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| Thread ID: 150843 | 2022-08-22 22:37:00 | Historical sayings I bet you did not know | Roscoe (6288) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 1487947 | 2022-08-22 22:37:00 | There is an old Hotel/Pub in Marble Arch, London, which used to have a gallows adjacent to it Prisoners were taken to the gallows (after a fair trial of course ! ) to be hanged . The horse-drawn dray, carting the prisoner, was accompanied by an armed guard, who would stop the dray outside the pub and ask the prisoner if he would like ''ONE LAST DRINK'' . If he said YES, it was referred to as ONE FOR THE ROAD . If he declined, that Prisoner was ON THE WAGON . So there you go . . . More history . . . . . . . They used to use urine to tan animal skins, so families used to all pee in a pot and then once a day it was taken and sold to the tannery . If you had to do this to survive you were "piss poor" . But worse than that were the really poor folk, who couldn't even afford to buy a pot; they "Didn't have a pot to piss in" and were the lowest of the low . The next time you are washing your hands and complain because the water temperature isn't just how you like it, think about how things used to be . . . . Here are some facts about England in the 1500s: Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May and they still smelled pretty good by June ! ! However, since they were starting to smell, brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odour . Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married . Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water . The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children . Last of all the babies . By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it . ! Hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water ! " ---------------------------- Houses had thatched roofs, thick straw piled high, with no wood underneath . It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof . When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof . Hence the saying "It's raining cats and dogs . " --------------- There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house . This posed a real problem in the bedroom, where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed . Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection . That's how canopy beds came into existence --------------------- The floor was dirt . Only the wealthy had something other than dirt . Hence the saying, "dirt poor . " The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing . As the winter wore on they added more thresh until, when you opened the door, it would all start slipping outside . A piece of wood was placed in the entrance . Hence: a thresh hold . (Getting quite an education, aren't you?) ----------------------------- Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special . When visitors came over they would hang up their bacon, to show off . It was a sign of wealth that a man could, "Bring home the bacon . " They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around talking and ''chew the fat'' . ----------------------------- Those with money had plates made of pewter . Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food causing lead poisoning and death . This happened most often with tomatoes . So for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous . --------------------------------------------------------- Bread was divided according to status . Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, The family got the middle, and guests got the top, or ''The Upper Crust'' . ---------------------------------------------------------- Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky . The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days . Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial . They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up . Hence the custom of ''Holding a Wake' . -------------------------------- England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people, so they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bone-house and reuse the grave ! When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realised they had been burying people alive . So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, thread it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell . Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the graveyard shift) to listen for the bell; thus someone could be, ''Saved by the Bell'' or was considered a ''Dead Ringer . '' And that's the truth . ! ! ----------------------------------------------------------- Now, whoever said English history was boring ! ! ! |
Roscoe (6288) | ||
| 1487948 | 2022-08-22 23:24:00 | Very interesting Roscoe, thanks. | zqwerty (97) | ||
| 1487949 | 2022-08-23 01:02:00 | Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May and they still smelled pretty good by June!! However, since they were starting to smell, brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odour . Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married . It's not actually true . A bride carrying flowers has its roots in ancient times . In Ancient Rome, brides carried or wore flower garlands, believing that flowers signify new beginnings, fidelity and hope of fertility . And while people didn't bathe often then, they did wash! A basin or the like and a washcloth . Every day! But a bath involved boiling water, lots of it, lugging it to the area the bath was in an therefore unless rich or public baths (like the romans built) you didn't immerse yourself, because you didn't have the time or servants to do that every day . But they did wash! |
piroska (17583) | ||
| 1487950 | 2022-08-23 04:31:00 | Betcha Didn't Know ... The liquid inside young coconuts can be used as a substitute for Blood plasma. ****************************** *********** No piece of paper can be folded in half more than seven (7) times. Oh, go ahead.. I'll wait... *********************** **************** You burn more calories sleeping than you do watching television ****** ****************************** ************** Oak trees do not produce acorns until they are fifty (50) years of age, or older. ****************************** ********** The first product to have a bar code was Wrigley's gum. ***************************** ******* The King of Hearts is the only king WITHOUT A MUSTACHE ************************** American Airlines saved $40,000 in 1987 by eliminating one (1) olive from each salad served in first-class. ***************************** ************** Venus is the only planet that rotates clockwise. (Since Venus is normally associated with women, what does this tell you?) (Those women are going in the 'right' direction...?) ****************************** ******* ********* Apples, not caffeine, are more efficient at waking you up in the morning. ****************************** ********** Most dust particles in your house are made from DEAD SKIN! ****************************** ******* The first owner of the Marlboro Company died of lung cancer. So did the first 'Marlboro Man'. ****************************** *** Walt Disney was afraid OF MICE! **************************************** PEARLS DISSOLVE IN VINEGAR! ****************************** ********* The ten most valuable brand names on earth: Apple, Coca Cola, Google, IBM, Microsoft, GE, McDonald's, Samsung, Intel, and Toyota, in that order. ****************************** ** A duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why. ****************************** ************ ************ Dentists have recommended that a toothbrush be kept at least six (6) feet away from a toilet to avoid airborne particles resulting from the flush. (I keep my toothbrush in the living room now!) ****************************** ********************* Turtles can breathe through their butts ******************************** ******* Remember, knowledge is everything, so pass it on...... Now go move your toothbrush! |
smithie 38 (6684) | ||
| 1487951 | 2022-08-23 04:47:00 | Oak trees do not produce acorns until they are fifty (50) years of age, or older. This is so untrue... |
user (1404) | ||
| 1487952 | 2022-08-23 05:33:00 | Thanks for that user. However Oak trees younger than 50 are likely producing acorns, but perhaps not in especially noticeable numbers. So okay I concede that i gave false information.:wub | smithie 38 (6684) | ||
| 1487953 | 2022-08-23 05:53:00 | More to add to the list . That was great thank you Smithie . :thanks |
Roscoe (6288) | ||
| 1487954 | 2022-08-23 05:57:00 | :thumbs: | smithie 38 (6684) | ||
| 1487955 | 2022-08-23 06:47:00 | A duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why. busted by mythbusters. its simply because ducks are rarely ever in places that can produce an echo. No piece of paper can be folded in half more than seven (7) times. Oh, go ahead.. I'll wait... mythbusters did 8. |
tweak'e (69) | ||
| 1487956 | 2022-08-23 06:50:00 | That's why I will never live in a house that has a toilet in the bathroom, haven't done since I left home all those years ago | gary67 (56) | ||
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