Londoners, Cockneys, Pearlies and other salt-of-the-earth

Londoners, Cockneys and Pearlies

Cock'ney, n. & a. A bloke from a certain part of London, more or less within the sound of Bow Bells, a way of life, an accent, salt of the earth, backbone of the British army. Sometimes a term of derision when used by non-Londoners, a term of pride to the Cockneys themselves. Me, I'm only a Cockney if the wind was in the right direction and everything else dead quiet but my mother-in-law was born right inside the bell itself. Mind 'ow you go, Lil.

The Pearlies

Pearly gear is worn by Cockneys in festive mood, costumes with distinctive patterns of mother-of-pearl buttons. Pearly Kings and Queens, Princes and Princesses can be seen on parade at the annual Harvest Festival in St Martins-in-the-Fields. Not all Pearlies are costers or vice-versa but they are all involved in charitable work and public service. The tradition has interesting origins and dates back about 120 years but this will have to be the subject of another page altogether. Picture: Vicky and I in front of the legislature in Victoria, B.C., little England beyond Canada, around 1990.
Notice: Pearly Gear and Pearl Buttons for sale, Click Here

Some Cockneys of note:

Click on the list on the left.
*Albert Chevalier, archetype Cockney comedian was actually from the rather toney Notting Hill area. Top of the bill in 1900.
*Mick Jagger is America's image of a Cockney but is actually from Dartford, Kent.
*Bob Hope was born in Eltham.

Other notable Englishmen: Sir Tim Berners-Lee, Web Founder Combined HTML with URLS and came up with the World Wide Web.

This is what the Cockney alphabet looks like:

A for 'Orses            ('ay for 'orses) 		            
B for Mutton            (Beef or Mutton) 
C for Miles             (see for miles) 
D for Ential            (Differential) 
E for Brick             ('Eave a Brick) 
F for Vessence          (Effervescence) 
G for Get It            (Gee, forget it!) 
H for Bless You         (Aitsshfa! A sneeze) 
I for The Engine        (Ivor the Engine) 
J for Oranges           (Jaffa Oranges) 
K for Restaurant        (Cafe or Restaurant) 
L for Leather           ('Ell for Leather) 
M for Sis               (Emphasis) 
N for Lope              (Envelope) 
O for The Garden Wall   (Over the Garden Wall) 
P for Relief            (??) 
Q for a Bus             (Queue for a Bus) 
R for Mo                ('alf a Mo) 
S for Rantzen           (Esther Rantzen) 
T for Two               (Tea for Two) 
U for Me                (You for Me) 
V for La France         (Vive la France) 
W for the Winnings      (Double you for the Winnings) 
X for Breakfast         (Eggs for Breakfast) 
Y for Husband           (Wife or Husband) 
Z for Wind              (Zephyr Wind)

Alphabet submitted by Tony Reus. Thanks Tony


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