Crumbs...

Mid 70's in north London we called it French Skipping. I can't remember rhymes, but we did have names for the moves (not that I can remember them!!!) It was more like playing cat's cradle than skipping. We also had a thing where you either used two elastic ropes or a really long one that you'd double up to do all the moves on "tramlines".

The knicker elastic ropes were always waaay better than the elastic band ones, the elastic bands used to tear the hairs off you legs!