Fun Facts - Commonwealth Cultural Oddities

When road sweeper and rat catcher Henry Croft completely covered a worn-out dress suit and top hat with smoked pearl buttons in the 1880s the “uniform” of the leaders of the street traders or “Costermongers” was defined. They already had begun to decorate their battered hand-me-down waistcoats, caps, and work trousers with lines of pearl buttons or “flashies.” 

The Costermongers or Costers represented the people who lived in the Boroughs of London, and over time they became known as Coster Kings, and Coster Queens. No doubt emulating the kings and queens of England. Their “robes” were an imitation of wealthy West End society that had developed a fancy for wearing lots of pearls. Pearls were beyond the reach of the poor workers of Soho and other Boroughs of London, but not pearl buttons; they covered their whole outfits, including trousers, waistcoats, caps, women’s dresses and skirts, coats and hats. Pearly Queens and Princesses also wore ostrich feathers in their hats, accentuated by large sparkling earrings.

The Coster Kings continually fought for the rights of the people in their Borough. Over time they developed a style of cheeky banter and showmanship that attracted more customers, and from this evolved the Cockney rhyming slang, in effect their own secret language. This language was used well, confusing their rivals and the police. (See right examples of this slang). They also raised money to help people in their communities who struggled to survive in Victorian London. Poverty was rampant. 

The Pearly Kings and Queens of today have evolved into a group of people whose sole mission is to provide financial support and good will for people in need in greater London. In true Cockney spirit they fund raise donning their finery. 

True Cockneys are born within  the sound of Bow bells - the bells of St. Mary-le-Bow (pictured above) 

Cockney Rhyming slang:

Bees’n’honey – money

Bow and arrow – barrow

Box of toys – noise 

Brown bread – dead

Dig in the grave – shave

Gold watch – scotch

Ham and eggs – legs 

Holy ghost – toast

Jam tart – heart 

Mince pies – eyes

Pig’s ear – beer 

Plates of meat – feet

Pork pie – lie 

Saucepan lid – kid

Tea leaf – thief 

Tit-for-tat – hat

Loaf of bread – head

Jam jar – car

China plate – mate 

Trouble and strife – wife

By Pam Smith, DBE Colorado State Historian

April Fools' trickery harks back into history as far as Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales of 1392. In researching the history of April Fools’ Day, it is possible that it evolved as the western world moved from a Julian calendar to the new Gregorian version with the drastic movement of the beginning of the New Year from April 1 to January 1. And it was thought that those who clung to centuries of believing that April 1st was considered the beginning of the New Year, were thought fools, hence April Fools. 

Many countries honor April 1st, but in England, you can only play  tricks until noon of that day. After that time, you are the April fool if you try to play another trick. 

Perhaps the most famous April Fools' prank was perpetrated by the BBC in 1957 when a film was released in their Panorama series. Respected anchorman Richard Dimbleby read the narrative, showing Swiss farmers picking freshly-grown spaghetti, in what was described as the Swiss Spaghetti Festival. 

The BBC was subsequently flooded with requests to buy spaghetti plants. Eventually they were forced to admit the film was a hoax, and it was so declared on the news the next day. 

Decades later CNN called this broadcast “the biggest hoax that any reputable news establishment ever pulled”.

Picture: BBC

By Pam Smith, DBE Colorado State Historian

South African expressions

One of the wonderful things about DBE is the variety of different customs and expressions from our home countries that we share with each other.  These are just a few that I grew up with...

"Ja nee": A versatile Afrikaans phrase that can mean "yes no," often used to express a mix of agreement and resignation.

"Howzit": A common greeting equivalent to "how's it going? 

"Shame": Used to express empathy or pity, often in a way that might be confusing to non-South Africans. 

Monkey's wedding": Used when it's raining and the sun is shining simultaneously. 

Now now: Used to describe a time ranging from a few minutes to never. The closer it is to "now", the less likely it is to happen soon.

Just now: Means sometime in the near future, but not immediately.

By Lee Vos, State President & Commonwealth Rose Regent