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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:
CluelessAboutBiology · 20/09/2025 19:29

Beachtastic · 20/09/2025 17:24

Will's (Bill's) mother's house is the one with a dark raincloud over it.

Quite right, it’s dark over Will’s mother’s. No Bill or his mother here in the South East.

Thewalrusandthecarpenter · 20/09/2025 19:24

I’ve never heard of this but people in AA say “are you a friend of Bill’s?” as in Bill W, founder.

2dogsandabudgie · 20/09/2025 19:21

We say going round the moon to meet the sun for taking the long way. South east.

MyGingerNinja · 20/09/2025 19:20

It is definitely black o'er Bill's mothers in the North Midlands but no idea who Will is lol x

Jungfraujoch · 20/09/2025 19:20

I’m a southerner and Willl’s Mum was always ‘ over there’ as in “look at those black clouds over Will’s Mums”. 😁

GreatWest · 20/09/2025 19:19

Never heard of this and I’m from the West Midlands. I’ve also lived in Scotland, NE and SW.

I do say ‘round the Wrekin’ for the long way round though.

Ethosuximibe · 20/09/2025 19:12

emwithme · 20/09/2025 18:24

Born and bred in Coventry. It being a bit black over Bill's Mother meant a storm coming in from Stratford way. You'd go round the Wrekin if you had to take the long route somewhere.

DH (born Somerset to a Lancastrian and a 'Child of Empire') only knows about Bill's Mother because of me, and had no clue about the Wrekin other than it being near Telford.

I also grew up in Coventry and never heard abour it being black over Bill’s mother’s till I moved to Norfolk!

I’d also never heard about the Wrekin either till my childhood friend mentioned it when we were adults and I asked her WTF she was talking about.

Don’t know how I missed these.

newbebe · 20/09/2025 19:12

Omg my dad used to say it, bit black over will’s mothers.
from down south, brings back memories .

NoWordForFluffy · 20/09/2025 19:05

didntlikeanyofthesuggestions · 20/09/2025 17:11

Princess Diana? Kensington Palace I think. RIP.

Edited

This was my first thought too! 🤣

EternalFogInMyNotSoSpoltlessMind · 20/09/2025 19:02

Cerialkiller · 20/09/2025 17:12

I've lived in Cambridgeshire for 40 years. Never heard this. Can't just be a Fens thing?

Show quote history

I grew up in the Fens (now live in central Scotland) and I've never heard of Bill or Will's mother...

Wackadaywideawake · 20/09/2025 18:55

Northerner here. I’ve never heard of Bill
or Will’s Mother, but my own mother used to talk about being in “the Wilds of Wannie” every time we were anywhere slightly rural!

I bloody love quirky British regional semantic idiosyncrasies!

GrannyNannyMagratandGreebo · 20/09/2025 18:54

I haven't heard about Bill's mother for years! (I've been in the SW for over 20 years and nobody mentions it here 😫)

Helpwithdivorce · 20/09/2025 18:50

I’m from the midlands and never heard of Will, Bill or their respective mothers but I have been round the Wrekin a few times

TessTickle0 · 20/09/2025 18:50

LemondrizzleShark · 20/09/2025 18:41

We go all round the houses. Or to the back of beyond. Not to Bill’s mother’s. Is she related to Bob, your uncle?

And your aunt Fanny?

anon666 · 20/09/2025 18:49

I've lived in North West, North East and South East and I've never heard of either Will or Bill's mother. 🤣

58andnotout · 20/09/2025 18:46

Yes. I often drive all round wills mother. Bedfordshire

theclive · 20/09/2025 18:46

We know Bill’s mother but will must be a younger relative!

58andnotout · 20/09/2025 18:45

I often drive all round Wills mother and back … Bedfordshire.

DetectiveDouche · 20/09/2025 18:43

Never heard of Bill or his mother but am very familiar with Will's, mainly with regard to the sky being black with cloud

LemondrizzleShark · 20/09/2025 18:41

We go all round the houses. Or to the back of beyond. Not to Bill’s mother’s. Is she related to Bob, your uncle?

TheFluffiestCat · 20/09/2025 18:40

It’s decidedly black over Bill’s mother’s. My mum (I’m not Bill) is from the Midlands.

AgnesMcDoo · 20/09/2025 18:37

Not got a clue what you are on about.

Scotland

Orangedoris · 20/09/2025 18:36

I know nothing about Bill’s/Will’s mother, but I do know about Dicky’s meadow

BadAmbassador · 20/09/2025 18:36

And same about the Wrekin!

BadAmbassador · 20/09/2025 18:36

Uricon2 · 20/09/2025 17:05

Apparently... in the W Mids/Brum it's something to do with storms/prevailing winds coming in from the Warwickshire direction, ie where William Shakespeare's mother was from. So "black over Bill's mother's" means a storm threatening from the direction of Warwickshire originally, now used more generally.

I'm far from convinced😂

Yes, this is what I’ve always understood by this phrase - and saw it explained somewhere or other.