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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask if you know of any 'urban myths' that are actually true?

290 replies

manicinsomniac · 12/05/2013 17:27

a colleague told me the other day that her husband had been to school with a brother and sister called Everard and Ophelia Dick. I was very dismissive, told her I'd heard that story several times before, that it was an urban myth and possibly on snopes.com.

Luckily I stopped short of saying that the story probably had racist undertones.

But I've just googled them and they're well documented in the same town that her husband is from. So the chances are he's right. I'm very Blush and will have to tell her so in the morning.

I get so used to these name tales being false and offensive that I didn't think there was any way it was going to be true.

Does anybody know if any of the others are true?

OP posts:
Original poster
manicinsomniac · 12/05/2013 19:56

I think having the same first name as surname is common in both Wales and Scandanavia (ag David Davies and Magnus Magnuson)

OP posts:
TheCrackFox · 12/05/2013 20:04

I once met a Gordon Bennett. What were his parents thinking?

Hiphopopotamus · 12/05/2013 20:10

I went to school with a Peter File (bless him) and best of all, genuinely, a Hugh Cumber!

marriedinwhiteagain · 12/05/2013 20:11

Iona MacIntosh
Victor D Clapp
Mr W Ankerson
Rose Plant
Also met a Richard Head (eek) and where I'm from the surname Johncock isn't uncommon!!

VenusStarr · 12/05/2013 20:12

I had a teacher in sixth form called Jo King Grin

KittensoftPuppydog · 12/05/2013 20:12

My gynecologist was called mr fish.

MyCarHasBrokenDownAgain · 12/05/2013 20:12

I've also met a couple of people with the surname 'Spiss' - add any first name for much hilarity Grin

YNK · 12/05/2013 20:13

Frends dd, Abbie Hind!

JennyEnglish · 12/05/2013 20:14

Years ago my Dad had a phonecall from sombody Gotobed and he just said 'ah gwan outta that stop messing' and hung up. Then he thought, the voice lacked humour, it sounded weary, not cocky or amused... so he looked yerman up in the phone book and there he was.

MonsieurReynard · 12/05/2013 20:14

Creepy rather than funny, but Purple Aki would probably belong in this thread? Late 80s/early 90s bogeyman in school playgrounds around NE England who was physically massive, either purple-skinned or in purple clothes, and asked boys to touh their muscles (then sometimes molested/ kidnapped/killed them - the story got more dramatic with each retelling!) Turns out he was actually a real person (although not purple), and is now in prison on sex offences - which hasn't stopped there still being playground scares and rumours about him appearing, so he's gone from urban myth to real criminal to urban myth again! There's a pretty informative thread on Fortean Times - hopefully this link'll work... www.forteantimes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=37433

marjproops · 12/05/2013 20:14

is this just about names?

i mean, id like to know if jelly DOES take away the white spots that appear on your nails!!!! myth or truth?

Hassled · 12/05/2013 20:16

Another "not about names" question - the whether rats really do swim up your pipes and out of your toilet question. Someone on MN swore it had happened to her - but I want to believe it's a myth. And anyway - what's the rat's motivation?

louisianablue2000 · 12/05/2013 20:18

OH, it's just about names. I was at school with a Penny Black.

But if it's about urban myths generally my SIL did have a spot that burst and lots of baby spiders came out of it. She's been in the Amazon (with Peter Duncan of Blue Peter fame no less!).

DangerousBeanz · 12/05/2013 20:18

There was a dinner lady at my sons school called Mrs Bottom, which is unfortunate enough, but her christian name was Pat. She must have really loved Mr Bottom to take on that name.

LunaticFringe · 12/05/2013 20:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MoanyYoni · 12/05/2013 20:33

Unfortunately I don't have any names to add but I just wanted to thank you all for making me almost roll off the sofa from laughing. Possibly the funniest thread I've ever read on MN.

Also a revelation, there are an awful lot of Dick Head's out there!

samithesausage · 12/05/2013 20:37

I once went to school with a laurie driver!

Fakebook · 12/05/2013 20:40

In the first prank call I ever made, my sister made me call a random number and ask for Hugh Jars. The man who answered told me he didn't know but he could have a look for him. Epic fail.

Thisvehicleisreversing · 12/05/2013 20:41

My brother had a surgeon called Michael Hunt Grin

My friend at school's mum was called 'Firstname' Theresa Greene Grin

Original poster
manicinsomniac · 12/05/2013 20:46

arghh hassled I really hope that's not a myth too!
My sister got hit on the bum by a frog jumping up at her from the toilet bowl in Brazil. But that probably just hopped in there rather than swimming up the pipe.

A non name related one that I've always believed but, thinking about it, is so unlikely to be true is that we eat 5 spiders over a lifetime in our sleep. I'm fairly sure I'd wake up if there was a spider in my mouth!

Somebody also told me that KFC breed chickens without legs so that they get fatter. I was outraged. But then my family reminded me that you can buy chicken legs in KFC. I don't think that's an urban myth though, that was just someone taking advantage of my gullibility

OP posts:
Locketjuice · 12/05/2013 20:47

I know a Chris peacock.. Year above and school and was taken the piss out of everyday.. Didn't help he was as camp as ever so the boys generally took a dislike anyway!

starlightloz · 12/05/2013 20:48

My history teacher was called Roger Dick. He was also Head of Year 11 and so on his door it was written
' Mr. Dick
Head of Year 11". Oh we laughed. Also a Jenna Taylor in the year below me but nobody really picked up on that oddly.

Ezza1 · 12/05/2013 20:50

The baby spiders coming out of spots is a myth.

The baby spiders coming out of spots is a myth.

The baby spiders coming out of spots is a myth...

And repeat...

Original poster
manicinsomniac · 12/05/2013 20:53

^^
ooooh, what about the swimming in the amazon, swallowing snake eggs and having an anaconda living in your large intestine.
That used to give me nightmares. Apparently the woman's appetite was getting bigger and bigger and she was losing more and more weight.

Got to be false, surely.

Though I do know somebody who deliberately swallowed a tape worm after I repeated that story in the hope that she could eat loads and lose weight!

OP posts:
meddie · 12/05/2013 20:59

louisianablue2000 Did you go to school in Liverpool during the 70's as I also went to school with a Penny Black...

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