Old Sayings and Modern Counterparts

[eadaoin]

and in Dublin a penny was a "wing" (in my father's time, anyway!)

as in the song "The Waxies Dargle"

If you have a wing-oh
Take her up to Ring-oh
Where the Waxies sing-oh . . etc

[KGarrad]

I was always confused in Ireland, when I visited to play croquet.

The toss of a coin at the start of each game was always accompanied by the call "Stags or Harps"!!

[Jed59]

Other sayings which seem to be local to north east Manchester:-
"I've got/had  more.(whatever) .... than Soft Mick"
I've been stood here like piffy/ one of Lewis's   (mannequins,in a department store that used to be on Piccadilly) Nobody knows who piffy or soft mick were.
 Like  cheese at fourpence seems to be more Oldham way .
Oh and on the programme about the young Inspector Morse,   (Endeavour) his boss  came out with the delightful northern expression "He's nowt a pound , and s---'s tuppence (he isn't worth bothering about)

[eadaoin]

The toss of a coin at the start of each game was always accompanied by the call "Stags or Harps"!!

well, all our pre-decimal coins had animals on them . . do I remember a Stag??

[eadaoin]

The toss of a coin at the start of each game was always accompanied by the call "Stags or Harps"!!

well, all our pre-decimal coins had animals on them . . do I remember a Stag??

edit: I don't see a Stag

[Sinann]

The toss of a coin at the start of each game was always accompanied by the call "Stags or Harps"!!

well, all our pre-decimal coins had animals on them . . do I remember a Stag??

Stag was decimal on the £1 coin.

[Roobarb]

To spend a penny
A 30 year old of my acquaintance was astonished to learn just a few days ago that once upon a time you had to pay to use a public loo, and that was where this phrase came from
      

Dawn M

Once upon a time? Have you tried the loos in Kings Cross station?    It's something like 60p    Probably the same shocking price in the other London stations. When I felt the need I waited till I got on the train and had a free one. 

[Berlin-Bob]

"to spend a penny ..."

I remember seeing a wrist band once, it looked a bit like a watch, but it was a penny in a leather case, with the inscription ....

        "Penny in case" 

If someone found that among their parents' and grandparents' effects, it would mean nothing .... unless they knew the original meaning and could appreciate the joke.
 
regards,
Bob

[LFS]

Haven't seen three ha'pence (1 1/2 pence)

My beloved from the south was thrown by one or two expressions when he came north - for instance starving can mean cold as well as hungry.  And was impressed by being asked 'would you jump into my grave as quickly' if  he sat in someone's chair.

But one  I have never sussed is my Gran's 'ditto brother chip' to someone having a go at her (my Mum told us of that one and she was puzzled too)  Any ideas?
Derby Girl