Thorflyn

Re Any Old Iron: "Iron" = "Iron Hoof" it was (is?) at one time cockney rhyming slang for a "Poof" (Fag if you are in the US). We used to use it in the 60s/70s but it goes back to Harry Champion's time at least. The green tie was also a sign that you were of that persuasion according to a very interesting newspaper article published here a few years back. Unfortunately I cannot remember which one or the date. I believe the watch and chain was also used in some way to denote the same thing.

Re the green tie motif this also turns up in another music hall context in Billy Bennett's "Green Tie On The Little Yellow Dog" whch is a send up of "The Green Eye of the Litle Yellow God".

There is a whole CD of Bennett's material available on the Topic label in London which I highly reccomend

Hoot