one doing it was on the old Attercliffe Palace when I was a kid. you can keep your River dance he was pure magic..
I remember some fellow playing a saw there as well, you don't see many of those kinds of acts now do you, even a guy whistling was entertainment then..
Where we naive or have we lost some thing precious....

The last time I saw clog dancing was at the Kelham Island xmas fair about 4 years ago.It was a group from Lancashire.They were good.

what about the sheffielder trying to speak spanish.
nadendee dare dego forte lorez inaro daino lorez daiz trux fulo ens an gees an dux. heard this many years ago, costa del sheff?

jmdee and loopylou-this isnt sheffield its a lancashire folk song!! areyt gud un tho!!

In the early to mid 50s (I was born in '47) I recall a smallish percentage of boys had clogs, I think that about this time they were starting to be associated with boys coming from a 'poor' household so carried a bit of a stigma. My mother wouldn't even consider them for me, probably for that reason though I envied boys that wore them, especially their 'slideability'

He weren't on "neets reglar" then?

hiya i remember many years ago when dad worked in the steelworks, there was a worker was said to have worked a treble shift and when he put in his timesheet he booked 25 1/2 hours when he was asked why 25 1/2 hours as there are only 24 hrs in a day, he said he had worked through his lunch breaks.

Remember my dad telling me about a chap where he worked falling into the upholstery machine!!!
Apparently he's now fully recovered......

Remember my dad telling me about a chap where he worked falling into the upholstery machine!!!
Apparently he's now fully recovered......

ouch!

lol

That reminds me of the fella who died:- he drowned, after falling into the beer vat at Wards...

Terrible death.

He had to get out three times to go to the loo!

And the guy who fell into the lathe.He didn't get hurt.He just got bored waiting to be rescued.

What about the Ice cream man they found dead in the back of his van covered in hundreds and thousands...
The police think he topped himself !!!

That reminds me of the fella who died:- he drowned, after falling into the beer vat at Wards... I remember it well - it were a drink wi' body in it....

I remember it well - it were a drink wi' body in it....

*ka-dooof*

HHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. The oldies are the goodies:D:D

when refering to one of the old hardware shops that sold everything, my dad would say---------hes short of nowt hes got.

Sheffielders choice of holiday destinations-Redund on Sea or Millbeach,half way between Millhouses and Beauchief.

We used to go to Kelham Island, it wasn't such a long journey.

We used to go to Kelham Island, it wasn't such a long journey.

Exotic!That must have been after package holidays became popular.

There's a lot of people living in Hope who've never been to Castleton ?

I often used to go to Rome.......round High Hazels Park......

There's a lot of people living in Hope who've never been to Castleton ?
Damn! I do like that one.