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?

I haven’t heard “Adam’s ale” for ages.

I referred to an INSET day as a ‘Baker day’ recently and got some very blank looks.

A right two and eight it something I use as a description
Or it’s dark over Bills mothers

Adams ale is a phrase my dad uses regularly

33 and foreign. Haven’t heard of any of these! Thanks op.

I know. Never read Malory Towers though. I'm 52.

A lad in my year when I was at agricultural college about 100 years ago used to say he was 'away to bar the hens in for the night'. I never knew if it was a euphemism or he was actually going to bar the hens in

I'm 28 and know it, but I know it from Mallory Towers.

Imagine it happening now, all the girls in a class jointly deciding to ignore one girl. Totally bullying. But I always thought it seemed fair enough in the books!

It was Bill's horse and he was called Thunder.
Clarissa's pony was Merrylegs.
Gwendoline hated horses!

right two and eight

That's cockney rhyming slang for a state.

My grandparents were East Enders so we still use a lot of rhyming slang in our family. I think its really cute when kids use it

I use this all the time - got it from my mum

"You know what thought did, followed a dustcart thought it was a wedding"

And "enough blue to make a sailor's knickerbockers"

I’d forgotten about Baker Days. We always used to call them that when I was at school in the 90’s. Don’t hear it at all now. This thread is making me miss my dad, he always used to come out with old sayings like these. If he was ever looking after us and I said ‘I’m hungry’ he’d reply with ‘I’m Poland’ and if I ever said ‘I’m thirsty’ he’d reply ‘I’m Friday’. It used to drive me bloody mad.

If there was woman that my grandma wanted to bitch about (normally for supposed affairs and such like) she’d do a dramatic look to see who was listening, then say ‘you know what they say about her.... she doesn’t clean behind the fridge’. I’d nod sagely (aged 8 or something) and agree with her. I’ve never heard anyone else say it and still have no bloody idea what she meant. Has anyone else heard of that?

I believe the ‘Charlie’s dead’ one about your petticoat showing is in reference to a flag being at half mast when someone has died. We used to use it at school but I’m mid 50’s so it’s a while back.

'Were you born in a barn?' - if you left a door open!

'Who's 'she'? The cat's mother?' - if you referred to a female as she rather than her name!

Weren't school inset days called baker days as that was the name of the politician who came up with the idea, or had something to do with it.
I've used many of these expressions!

My Granny used to say "I see said the blind man" ...

... reading a closed book in the corner of a round room.

My kids give me a silent raised eyebrow for that one. Not surprising really!

Also, I used to get asked to do things by parents/GPs who couldn't because "I've got a bone in my leg".

"Me too," was always my reply. Never did any good, however.

Yes, also, to "sent to Coventry". Thanks to PPs for the likely origin - not being in the UK, I always wondered what was so bad about Coventry that no one would ever speak to you again if you went there .

I know but probably because of Malory Towers.

Only ever heard my grandma say it a couple of times. Definitely old fashioned and even when it was a well known phrase I don't think it was used very often.

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.

My dad is 60 something and from East London dad, so not sure if they're unique to his area but I particularly like:

I should coco
I'm alright jack, pull up the ladder
Filthy moolah
Sponduliks

I know. But I'm 45 and went to boarding school...

I was actually sent to Coventry at school in the 90's, by a group of girls, after one of them asked if I liked her new shoes, and I said no. They actually used the phrase.

I think they were probably just copying the book though and were looking for a reason to do it.

There was once a silent monastery in Coventry

I'm 63 and I only know "sent to Coventry" from Enid Blyton. Never heard it said in real life.