Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
Purplebunnie · 20/09/2025 18:34

Lived south of Brum. I just knew it as black over our Bill's when a storm was coming in, no mention of Bill's mother. Also knew round the Wrekin as being a long way

Julia001 · 20/09/2025 18:34

I only know about Bills mother because I am a cricket fan ;-)

notatinydancer · 20/09/2025 18:34

Bill’s mother to me. I’m not from the Midlands but my parents are.

NoisyLittleOtter · 20/09/2025 18:33

PyongyangKipperbang · 20/09/2025 18:27

I agree with a PP that Mother is pronounced with an open O rather than muther.

💯

CherryBake · 20/09/2025 18:29

Yes Wills mother ( in my late mum's opinion ) is where the bad weather starts .
" It looks bad over Wills mothers way " As she looked out the window and into the horizon .
We are from Wiltshire .

PyongyangKipperbang · 20/09/2025 18:27

I agree with a PP that Mother is pronounced with an open O rather than muther.

ninjahamster · 20/09/2025 18:26

I’m in Warwickshire and have never heard this.

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.

steppingcarefully · 20/09/2025 18:24

I actually am Will’s Mother but I have no idea what you’re all talking about?! 😜

Equimum · 20/09/2025 18:24

AnnaQuayInTheUk · 20/09/2025 17:04

I used to live in Cambridgeshire....

Show quote history

The only time I've ever heard about Will's mother was when staying with my aunt and uncle who lived on the fens. I clearly remember asking where Will's mother lived, and my aunt laughing hysterically!

rainbowruthie · 20/09/2025 18:23

I am Bill's mother - true story
But I am certainly not going to tell you where I live!

Gymnopedie · 20/09/2025 18:19

Bill's mother's (Sheffield, Bill not Will) is at the end of the rainbow with the pot of gold.

diddl · 20/09/2025 18:18

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.

Same here!

TotHappy · 20/09/2025 18:16

I'm feeling a bit left out as a southwestern (with in laws from Lancashire and Liverpool) who's never heard this... so would anyone like to extend the discussion by telling me if they know what a grammasow is?

Emanwenym · 20/09/2025 18:15

Black over Bill's mother (looks like there's going to be heavy rain) and
'all around the Wrekin (took a long detour)

BeMintFatball · 20/09/2025 18:12

I’m in Essex. 40 years ago I worked in The City with a lady from Goodmayes (East London borders). She introduced me to the phrased “Black over Will’s Mother’s way” meaning a storm/ heavy rain was brewing.

Loved the phrase and now use it. Doing my bit to spread its use.

Moonflower12 · 20/09/2025 18:12

@Uricon2
Thats what I understood too. If that’s true, I live near the village where his mum had her farm.

So I’d be very specific if I was describing a storm!

Isthereanotherplanettoinhabit · 20/09/2025 18:09

One for Suzie Dent maybe?

ChampagneLassie · 20/09/2025 18:09

Never heard this before, I’m Scottish and lived down south for a while

ArtfulPinkBird · 20/09/2025 18:07

Up north here, no idea what you're talking about but intrigued...

maudelovesharold · 20/09/2025 18:07

Dh is from the Black Country and knows all about Bill’s mother’s! The first time he mentioned it, I didn’t have a clue either. Despite my Mum also coming from there, I’d never heard the saying. She did used to say ‘all round the Wrekin’ to denote a convoluted journey, though!

HarryGrotter · 20/09/2025 18:05

I’m in the East Midlands, my grandad was a proud Geordie and we all knew about Bill’s mothers. Although mother was pronounced like moth with ers on the end!

Londonismyjam · 20/09/2025 18:04

csigeek · 20/09/2025 18:02

Midlands/Brummie here and it would be a bit black over Bill’s Mother’s if the weather looks like rain, but roadworks would cause me to have to go “round the wrekin”

Nailed it.

FOJN · 20/09/2025 18:03

Never heard of Bill's or Will's mother's house but, like other Salopian's, I'm familiar with going round the Wrekin.

SpiralSister · 20/09/2025 18:02

‘It’s looking black over Will’s mother’s’

Brighton.

DH from Leicester insists it’s Bill’s mother’s.

He is wrong.