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AIBU?

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Original poster

Do you know where Will's mother lives?

237 replies

AnnaQuayInTheUk · 20/09/2025 16:54

For 20+ years I lived in an area where everyone knew about Will's mother. People would arrive late to meetings explaining that they were really sorry, but roadworks on X Road meant that they had to go round Will's mother's.

I'm aware that in the Midlands they know about Bill's mother's, not Will's. And that sometimes it's black over Bills mother's house. But I've now moved to a different part of the country where no one knows about Will's mother's, or Bill's.

So,
YABU - who on earth is Will/Bill's mother?
YANBU - everyone knows about Will/Bills mother.

OP posts:
goodaspink90 · 21/09/2025 21:08

I have heard of Will’s mother not Bill’s. Also at first I thought you were asking for help tracking down Will’s mother as you knew Will but had lost touch and wanted to ask if anyone in your local community could help you locate his mum. Then I finished reading the post.

Itsarecipefordisaster · 21/09/2025 21:05

Needapadlockonmyfridge · 20/09/2025 17:03

No idea!
Is that the same as going round the Wrekin?

I’m from Telford, I occasionally go around the Wrekin!
No idea who Will’s mother is though

NaneePolly · 21/09/2025 21:02

Durham - haven’t a clue about Bill or Will

liverpoolnana · 21/09/2025 20:43

MarxistMags · 20/09/2025 17:00

I have no idea whatsoever what you are talking about ....🤔....

You don't know about Will's mother?
Well! I'll go to the foot of our stairs!

Createausername1970 · 21/09/2025 20:19

TutTutTutSigh · 20/09/2025 17:04

I've known it to be black over Bill's mothers but I've never had to drive by her house.

Yes! I was trying to remember the phrase.

..... And Bob's your uncle..... Apparently.

GreenMarigold · 21/09/2025 20:18

West Sussex here and have heard the phrase ‘it’s looking black over Bill’s mother’s’ used by older people.

FarmGirl78 · 21/09/2025 20:17

supersop60 · 21/09/2025 19:48

Yes it is! I can’t say that anymore as I live down south.

Show quote history

It's not the same. "Black over the back of Bill's Mother's" is saying it's looking dark over there <points into distance>, whereas "all round the Wrekin" is going the long way round <waves hand in vague semi circle in mid air> it taking forever to get something done.

Lancrelady80 · 21/09/2025 20:15

My mum used to look out the window at a stormy sky in the distance and say "it's dark over Wells mother" and I never understood it. (Wells is the name of a place less than ten miles from here but in a slightly different direction.)

Now I'm wondering if I misheard!

Edit: typo

FarmGirl78 · 21/09/2025 20:12

Never heard "over the back of Bill's Mother's" until I moved Oop North to the West Midlands. Someone looked out of the window at a storm coming in on the horizon and said it. And one of the Senior staff was called Bill, who's elderly infirm Mother lived in a care home, so it made sense. Then a few weeks later someone else said it again. I looked in the general direction of the previous storm and the sky was fine. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I asked where, and they pointed out of the windows on the opposite side and repeated "See, it's really black over Bill's Mother's". I assumed Bill had moved which care home she was in. Then a few months later the same happened, in yet ANOTHER direction. Bill REALLY fell in my estimation because of how much he shuftied his poor old Mum round between different care home at the drop of a hat. He was otherwise a lovely chap so I couldn't understand how he was so heartless. 🤣🤣 This went on for MONTHS before we realised when I was saying to someone how surprised I was that he seemingly couldn't care less about her having stability in her care home setting and they must be hardly settled in before he moved her again 🤦🏻‍♀️ 🤣🤣

grumpygrape · 21/09/2025 20:00

From this thread, I have now learned ‘Round the Wrekin’ which is glorious and much better than ‘All the way round the Sun to get to the Moon’, which is what my family saying used to be.

MrsHamlet · 21/09/2025 19:58

I regularly go to the foot of our stairs.

This baffles my students - there are many stairs at school.

grumpygrape · 21/09/2025 19:58

FeetLikeFlippers · 21/09/2025 18:59

What a strange post, and I’m not even talking about the subject matter! It’s written like we’re overhearing the last part of a drunken pub conversation where the context is unclear if you missed the beginning. The YABU/YANBU options are the wrong way round. Even though I’ve never heard the phrase before it’s blatantly obvious that it’s a local folklore thing, and you only need to google it to find out more. It feels like the whole post was written by a bot, but I can’t fathom the purpose of that!

Edited

Best get a few drinks under your belt then 😘

DinoLil · 21/09/2025 19:54

But nothing like going round The Wrekin. Totally different! As different as going to the outdoor is to saying taa-ra bab!

SparklyGlitterballs · 21/09/2025 19:52

I'm in South East and my mum has always said, when there's a storm brewing, "bit dark over Will's mothers". Based on that, Will and his mother live under the storm clouds 🌧️

EBearhug · 21/09/2025 19:52

I thought the Bill in question was William of Orange, but there we go.

I didn't grow up with it (Dorset),but I did pick it up somewhere, though I don't remember where. I do find language and dialect interesting, though.

Lollipop81 · 21/09/2025 19:51

JustSawJohnny · 21/09/2025 19:29

My southern OH found it highly amusing the first time Bill's Mother popped up in conversation.

He also insists I made up the term 'Round the Wrekin'.

So I took him there.

But there's a road over it now 😂

I’ve been around the Wrekin is something I would say, I’m from Birmingham

Lollipop81 · 21/09/2025 19:49

I’m from Birmingham and have no idea what you are talking about 🤣

DinoLil · 21/09/2025 19:49

Always black over Will's mother's house.

Born and bred in the Midlands but never heard this saying until moving to Sussex.

Actually, I've moved to another county and have just realised no one has said that here!

supersop60 · 21/09/2025 19:48

Needapadlockonmyfridge · 20/09/2025 17:03

No idea!
Is that the same as going round the Wrekin?

Yes it is! I can’t say that anymore as I live down south.

outofofficeagain · 21/09/2025 19:47

Bill’s mother here, but purely weather related.

Thereislightattheendofthetunnel · 21/09/2025 19:46

I have only heard from the back of beyond.

No clue about Will or Bill’s mother though.

Mindgoneblankagain · 21/09/2025 19:46

CharlotteFlax · 20/09/2025 17:17

The first and last time I read about Will's mother was on Mumsnet a few months ago!

Blow me down with a feather, I'll go to the bottom of our stairs. It's a BARM!

Ooh my grandad used to go to the bottom of our stairs when he was surprised, I have never heard anyone else say it. He was a Londoner born and bred. I have a friend who was brought up in Preston, he is well acquainted with the bad weather around Bill's mother's house

1984Winston · 21/09/2025 19:42

Im east Midlands and I've heard of Bill's mother, not something I've heard for a while though!

scrumpledtitskin · 21/09/2025 19:42

Ooh, I lived in the fens for a few years and my parents both said they'd been to Wilf's mothers if they'd been delayed

Tortycatlover · 21/09/2025 19:42

Southerner now living in Lancs and absolutely no clue what you’re on about!