Being sent to Coventry

[Muddlingalongalone]

Currently reading Malory Towers with dd1 (8).
Apparently her teacher doesn't know the phrase "Being sent to Coventry"
He is very young. 1-2 yrs post NQT but even so I was surprised.
Do you know what it means?
What other phrases are "old fashioned" now?

Digression re the horses and colic, yes you are supposed to keep them on their feet and walk them about. It helps to relieve the pain and get their system working again while you wait for the vet. You need to stop them from lying down and rolling about on the ground. That can cause a twisted gut or torsion, which can be fatal. They can also thrash about on the floor and injure themselves.

Late 30s and I knew all of the above apart from Charley being a petticoat.

"I see", said the blind man to his deaf dog.

You know what thought did!

Well, I'll go to t'foot of our stairs!

I know what it means.. from Malory Towers.

I have actually just re-read them at the age of 29 and I have to admit that I really, really enjoyed them.

Well, I'll go to the foot of our stairs !

Only Charlie’s dead and swinging in a hammock I’ve never heard of. Gone to see a man about a dog is used for anywhere you do not wish to be specific about, not just gone to the toilet. Pretty sure my kids know what being sent to Coventry is but probably because I’ve told them, they are between 14-21.

Didn't read mallory Towers. However, my parents were always full of those sorts of sayings. Joked recently with brother that niece has been sent to Coventry - she will be at Uni there.

Yes I knew about Sent to Coventry. I have long thought that some of the cries of 'Go No Contact!' on here are actually closer to childish 'sending to coventry'. I am old enough for it to have been a thing when I was at school - it would be called Bullying now.

Swinging the lead was from seafarers, it was someone's job to throw out a lead weight to see how fast the ship was going (obviously more to it than that); if you swung it to and fro before throwing it that was considered lazy, hence 'swinging the lead'.

Going to see my aunt - going to the loo
A blind man on a dark night wouldn't notice - you can't see (it)
I know ”being sent to Coventry” (from Blyton!) but didn't know it's origin. Thank you to pps for the explanation.
Love these sort of phrases!

I know all of these! I'm 27 but was read Enid Blyton by my Grandma and we're from the Midlands so maybe that's why?

Does anyone use 'in mufti' or 'civies'. I use it when it's a non uniform day at school. My 2 sons give me a very strange look.

Saint John's Church on the corner of Spon Street was the civil war prison where people were held incommunicado.

The term was also widely used in the mid-20th century in trade union circles when scabs and blacklegs were shunned by other workers.

If he's only a year or two in then he'll be a 96/97/98 baby so it's probably not surprising he doesn't know it. We've had a few moments with younger staff recently where there's been a noticeable difference in cultural references. It's almost like there's cut offs in age where either side of that divide has a very different set of references.

Mufti and civies are standard for dress down/non uniform here Jane.

My grandad said 'I'm off to the knackers yard' when he was dying.

I knew the phrase 'sent to Coventry' but I thought it came from the lady Godiva/peeping Tom story? As in all the townspeople of Coventry ignored Tom as he broke the pack to ogle at Lady Godiva?

I've never read Enid Blyton and I've heard of it.

I've head all of those apart from the one about Charley! I'm 54 (cries).

I god I remember poor Bill trying to keep Merrylegs alive (or was that Clarissa's horse)? To this day I retain the knowledge that colic is horse is BAD despite never having even stroked one on the nose in 30 years.

heard most of these but a new one my husband mentioned recently that I'd never come across before was 'swing the lamp' which means to tell tall stories or exaggerate

Yes and I knew it before I was old enough to read Enid Blyton. Not heard it years and my kids wouldn’t know.

Thunder was Bill's horse, a black stallion, I think, who only Bill could ride. Think Merrylegs was Clarissa's horse?

I know it but only from Enid Blyton!

I love "I can't do it because I have a bone in my leg" as well.

And mufti for own-clothes was standard when I grew up.

I'm 37 (and 10/12 ) and know what it means. Didn't read Mallory towers but read other EB and similar books.

Re swinging the lead. I remember a doctor 50 odd years ago who used to write "plumbus oscillans" on medical records when certain people were trying to get time off work.

Mufti is how non-uniform days have always been described in my DCs schools, also Scouts.

I'm familiar with most of these, but am in my 50s and read a lot of Enid Blyton.

I've only ever known a couple of people who've used "turn your bike round" for going for a wee, both from the same area so wondered if it was local. "Going to see a man about a dog" is just not saying where you are going rather than it being for a wee.