Folklore: Dark over Bill's mothers

Subject: RE: Folklore: Dark over Bill's mothers
From: IanC
Date: 05 May 09 - 08:02 AM

I wonder if the East Anglian usage "all round Will's mothers" is related. Usually used to mean you have gone an unnecessarily long way.

Clearly means "over yonder" in both.

Are there any other Will's Mother / Bill's Mother usages?

:-)

Subject: RE: Folklore: Dark over Bill's mothers
From: Backwoodsman
Date: 05 May 09 - 07:24 AM

Here in The Darkest Backwoods of N.W. Lincolnshire, it's 'black o'er granny's".

Subject: RE: Folklore: Dark over Bill's mothers
From: bubblyrat
Date: 05 May 09 - 06:21 AM

I have been saying it for years, only it has always been (in West Sussex and Oxfordshire) "WILF'S mother's place" (which I think sounds better anyway).

Subject: RE: Folklore: Dark over Bill's mothers
From: Hamish
Date: 05 May 09 - 06:02 AM

Yup! My missus's grandmother used to say "It's looking black over Will's mother's". Born and bred in south-west Herts. She'd have been about 110 years old this year if'n she'd not died that is. She doesn't say much at all these days.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Dark over Bill's mothers
From: GUEST,Jim Martin
Date: 05 May 09 - 05:41 AM

Used to be very common in N.Bucks/S.Beds area but not sure whether it was Will's or Bill's mothers!

Subject: RE: Folklore: Dark over Bill's mothers
From: Wyrd Sister
Date: 05 May 09 - 05:36 AM

Thanks folks - I too thought it was local. The spread made me wonder if it had been on some pre-war radio show ("Shall I do you now sir?" and so on) but Emma B's post suggests otherwise...

Subject: RE: Folklore: Dark over Bill's mothers
From: Noreen
Date: 04 May 09 - 06:09 PM

I've only ever heard it since moving down to Worcestershire (It's black over Bill's mother's).
Never heard it where I grew up in Lancashire, nor when living in Sheffield.

Thought it was a very local thing here- fascinating to know that other people know of it!

Subject: RE: Folklore: Dark over Bill's mothers
From: Xicon
Date: 04 May 09 - 03:56 PM

We used the saying "A bit black over Bill's mothers " meaning rain visible in the distance, in Essex about 20 years ago, not heard it since I've been in North Lancashire.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Dark over Bill's mothers
From: mandotim
Date: 04 May 09 - 02:29 PM

Oldham usage, as I recall, was 'Annie's mothers'.
Tim

Subject: RE: Folklore: Dark over Bill's mothers
From: Folkiedave
Date: 04 May 09 - 02:02 PM

Yep, Sheffield/Chesterfield area. Said by my mother.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Dark over Bill's mothers
From: Acorn4
Date: 04 May 09 - 01:06 PM

Very common in East Sussex used by my grandparents.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Dark over Bill's mothers
From: GUEST,Johnny Beezer
Date: 04 May 09 - 07:36 AM

Very common in the Black Country in my experience.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Dark over Bill's mothers
From: greg stephens
Date: 04 May 09 - 06:51 AM

As far as I can remember, I've only heard it used in Cheshire and Stoke(N Staffs).

Subject: RE: Folklore: Dark over Bill's mothers
From: RTim
Date: 03 May 09 - 11:41 AM

My mother used it often when I was a child in south Hampshire (abutting the New Forest) - but I seemed to remember she said "Will's mothers"
Tim Radford

Subject: RE: Folklore: Dark over Bill's mothers
From: Emma B
Date: 03 May 09 - 10:57 AM

According to The Phrase Finder
'The Revd P.W. Gallop, Hampshire, wrote in 1994 that he had traced the saying to eleven counties and commented on its age....... suggests that the saying has been used at least by several generations'

Subject: RE: Folklore: Dark over Bill's mothers
From: Martin Graebe
Date: 03 May 09 - 10:56 AM

Shan's family (Londoners) have it the other way round - 'Its looking brighter over Will's mother's."

Martin

Subject: RE: Folklore: Dark over Bill's mothers
From: Peter the Squeezer
Date: 03 May 09 - 10:46 AM

It's a common expression round Notts / Derbys / Leics, but nobody seems to know who Bill or his mother are / were.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Dark over Bill's mothers
From: Flash Company
Date: 03 May 09 - 10:01 AM

Again in Cheshire as 'It's lookin' a bit black o'er our Bill's'

FC

Subject: RE: Folklore: Dark over Bill's mothers
From: Dave Hunt
Date: 03 May 09 - 09:33 AM

Also in the Black Country as - 'I's (looking)a bit black at the back of Bill's mothers'

Subject: RE: Folklore: Dark over Bill's mothers
From: Emma B
Date: 03 May 09 - 07:43 AM

It was a common expression here in Cheshire too although childhood queries as to who Bill, or his mother, was never really got a reply.

Subject: Folklore: Dark over Bill's mothers
From: Wyrd Sister
Date: 03 May 09 - 07:32 AM

Have any of you heard of the saying "It's looking a bit dark/black over Bill's mothers", meaning approaching rain or threatening clouds? I know it from Sheffield, hubby's mother was from Nottinghamshire and knew it from there, and this weekend I heard it used by someone originally from Stoke.

I'm just curious as to how widespread the saying is, or if there are other regional variants, so come on Catters!