Folklore: Sending someone to Coventry

Subject: Folklore: Sending someone to Coventry
From: Alba
Date: 01 Jan 06 - 08:34 AM

I don't know if I have put the proper prefix on this!

Does anyone know where, when and why the term of "sending someone to Coventry" came about?

Happy New Year!
Jude

Subject: RE: Folklore: Sending someone to Coventry
From: Ron Davies
Date: 01 Jan 06 - 08:49 AM

From a British-American dictionary compiled by Jeremy Smith (no idea who he is) : sending somebody to Coventry, meaning to ostracize him or her socially--comes from the English Civil War--when Royalist prisoners were sent to be held in custody in Coventry, a Roundhead stronghold.

This sounds plausible to me.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Sending someone to Coventry
From: Cllr
Date: 01 Jan 06 - 08:49 AM

Sending someone to coventry comes from when you had to have a license to trade in the markets in london if your license was revoked, for bad behaviour you had to go to another market to be able to work in business and the nearest was Coventry. Cllr

Subject: RE: Folklore: Sending someone to Coventry
From: Rasener
Date: 01 Jan 06 - 08:58 AM

Heres your atarter for 6 our kid.

1
Chambers states that there was once a garrison in Coventry, a fact which was massively unpopular with the local inhabitants, so much so that they would not even speak with any of the soldiers stationed there. Hence, it was effectively guaranteed that any soldier posted to Coventry would be in for some serious shunning.

2
Other sources, including The American Heritage Dictionary, claim that the phrase originated from Coventry being a stronghold of the parliamentary party at the time of the English Civil War, and that it was therefore where the most troublesome Royalists were imprisoned.

3
If someone is "sent to Coventry" then they are shunned by their fellow citizens and friends. There are three possible explanations for this phrase. The first comes from the English Civil War. Birmingham was strongly Parliamentarian; the citizens were aware of a small group of Royalists in their midst. Some of these they killed and others they sent as prisoners to nearby Coventry, also a Parliamentary town. Why they did this is not clear and, by being sent to Coventry, these people were rescued. In truth they had good fortune - their colleagues were killed.

4
The citizens of Coventry were in a phase of hating the military, possibly also as a result of the Civil War. Such was this hate that the young women of the town were forbidden to speak to the soldiers garrisoned there. Naturally no soldier welcomed such a posting.

5
It is suggested that the name Coventry is derived from Covin-tree, an oak which is supposed to have stood in front of the castle in feudal times. The tree was used as the gallows and those to be executed were sent to the covin-tree.

6
Its where Villa supporters send Manchester United and Birmingham fans :-)

Cheers our kid. Hope it helps. Should start a good discussion.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Sending someone to Coventry
From: Ron Davies
Date: 01 Jan 06 - 09:30 AM

Villan--

Fascinating, particularly the observation that, literally, being sent to Coventry turned out well for the Royalist prisoners.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Sending someone to Coventry
From: GUEST,gi joe
Date: 01 Jan 06 - 12:05 PM

What does the expression "sending someone to buggery" mean ??
I know what buggery is, but would it also be the name of a place??

Subject: RE: Folklore: Sending someone to Coventry
From: Alba
Date: 01 Jan 06 - 12:15 PM

Never heard of that expression myself Guest. So can't help you there.

Thanks so much Folks for your help as always.

It is an interesting phrase, brought back to mind by a Film I was watching the other night.
I had always known what it implied but not it's historical origins.
Villian...#6...righty o..heehee.
Looking forward to seeing if there are any more thoughts on the subject.
Thanks again
Love
Jude

Subject: RE: Folklore: Sending someone to Coventry
From: Bonecruncher
Date: 01 Jan 06 - 08:19 PM

According to the Daily Express yesterday the expression was firs noted one hundred years AFTER the Civil War. Similar explanations to those above were given.
Colyn.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Sending someone to Coventry
From: Gurney
Date: 02 Jan 06 - 01:30 AM

GI Joe, I've never heard of sending someone to buggery either. I've often heard people being told to GO to buggery, which puts a different slant on it, i.e. "get fucked!"
Villan, I've heard that Coventry is from Covenant-Tree, meaning a place where agreements are made.
I've always believed that the phrase 'sent to Coventry' is because the strong trade unions there used it as a punishment. Both these last from books in the long-ago, so no substantiation available.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Sending someone to Coventry
From: Rasener
Date: 02 Jan 06 - 03:30 AM

Gurney
I can remember the trade unions members using the "sending to coventry" concept when some members refused to go on strike and came into work instead.
I used to work for GEC at Witton Birmingham for more years than I care to remember, where this happened.
If you were sent to Coventry, you were a scab, trator, lowest of the low and you got treated very badly by your colleagues.
In a way a mental and physical form of bullying, which I disliked immensly and still do to this day. Not that it happened to me.

Mind you women are the best at this. Aren't they? How many times have us poor blokes been sent to Coventry by the missus, simply because we didn't carry out a chore or gone to a football match or folk event, when we should have gone to the Mother in Laws birthday party. LOL :-) No Nuptials for a week, cook your own meals, do your own washing etc etc :-)

Subject: RE: Folklore: Sending someone to Coventry
From: Tootler
Date: 02 Jan 06 - 07:42 PM

In fact the big silent treatment. Years since I have been treated to it, but shudder at the thought to this day!

And, of course, you were expected to "KNOW" what you had done wrong :-)

Subject: RE: Folklore: Sending someone to Coventry
From: Paul Burke
Date: 03 Jan 06 - 04:25 AM

Sending someone to Coventry is a drastic punishment indeed. I know, I lived there for five years. Nobody spoke to me the whole time, nor to Captain Boycott next door. Cleaning my legs didn't help, either.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Sending someone to Coventry
From: s&r
Date: 03 Jan 06 - 07:43 AM

I read years ago that the phrase dates from Lady Godiva, who was 'not seen' by the inhabitants of Coventry when she rode naked:
hence ignored, not seen = sent to Coventry

Stu

Subject: RE: Folklore: Sending someone to Coventry
From: Snuffy
Date: 03 Jan 06 - 08:08 AM

All the townsfolk stayed indoors when she rode through the town, except for Peeping Tom, who was thereafter shunned by the rest

Subject: RE: Folklore: Sending someone to Coventry
From: MuddleC
Date: 03 Jan 06 - 08:10 AM

It's not so much being sent there, it's the trying to get out again I find so difficult, the elevated ringroad is interesting the third time around, but the inner one-way/restricted traffic is a pain, and the Foleshill Road.... don't bother, Tollbar roundabout on the A45...aaiiiieeeeee! thankfully have discovered new relief road built on the old railway line.

Saving graces... Fletch Folk Club, Whitefriars Mondays, and the Four Provinces Jug&Bottle

Subject: RE: Folklore: Sending someone to Coventry
From: Linda Kelly
Date: 03 Jan 06 - 02:53 PM

but it has got a Sports Centre shaped like an elephant so it's not all bad!

Subject: RE: Folklore: Sending someone to Coventry
From: Rasener
Date: 03 Jan 06 - 03:00 PM

Eh up Its our Linda. Happy new year our kid. Hope all is well with you :-)

Cheers
Les

Just hung up talking with the famous and lovable Oaklet :-)