Do you know where Will's mother lives?

[AnnaQuayInTheUk]

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.

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

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.

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

This has given me a headache. 😂

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.

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!

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

I reckon they all live near Sylvia's mother

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

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

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”

Seek the random Midlander on the family tree!

‘It’s looking black over Will’s mother’s’

Brighton.

DH from Leicester insists it’s Bill’s mother’s.

He is wrong.

Never heard of Bill's or Will's mother's house but, like other Salopian's, I'm familiar with going round the Wrekin.

Nailed it.

I’m in the East Midlands, my grandad was a proud Geordie and we all knew about Bill’s mothers. Although mother was pronounced like moth with ers on the end!

Dh is from the Black Country and knows all about Bill’s mother’s! The first time he mentioned it, I didn’t have a clue either. Despite my Mum also coming from there, I’d never heard the saying. She did used to say ‘all round the Wrekin’ to denote a convoluted journey, though!

Up north here, no idea what you're talking about but intrigued...

Never heard this before, I’m Scottish and lived down south for a while

One for Suzie Dent maybe?

@Uricon2
Thats what I understood too. If that’s true, I live near the village where his mum had her farm.

So I’d be very specific if I was describing a storm!

I’m in Essex. 40 years ago I worked in The City with a lady from Goodmayes (East London borders). She introduced me to the phrased “Black over Will’s Mother’s way” meaning a storm/ heavy rain was brewing.

Loved the phrase and now use it. Doing my bit to spread its use.

Black over Bill's mother (looks like there's going to be heavy rain) and
'all around the Wrekin (took a long detour)

I'm feeling a bit left out as a southwestern (with in laws from Lancashire and Liverpool) who's never heard this... so would anyone like to extend the discussion by telling me if they know what a grammasow is?

Same here!