Did you know...?

When it goes off you can tell the natives from the tourists.

Tourists jump a foot into the air and look around for the gunfight.

Natives shoot an arm out of a sleeve and check the time on their watch.

Nelliem, have you heard the one o' clock cannon in Edinburgh?

Kitty My genteel upbringing makes me cringe when I hear the name 'Wee Willi' Winkie'

I was in the centre of Sheffield with my DD some months ago at 1pm when a loud siren sounded. There was me thinking a terrorist bomb warning. Nuclear war 4 minute warning or what. It is apparently a traditional siren originally used to call all the cutlery workers back from lunch.
Of course every one else was walking about town un fazed. It gave me a start!

Oops, www wasn't a knocker upper he made sure you were asleep.

That should have read 'knocker upper'.

Wee Willie Winkie is the only 'knocked up' I have heard of!!

Wee Willie Winkie is the only 'knocked up' I have heard of!!

Oh ana it has crept over I suppose. Didn't used to apply. I remember someone telling me she used to work as a nurse in the states and shocked her colleagues when she said to one of the men "can you knock me up in the morning" - this would have been a while ago - a lot of American terminology has flowed across the Atlantic since then.

We used to call getting out voters as knocking out. Sounds a bit threatening lol.

Ana

Er...I think it does over here as well, Jess!

Well it means impregnate outside matrimony in the US .

At election time, activists have to go around 'knocking up' tardy voters. I always wished we could find another term for this activity.

Kitty If you had had a really genteel upbringing then you would see no evil in knocking someone up

I always cringe when someone says 'the knocker-up' - must be my genteel upbringing!

A ruddy cockeral and 5, yes 5, dogs barking, I shall say no more.

We had a tannery in the village and everyone relied on it's steam whistle - 7.30 prompt every morning except Sunday. On Sunday, nothing until the Church Bell which tolled from 10.45 until service at 11.00. With a ten minute walk to Church there was many a mad scramble in our house when we heard that bell.

We used to go by the siren from the local factory; we called it 'the bull' but I've no idea why.

gally

Amazing what you can learn each day!
I have my own knocker-upperer - a delivery van screams up the road at 4.45 every morning and bounces over the speed bump outside my house - wish I could shoot peas at him

Wonder if the peas were picked up and cooked afterwards - and the windows would be all 'spitty' . I'd heard of the knocker-up, but not of the pea shooter.

My mother used to talk about the 'knocker up' but he had a long pole to tap on bedroom windows.

I didn't, but I love the idea