Slang

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Bruno
Posts: 331
Joined: Fri 29 Jul, 2011 9:54 am

Re: Slang

Post by Bruno »

Further to Ian’s post, I heard (some time ago, can’t remember where) that criminals who opened safes by using an explosive were known as petremen in reference to the saltpetre (chemically correctly called potassium nitrate) which was one of the three principal components of gunpowder (or black powder), the other two being sulfur and charcoal.
The older I get, the better I was.

iansmithofotley
Posts: 558
Joined: Fri 28 Dec, 2007 4:10 pm

Re: Slang

Post by iansmithofotley »

Hi Bruno,

Your post reminds of a job that I went to around 1973 when I was a D.S. at Dewsbury Road Police Station C.I.D. There was a burglary at the premises of Ringtons Tea in Parkside Lane and the safe had been 'attacked'. When I got there I found that the safe had been 'blown' with explosives but the burglar had used far too much explosive. I think that large boxes of tea bags had been used to surround the safe to keep the noise down and stifle the explosion. Not only was the safe, and its contents, completely wrecked but part of the building was unsafe and I seem to remember tea bags had been blown out of the building into Parkside Lane. The burglar got nothing from the safe as everything was destroyed and I think there had also been a fire.

Ian

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buffaloskinner
Posts: 1435
Joined: Sun 01 Apr, 2007 6:02 pm
Location: Nova Scotia

Re: Slang

Post by buffaloskinner »

iansmithofotley wrote:I think that large boxes of tea bags had been used to surround the safe to keep the noise down and stifle the explosion. Not only was the safe, and its contents, completely wrecked but part of the building was unsafe and I seem to remember tea bags had been blown out of the building into Parkside Lane. The burglar got nothing from the safe as everything was destroyed and I think there had also been a fire.
Ian
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tilly
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Joined: Mon 11 Jan, 2010 2:32 pm

Re: Slang

Post by tilly »

Thanks for your post Ian from your post on police slang rozzers dates back to the late 19th century.
No matter were i end my days im an Hunslet lad with Hunslet ways.

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blackprince
Posts: 878
Joined: Tue 04 Sep, 2007 2:10 pm

Re: Slang

Post by blackprince »

Bruno wrote:Further to Ian’s post, I heard (some time ago, can’t remember where) that criminals who opened safes by using an explosive were known as petremen in reference to the saltpetre (chemically correctly called potassium nitrate) which was one of the three principal components of gunpowder (or black powder), the other two being sulfur and charcoal.
As a chemist (rtd) I like the saltpetre explanation but there are other possibilities.
The origin of peterman came up in a thriller I am currently reading. It was generally used for a safe cracker by any means - not just by use of gunpowder.
There are other possible explanations. Some dictionaries say that the 17th C slang for a safe or strong box was a "peter". The origin may have been religious - St Peter holding the keys to heaven.
It used to be said that the statue of the Black Prince had been placed in City Square , near the station, pointing South to tell all the southerners who've just got off the train to b****r off back down south!

volvojack
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Joined: Tue 26 Jan, 2016 11:57 am

Re: Slang

Post by volvojack »

I recall that Two of my Uncles who were the Army often referred to Mounted Regiments, Cavalry etc. as "Donkey Wallopers". obviously as a derogatory term. Just as we in the "RAF. referred to the Army lads as "Pongos" and they called us "Brylcreem Boys".

As Regards to this expression in relation to the Police I had a look on Line and it mentions the Term "Donkey Wallopers" as Mounted Police when attending Public Events i.e. Football Matches, Pop Concerts and such.

MiggyBill
Posts: 135
Joined: Fri 11 Mar, 2016 6:00 pm

Re: Slang

Post by MiggyBill »

iansmithofotley wrote:Hi Bruno,

Your post reminds of a job that I went to around 1973 when I was a D.S. at Dewsbury Road Police Station C.I.D. There was a burglary at the premises of Ringtons Tea in Parkside Lane and the safe had been 'attacked'. When I got there I found that the safe had been 'blown' with explosives but the burglar had used far too much explosive. I think that large boxes of tea bags had been used to surround the safe to keep the noise down and stifle the explosion. Not only was the safe, and its contents, completely wrecked but part of the building was unsafe and I seem to remember tea bags had been blown out of the building into Parkside Lane. The burglar got nothing from the safe as everything was destroyed and I think there had also been a fire.

Ian
Hope police resources were not too *strained" in apprehending the *the tea leaves". They probably thought "this one's in the bag" until the explosion, then they knew trouble was "brewing"

Oh dear!

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tilly
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Joined: Mon 11 Jan, 2010 2:32 pm

Re: Slang

Post by tilly »

I had to laugh at that Bill my first job on leaving school was at Ringtons.That would be in nineteen fifty seven there was a factory next door that made pork pies to die for sorry for going off thread.
No matter were i end my days im an Hunslet lad with Hunslet ways.

volvojack
Posts: 1471
Joined: Tue 26 Jan, 2016 11:57 am

Re: Slang

Post by volvojack »

An old expression you never hear nowadays "What the Cobbler threw at his Wife"..... Which referred to The Last, usually "No More". Most Houses had one of these Multi sided pieces of Iron,each side was different in the shape of a Shoe / Boot and Father would repair or Resol the family Footwear.
Nowadays they are quite often used as Doorstops.

volvojack
Posts: 1471
Joined: Tue 26 Jan, 2016 11:57 am

Re: Slang

Post by volvojack »

I know that Laikin' Is a Yorkshire expression for playing but when i try and Google it, there is not a clear definition.

Also we always used the Expression "Right as Ninepence" meaning we were O.K. Don't know where that came from

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