The Bluestocking - Best Pub on the Internet

[EdithStourton]

Welcome to the Bluestocking women's pub. Excellent (if sometimes wilful) gerbil bar staff, varied cocktails, splendid cakes, cracking Sunday roasts...

Voted Best Pub for the umpteenth thread running, join us for conversation about tractors, units of measurement, films, wildlife, and even, sometimes, women's rights.

Just keep Glenda off the gin.

Any men, you can trot along to the Staunch Ally just up the road.

This Manchester thing is fascinating... even moreso than biscuits, and that's saying something this morning, on this board!

Birmingham was associated with trinkets and 'toys' - expensive precious metal ones, for grown-ups, so I can imagine 'Birmingham Items' would be understood by wholesalers in the past.

Was Manchester associated with the manufacture of corduroy? Like 'De Nîmes' etc.

A number of my elders worked in shops, and always used words like 'mantles' 'hosiery' 'millinery' - the one who worked mostly in hat-shops knew exactly why Luton Town FC are called The Hatters, because she remembered unpacking boxes of hats that had been sent from Luton.

Corduroy, often called "Manchester" in parts of Europe (such as Sweden, Czech Republic, and Germany), is a durable, ribbed textile with a rich history rooted in 18th-century Manchester, England. Renowned for its warmth and "wales" (raised ridges), it became popular for workwear and later, versatile fashion, ranging from fine to thick "elephant cord".

According to AI. It must be generational though. I don't think I ever heard my Mum say it (born 1933) only my Oma (born 1906).

Are you sure he wasn't Irish, knitted?😁
Hope you make it over here sometime, and we live up to your expectations of wit - yeah, we have our moments - and liveliness? - well you're a sloth, so that's shouldn't be hard😉

New thread required!

And gerbil-wrangling.

I think Gillian's enthusiasm for aerobics should be encouraged, lest she start again on the gin. Perhaps she can have a studio in the new Bluey where she can exercise with whoever wants to join her, as much as she wants?

I don't mind starting a new thread it's been a while. I hope you don't mind if I start it now though.

We did a mini tour of Ireland a few years ago and I thought I'd do a bit of family tree stuff at the same time. Found out recently that I was looking in the wrong county!!
Staff at a library (was just making a general enquiry) asked what name I was searching under. When I told them, they smiled and said ' oh there'll be thousands of them 😂you need more details'

New thread here

The Bluestocking women's Pub- spring is sprunging and MN's name generator can do one! | Mumsnet https://share.google/VsQ1WHqVmi1nVyc6s

Ooh, I've really annoyed myself with that lowercase w 😠

Fang queue!

Be careful, or you'll wear it out! I'm glad you're enjoying it.

We have a huge haberdashery in shopping-expedition range. The little tubes of buttons are a particular joy and a serious temptation.

There used to be a huge ironmonger's in the area, which sold everything from coffee spoons to lawn tractors, bird feeders to goat chains, nails to chainsaws. I was very sad when it closed.

Only in the Bluestocking can you open the thread and find yourself pondering the structural integrity of various types of biscuit, Beowolf and why certain sections of retail outfits are called Manchester - all within a couple of pages.

When I was a child my grandparents lived in Manchester and what is now the very trendy Northern Quarter, was full of outlets selling the products of the nearby factories. The Christy towelling company was quite famous then (I think they still exist) and had a factory at Droylsden. And the strong cotton produced in the Manchester area was ideal for making tea towels. In fact, the National Trust have a working cotton mill in Cheshire at Quarry Bank, which still makes tea towels for the visitor trade.

The talk of various parts of department stores made me think of the "Are You Being Served" opening titles;

Ground floor perfumery,
stationery and leather goods,
wigs and haberdashery
kitchenware and food... going up 😁

Did you go to a Library in Tipperary and ask about Ryans? or Gallaghers in Donegal? or Bolgers in Wexford? Or McCarthys in Cork?
It always amazes me that despite all the internal migration [not always voluntary😒] it's still possible to guess what county a person is from from their name.

Thank you for the new thread, Cake. If you want to change that pesky 'w', you can ask MNHQ and they'll change it for you.

Obviously it's still winter, hence the hats and scarves, and suddenly dark outside the Bluestocking, and here we are preparing to move to the next thread.

Oh dear...

Someone (I'm looking at you Georgie), has left the Tunnocks in full view while they get the van.

There is a reason why @Boiledbeetle has a secret stash...

They've gone feral

😲

Is that Gwendolyn and Gwendoline?
I think an intervention is required.

Magpie has dived in, attracted by the shiny paper to save the Tunnocks from the gerbils for Boily.

Unfortunately Boily has misunderstood Magpie's intervention and thinks she wants the Tunnocks for herself.

No, just the wrappers. Trying to help.

Meanwhile... The Gerbils' Logistics Team has turned up to help with the move.

None of them know what they’re doing. All of them are committed.

Actually, Boily, I think your stash is safe. These gerbils have Teanacles, the cheap knockoffs, not Teacakes.

They're also using an out of date Oyster card when we're not actually in London and the bus is free.

Gosie is somewhere between Bordeaux and indifference.
She left the gerbil group chat days ago so has no idea about the thread move.
Two bottles of Margaux, zero updates, no regrets.
She'll catch up with us eventually.

There is a lovely image of the gerbils trying to get on the bus but it's still under review.

ETA oh it's appeared!

And here we are.

Almost everyone gone.

Gina fell asleep in the peanuts again.

Finally, everyone is safely on the bus.

Ladies! It's kicking out time!

We have to go!

Mumsnet limitations, and all that.

But don't worry, there's a fresh new thread here where you can still drink and talk about biscuits. Look, it's just here: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/5506124-the-bluestocking-womens-pub-spring-is-sprunging-and-mns-name-generator-can-do-one

Locking up now.

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