Has anyone else heard this?

I presumed everyone knew the phrases old biddies and old duffers. Both used all the time in East Yorkshire.

I have heard it quite a lot in childhood - in Yorkshire, Lancashire... Midlands too.

Not heard it in any positive light and always about women.

Talking of birds I hope I am not “a silly old bird” or even “a silly old coot”.

Yes, commonly used phrase. Usually relating to old women.

My mother affectionately referred to the women at the old people’s day centre as old biddies, that was in Surrey.

keepcalmandcavachon

You could quite easily go through life as a bird of some sort-
chicks and birds for the young , a greedy gannet or wise owl.
A mother hen needing the eyes of a hawk! A bit of a magpie when it comes to collecting or simply enjoy swanning around

Don’t forget the pecking order.

You could quite easily go through life as a bird of some sort-
chicks and birds for the young , a greedy gannet or wise owl.
A mother hen needing the eyes of a hawk! A bit of a magpie when it comes to collecting or simply enjoy swanning around

i am from glasgow and old biddies is a polite term for old folk, i have heard worse.

My grandmother used it here in the US!

I also called my chickens biddie birds when I had them.

Old biddies - yes definitely used here in the North West.

Graphite

Biddy is a very old word for a chicken or hen. It appears in Twelfth Night.

Its use to describe fussy old women dates from the early 19C OED An old woman, esp. one regarded as fussy or interfering. Frequently in old biddy.

It’s also a pet form of the name Bridget which used to be used in the US for Irish domestic servants.

I suspect the version we know now has developed from hens clucking and flapping.

Hen is used colloquially in Scotland and parts of Northern England as a form of address for a girl or woman, typically as a term of affection or endearment.

I'm from the south of England where biddy can still be heard quite often to describe a fussy old woman.

You would hear of that ‘nosey old biddy’
Next door!

REKA

Ah yes, my Grandma used to try to avoid the old biddies when shopping.. She'd drag me into the nearest shop to avoid them. Old cronies as well.

Or ‘coffin dodgers’

Common term where I live in the North.
Usually Gen X would use it.
Never heard the young generation use it nowadays.
Personally I would call an ‘old person’ an older person, just think it sounds better

‘Silly old Buggers,’ is another one. There is actually a club for older men here called that !

Ah yes, my Grandma used to try to avoid the old biddies when shopping.. She'd drag me into the nearest shop to avoid them. Old cronies as well.

I have definitely heard ‘old biddy’

Rife in the South West. I think it’s universal and universally uncomplimentary.

South of London - yes to old biddies. But I would say they're old women, not men.

I think that it's rude .

I've heard of old fogies, old biddies, old duffers and old folks being used in different places I've lived.

I’m in England and I’ve heard the term ‘biddies’ ……… not that I think it’s acceptable to use it though. I worked in the public sector and would never have referred to our service users as ‘ biddies’!

Have heard this used as well as ‘old dears’ in Lancs where we come from originally. In London it seems to be ‘old girls’ or ‘old boys’.
Tbh I like the American term ‘old timers’.

welbeck

It's a derogatory term for an older woman.

It's used a lot where I come from in Yorkshire....more a term of endearment .

No, I'm aware of the term but haven't heard it used. but having past a certain point (not sure when) I hear people adding "bless" to conversations when addressing me.

It drives me spare when it goes alongside the patronising tone used.

Yes it is a word I grew up with in Yorkshire.