Old wives tales and sayings.

Annie Thomas wrote...

When I used to work in an old folks home, I too, compiled a list of old wives tales and sayings. By the way, why is it classed as "old wives tales", don't men/husbands have them, or is it a way of indicating that women talk more? My Great Granny was a lady who had many of these sayings, but alas she is no longer with us.

Never cast a clout till May's out.

There's many a slip between the cup and the lip.

Act in haste, repent at leasure.

No use crying over spilt milk.

A bleeting sheep soon forgets its young. ( I don't know how many times I've said that one!)

Mum may well have quite a few more.

Posted by: Annie Thomas  | September 21, 2006 6:07 PM

John W.S. wrote...

When we were young, and i would ask mu Grandfather a question, that he thought was not a posibility ?
His reply would be.
When a ship comes up Bottle Bank.
Did anyone ever heare that one. ?

Posted by: John W.S.  | October 11, 2006 12:59 AM

Steve Ellwood wrote...

Hi Ray

The saying that still sticks in my memory and one that makes no sense is "You'll get your hammers" - usually a warning to stop your nonsense or else!

Posted by: Steve Ellwood  | October 17, 2006 5:54 PM

Mary Theodoris wrote...

My coach use to always tell me when i thought i was getting away with something, "Every 'good-bye' ain't gone and every 'closed-eye' aint shut"!...This made perfect sense to me then and I use it now all the time.

Also, when I was in the habit of doing a drill wrong, and just made an excuse about my shortcomings, he would get angry and say "What you do speaks so loud, what you say i can't hear!"...very apprpriate! I use that with my boyfriends alot!)

Posted by: Mary Theodoris  | October 26, 2006 2:22 PM

dean hanson wrote...

my mother still goes mad if any one puts up a umbrella in the house ,this would mean inpending doom and pictures or small statues of birds were very bad luck to put in the house also new shoes on the table could mean the end of things as we know it.

Posted by: dean hanson  | November 3, 2006 4:43 PM

petra wrote...

When I was in the habit of doing a drill wrong, and just made an excuse about my shortcomings, he would get angry and say "What you do speaks so loud, what you say i can't hear!"...very apprpriate! I use that with my boyfriends alot!) my mother still goes mad if any one puts up a umbrella in the house ,this would mean inpending doom and pictures or small statues of birds were very bad luck to put in the house also new shoes on the table could mean the end of things as we know it..

Posted by: petra  | November 8, 2006 2:01 AM

Julian Duncan wrote...

My ex girlfriends mother, if she ever left the house and the phone would ring for her, before she would answer,she would run into the house and sit up and down three times on the chair.

Posted by: Julian Duncan  | November 15, 2006 6:31 AM

l summerside wrote...

my nanna always says dirty house for the new year coming is a dirty house all year round. My kids hate new years eve

Posted by: l summerside  | December 26, 2006 10:51 PM

steve k wrote...

My 93 year old Grandmother, and she's still going strong, would say: I'm as old as my tongue and a little bit older than my teeth. - Steve K.

Posted by: steve k  | January 15, 2007 9:12 PM

mike wrote...

can anyone cast a light on a structure on the felling industrial estate ?

I looks like it was an entrance to a castle or suchlike , noone is as yet able to tell me what this is.

I have pictures if anyone needs them. - Mick

Posted by: mike  | January 24, 2007 4:41 PM

robert o'callaghan wrote...

R.E.MIKES; QUESTION ABOUT POSTED JAN/24/2007 STRUCTURE ON THE FELLING IND/EST . THE LARGE STONE STRUCTURE IS THE REMAINS OF THE PUMPING HOUSE FOR FELLING PIT. I USED TO PLAY ON IT WHEN I WAS A CHILD. IVANHOE AND ROBIN HOOD COMES TO MIND. THERE WAS ALSO TUNNELS WITH METAL GRILLS AT THE ENTRANCE. THESE WERE FROM OLD CHEMICAL WORKS.HOPE THIS HELPS, BOB.

Posted by: robert o'callaghan  | February 17, 2007 11:21 PM

lynne wilkie wrote...

Has anybody out there got photographs of Sunderland Street (off Sunderland Road, in Gateshead). I'm sick of people telling me it never existed. I know it did cos I was born there.

Posted by: lynne wilkie  | March 8, 2007 8:41 PM

jenny coulson wrote...

an old saying of my dads, who was in the army all his life was: "in failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail"

Posted by: jenny coulson  | August 27, 2007 6:23 PM

carole rouane wrote...

hi reading these old wifes tails have brought back some pleasant memories.when i was little asking wot was for tea her answer would be a chow at the chebble leg, which i say to mine aswell.

Posted by: carole rouane  | September 11, 2007 10:56 PM

Mike Perkins wrote...

My old mum (I'm 75) used two expressions:
1. ...ominous storm clouds ... "it's a bit dark ower Bill's Mothers"
2. ... real bad weather, "'tain't fit fer a dog te goo aht, but you mun go Bess" ...
A new saying created locally during the Cold war when everyone expected the Russians to invade anytime ... Old man was sitting on the 'lav' at the end of the garden, under the railway arch when a locomotive fell off the line above him with an almighty crash! He ran down the path with his pants around his ankles yelling "The buggers 'v come, the buggers 'v come!" True story, used now for any big noise

Posted by: Mike Perkins  | September 15, 2007 9:45 AM

Mike Perkins wrote...

another of my old mum's
"What's for tea mum?" ... her answer ... "Bread and pullit" (pullet)

Posted by: Mike Perkins  | September 15, 2007 9:48 AM

Mike Perkins wrote...

I was a young sailor on the ships that docked in the Tyne.
When 'courting' in Jesmond Dene I commented to my girl (who worked at Smiths dock) on my badly mosquito bitten backside ... she said "yeah they'd drill their way through Armour Platin'"

Posted by: Mike Perkins  | September 15, 2007 9:55 AM

connie wrote...

i think the best saying that is said has got to be
"what go's around comes around"
I think it is really true !!

Posted by: connie  | April 17, 2008 11:32 AM

paula campbell wrote...

Hi, if we asked our gran for somthing she thought was expensive (50p) when we were children she would always say 'who do you think I am Andre kniggis daughter. She would prounounce it kee nig ee s! any ideas who he is? or where it came from.

Posted by: paula campbell  | July 9, 2008 10:26 PM