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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Lancashire => Topic started by: Sendgridover on Tuesday 29 November 22 13:28 GMT (UK)
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Whilst researching my Lancashire heritage circa late 1800's particularly around the Farnworth / Kearsley / Ringley area I have come across a nickname used to describe a family member, 'Owd Peff'. The 'Owd' I get but 'Peff' is something I am familiar with. His name was David if that helps? Has anyone come across this before and could shed any light?
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I think it might come from 'puff' so maybe he was a heavy smoker or coughed/wheezed a lot?
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I'd agree with Barbara.H - in my book "The Yorkshire Dictionary of Dialect, Tradition and Folklore" -
peff = to cough, usually slightly, as with a tickly cough; to breathe in short gasps, etc. (?variation of puff)
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I live only a short distance from the Bolton/Farnworth/Kearsley area, and was brought up speaking dialect, and in the years since my childhood, have made a study of the dialect and folk speech of South Lancashire.
I have to admit I have never come across the word 'Peff' in dialect usage. The fact it is prefaced with 'Owd' indicates it was most likely a name given to a family, rather than an individual, and its origins may be lost.
An example: Sixty years ago, in my home village there were two families. One was known by the nickname 'Parse', and the other by the nickname 'Chegg', these names having no resemblance to their actual surnames or christian names, and not being dialect terms.
Any enquiry as to how they came by these names was always met with a shrug of the shoulders, and the words "they've allus bin co'd (called) that".
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Owd also has a slightly affectionate connotation.
It means old.
So usually of an older person , well known in the community.
I have not met with it meaning a family .
I lived in Manchester but now in Ramsbottom ,which had forty plus years ago a rich dialect of its own,sadly fast disappearing.
Juxtapositioning of letters so bird becomes brid,as in Samuel Laycock’s poem about the famine years — “ Thart welcome little bonny brid
,But shouldn’t ha. Come just when tha did,
Toimes are bad.
We’re short pobbies fir eawr Joe
But that o course tha didn’t know,
Did ta lad?
Double t as in butter becomes buther ,water becomes wather,oh lots , and much changed with the influx of people not local .
I love it,living history.
Viktoria.
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Owd also has a slightly affectionate connotation.
It means old.
So usually of an older person , well known in the community.
I have not met with it meaning a family .
Viktoria - I meant using the term 'Owd' to distinguish between generations in a family.
In the case of Sendgridover's ancestor there might have been 'Owd Peff', his son 'Young Peff', and his son, 'Young Peff's lad'.
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Ah! Thankyou ,I see your meaning now,
I don’t hear anymore the distinguishing of two people with the same first names there used to be ie, Jack o Tom o Bill’s.
In other words Jack,son of Tom who is the son of Bill , a different person to Jack o Harry o Bob’s.
That only worked in a close knit community where several generations were still living in close proximity.
Thanks, an interesting topic.
Viktoria o Alice o Margaret Ann.
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Is the pub Owd Betts on Ashworth Moor above Norden/Rochdale still going? It fascinated me as a child, but haven't been back to Norden for many years now.
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Mr Google appears to thing that Owd Betts is still in business from 1796! It has it's own website, and appears on various others.
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Thanks, Bumblebee.
It looks rather upmarket these days!
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Looking at its location, it would have to have some sort of attraction - not exactly on the High Street, is it?
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We had many a picnic up on Ashworth Moor, but we were too young to go into the pub.
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It has outstanding views, does food but has changed hands a good few times
There was another pub a little distance away, but now a nursery.
Ashworth reservoir across the road.was very low,surprisingly, when we went ,just a bit of fresh( VERY) fresh air.
I was hoping to be taken to Bleakholt ,not as an inmate you understand but to find a little dog but son drove straight past! Wonder why?
I can’t remember the name of the other pub.
So remote,but the quickest way to Rochdale, avoiding traffic.
I imagine the pub served the rural community of years ago, shepherds etc , but there were also some very small coal mines, and a quarry.
Somewhere not far away is Edwin Waugh’s grave with a spring and memorial stone .
A Lancashire poet along with Ben Brierly,Samuel Laycock.
The rain comes across like stair rods, and stunted trees are bent to survive the strong winds with nothing to stop them blowing between Rochdale and Ramsbottom !
Robert Peel’s tower ,erected in thanks for his repeal of the iniquitous Corn Laws ,1843, on the opposite Rt. side ,Holcombe Hill.
Manchester on the very far horizon.
Wild , with its own special attraction - not just the pub either!
I won ‘t sleep now!
What was the other pub called.?
Viktoria.
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Mr Google appears to thing that Owd Betts is still in business from 1796! It has it's own website, and appears on various others.
My daughter went to a wedding there a couple of months ago.
Do you mean The Fisherman’s Retreat, Viktoria?
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Not sure but it too is right opposite Ashworth reservoir ,so highly likely.
Many thanks . Viktoria.Although There is a Fisherman’s’ Retreat up Gincroft Lane,Shuttleworth .A reservoir stocked with trout etc ,
The fish are to be caught by you , cooked and eaten at the restaurant” catch your own” literally.
I could not look a fish in the eye if I was going to eat it!
I will look it up.
Thanks .Viktoria.