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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:
Uricon2 · 20/09/2025 18:02

Panda69 · 20/09/2025 17:58

I'm from Suffolk,and it looks black over wills mothers when rain is coming,though that's a phrase from childhood, can't say as I've heard anyone else apart from family say it!

Seek the random Midlander on the family tree!

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”

Bertielong3 · 20/09/2025 18:01

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

Mumof2bears · 20/09/2025 18:00

Am from Cambridge too (over 40 years) and also know about Will's mother's. Just checked with husband (who comes from the north-west) and he's never heard of it!

Looks like there was a thread about this last year: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5087473-has-anyone-else-heard-this-saying?utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=share

Seahorsesplendour · 20/09/2025 17:59

Midlands here and looking black over Bill’s mother’s is commonly used in our house! My mom from north staffs and she grew up with it too

RockyRogue1001 · 20/09/2025 17:59

DH (from south Yorkshire) says black over Jim's mother's

I reckon they all live near Sylvia's mother

Panda69 · 20/09/2025 17:58

I'm from Suffolk,and it looks black over wills mothers when rain is coming,though that's a phrase from childhood, can't say as I've heard anyone else apart from family say it!

EnjoythemoneyJane · 20/09/2025 17:58

Needapadlockonmyfridge · 20/09/2025 17:03

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

I know both of these phrases from PIL (Birmingham & Staffordshire).

Round the Wrekin = go out of your way / take too long / bit of a faff
Black over Bill’s mother’s = stormy-looking / bad weather on the way

But no one in my family (London & South East) would have a clue.

mindutopia · 20/09/2025 17:57

This has given me a headache. 😂

Uncertaintyisreal · 20/09/2025 17:57

Proper Essex girl here, but know all about Will's mother as my own mum is a Mancunian.

PyongyangKipperbang · 20/09/2025 17:56

I am near South Derbyshire and I have heard it a lot over the border.

Never heard Will though, its always been Bill.

"its black over our Bills mothers" means that very dark clouds are on their way.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 20/09/2025 17:53

Bohemond23 · 20/09/2025 17:05

This sounds like my dad going to see a man about a dog.

Does he come back when it's a bit dimpsy looking like the wreck of the Hesperus?

RunningNananananananananana · 20/09/2025 17:52

I thought it might be an Inbetweeners reference.

Apparently not, so I have no idea (Lincs) 🤣

samarrange · 20/09/2025 17:50

ShinyAppleDreamingOfTheSea · 20/09/2025 17:48

I live in a similar area and you’re right that that is the direction that the weather normally comes from, but I believe it’s meant to cite Shakespeare and Stratford, so, South East instead.

Show quote history

Well, maybe it started in Coventry/Leicester (north-east of Stratford) and spread to Brum. Although I'm a bit skeptical about the whole Shakespeare thing.

IliveInCambridge · 20/09/2025 17:49

I was brought up in the West Riding and Lancashire. I would recognise the phrase which mentions black and Bill but not think of using it myself.

I’ve been in Cambridge for decades now. The only person I hear using it is my friend from Bradford, who talks about Will’s mother’s. This can be confusing as her former partner is called Will.

oncemoreuntothebeachdearfriends · 20/09/2025 17:48

"As black as Newgate's knocker" meant a storm brewing (London).

ShinyAppleDreamingOfTheSea · 20/09/2025 17:48

samarrange · 20/09/2025 17:40

I grew up in Birmingham in the 1970s and "It's a bit black over Bill's mother's" was a completely standard expression whenever threatening black clouds appeared. Since the prevailing wind is from the west-south-west, my assumption was that Bill's mother lived somewhere between Droitwich and Stourbridge.

Edited

I live in a similar area and you’re right that that is the direction that the weather normally comes from, but I believe it’s meant to cite Shakespeare and Stratford, so, South East instead.

carmak · 20/09/2025 17:46

I'm from london, Bill's mother happened to be my mother too.

Billy was always a bit wet though, so it might be about him.

Dancelikeyoumeanit · 20/09/2025 17:44

Round not found

Dancelikeyoumeanit · 20/09/2025 17:44

I was brought up in Surrey but my Dad used the phrase " going all found Will's mothers " often meaning either going a long way round on a journey or taking an age to get to the point in a conversation. He was from Cambridge

June2008 · 20/09/2025 17:43

Definitely a Midlands expression - black over bills mothers. I live down south now and my girls have no idea about Bill or the Wrekin! (Well, they do now because I educated them!)

Izzy24 · 20/09/2025 17:43

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.

Just going to add this very thing 😎

PuppyMonkey · 20/09/2025 17:42

You lot are very posh, it was always a bit black uvvah Bill’s Mam’s in my part of Nottingham. ☔️

EnglishGirlApproximately · 20/09/2025 17:42

It's been black over Bills mothers all day today! I'm in Nottinghamshire 😊

ShinyAppleDreamingOfTheSea · 20/09/2025 17:41

Hmm. Yes, when it looks like rain, then it’s black over Bill’s mother’s. But if you have to reroute out of your way then you’re going round the Wrekin!

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