If I told you "It's snowing down south" would you check your weather app or your hemline?

[TeaAndStrumpets]

Also, what about poor Charlie? He must have died many times.

What never gets said these days?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toc_H Ah a bit adrift but it DID have its origins in WW1

The "dim as a Toc H lamp" comment might be to do with the fact that Toc H was part of the Naafi and was a bar or coffee bar. It was cheap and cheerful and could be an allusion to post-war times. Just a thought if the person making this comment is elderly.

Toc H was Talbot House near Ypres. There was a refuge/club for servicemen there set up by military chaplains. The lamps were oil with a wick, so a dim light.
My old scout group's hq was named after it, so we had a photo and story on the wall. There is a Christian charity named after it too.

One of the stylists in the hair salon I was in yesterday hadn't heard of Shanks's pony.

I haven't heard "you weren't made in pilks" (that geographically pinpoints a person), but "Tha makes a better door than a window" was used were I grew up.

There are dozens for going to the loo — going to rain over China, or shake the dew off a daffodil are ones that I remember elderly relatives using when I was little.

I never wore a slip for school, but I did have the vest-sewn-to-skirt petticoat for under winter dresses when I was little.

Another one - 'Were you born in a barn?' When doors were left open!
Our family also use the word blotto for when someone is fast asleep - but no one else I've met has ever used it!

Haven't read the full thread but was interested to find the info below about origin of "Charlie's dead" (which I had always assumed was Cockney as my mum was very cross when I said it and I was always being told off for picking up the local accent).

*The earliest occurrence of the phrase Charlie’s dead that I have found is from Miscellany, published in the Manchester Guardian (Manchester, Lancashire, England) of 29th October 1956—
In this district we say “Charlie’s dead” to warn a friend that her petticoat is showing (writes “A. B.,” of Ilkley). According to the local savant this saying comes from Puritan days, when frills and furbelows were frowned on. When King Charles was dead, such things had to be hidden from masculine eyes. *

I grew up in the south east in 60s and 70s and have never heard either of those first phrases. Still hear spend a penny and not as green as they are cabbage looking sometimes.

It became an international Christian charity/Volunteer organisation. Still exists although I'm not quite sure in what form.

My (late) Mum was a member in her late teens/early 20s - I guess. I know through volunteering she did with them she met my (late) Dad (who was a volunteer with another organisation). So without Toc H.....

Spend a penny must be common even these days most major trains stations you have pay use loo. I know some seaside towns older public loos still have money slots on the doors. I remember as a child having use 10p to go to loo in town.

Can't remember where it was, but there were loos you had to pay to access, but everyone just held the door open for the next person! Completely pointless.

Trains near us you dont pay. I dont think I ever encountered paying for a loo (and Im 40s) outisde of waterloo station when visiting london!

Spending a penny is still in common usage where I live (Midlands). I don't say it myself but lots of people use it.

I remember Charlie's dead from my childhood in the South East. Haven't heard that for years, but we never really dress like that now, do we? Never heard of raining/snowing in Paris or elsewhere!

Coals to Newcastle - yes, quite common. Not surprising that it's dying out now, I guess.

Born in a barn - yes, my dad used to say that. Along with put the wood in the hole for close the door.

Blotto, if I remember rightly, meant blind drunk in our house, or otherwise completely out of it!

I'd never heard of references to Charlie or snowing down South but my Scottish great aunts used "Whiteinch is lower than Partick" for "your slip is showing". Possibly the 'joke' here is that White Inch is slightly North of Partick, so not usually below it... never heard anyone else say it but grew up in London so most of my family's Scotticisms are slightly baffling to me.

[[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Whiteinch,+Glasgow/@55.872812,-4.3379053,14z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x488845f125f111dd:0x260c681a9c2b5d12!8m2!3d55.8751408!4d-4.3403687
Map showing Whiteinch and Partick]], in Glasgow.

Jo

I've heard spending a penny on TV and remember Paris from when I was at school.

My dad says "it's black over Bill's mother's" when the sky gets cloudy and dark. I don't know who Bill is. Or his mother.

@TeaAndStrumpets

Also, what about poor Charlie? He must have died many times.

What never gets said these days?

My Mum used to say both of these.

@inappropriateraspberry

Can't remember where it was, but there were loos you had to pay to access, but everyone just held the door open for the next person! Completely pointless.

Same principle, we always used to give our part used parking ticket to arriving motorists. Our council charged a fortune even for short stays, so annoying if you'd only had 20 minutes use of a one hour slot. They have now got wise to this with number recognition etc. Strangely enough they still charge by the full hour.

My dad (87) has occasionally inflicted this phrase on us. 'Just going to see a friend off to the coast.'

A friend of mine says "I'm going to see a mirror" for going to the toilet, that was a new one on me!

Flying low was for flies undone where I grew up, but totally missed any petticoat chat.

@JoBrodie

I'd never heard of references to Charlie or snowing down South but my Scottish great aunts used "Whiteinch is lower than Partick" for "your slip is showing". Possibly the 'joke' here is that White Inch is slightly North of Partick, so not usually below it... never heard anyone else say it but grew up in London so most of my family's Scotticisms are slightly baffling to me.

[[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Whiteinch,+Glasgow/@55.872812,-4.3379053,14z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x488845f125f111dd:0x260c681a9c2b5d12!8m2!3d55.8751408!4d-4.3403687
Map showing Whiteinch and Partick]], in Glasgow.

Jo

Jo you are a Mumsnet star because a map is more authoritative than a diagram.

Our family also use the word blotto for when someone is fast asleep - but no one else I've met has ever used it!
Blotto is blind drunk, surely?

I use spend a penny and coals to Newcastle – I’m 40 going on a hundred

Never heard of the petticoat phrases. I used to work with a woman who, when she needed the loo, would say “I’m off to wet my lettuce”

Another one! 'Enough blue sky to make a pair of sailor's trousers.' or along those those lines. My mum said it all the time, I say it and my 6 year old has picked it up!

The housekeeper on last week’s episode of All Creatures Great And Small said of a rather flirty lady “if she were any more forward she’d ha been here yesterday” which definitely sounds like one of my grandma’s
.

If my grandma thought someone was being inappropriately flirty she’d say “she’s no better than she ought to be”.