We go in the hunt for London eponyms… bits of city which have impressed the title of issues.
“The joint I am about to roll requires a craftsman. It could utilise as much as 12 skins. It’s referred to as a Camberwell Carrot.” So explains Danny in Withnail & I, as he prepares a spliff for the ages.
The cone of weed will get its title, says Danny, as a result of “I invented it in Camberwell and it appears to be like like a carrot.”
The Class B carrot is not the one factor to take its title from Camberwell. The realm additionally lent its identification to the Camberwell magnificence, a species of butterfly first recorded hereabouts. London has impressed dozens of eponyms whenever you go searching, from Chelsea Tractors to Millwall Bricks. We have put collectively this map of one of the best, with a little bit of assist from Twitter (because of everybody who responded).
The next listing consists of components of Cockney rhyming slang which might be primarily based on London places, in addition to a handful of fictional characters who’re named for elements of London. We have (largely) omitted songs and musical references, as there’d be too many.
Barnet Truthful (Hair): One of many extra well-liked Cockney phrases. A “good Barnet” comes from Barnet Truthful, which rhymes with hair.
Battersea Bundles: Battersea’s Wetherspoons pub is known as The Asparagus as a result of the urine-meddling vegetable was as soon as an considerable crop within the space. A Battersea bundle was a typical time period for a bunch of asparagus.
Bexley Beast: The Beast of Bexley was a puma or different giant cat mentioned to roam the borderlands of Kent and London. It precipitated a minor media frenzy within the early years of the millennium, together with common (and considerably credulous) studies on the early Londonist.
Bloomsbury Group: The early/mid-Twentieth century group of artists, writers and thinkers who tended to reside within the Bloomsbury space. Notable members embody Virginia Woolf, EM Forster and John Maynard Keynes. Different London teams, just like the Camden City set of artists, may also have been mapped, however that is probably the most well-known instance.
Bow Road Runner: An early police pressure in London, which operated from the Justice of the Peace’s courtroom on Bow Road. It was based by novelist and Justice of the Peace Henry Fielding in 1749.
Brentford Roll: Historian Val Bott shared with me this 1810 recipe for Brentford rolls, as written by Maria Rundell. Sounds easy sufficient, other than discovering a kitchen with an open fireplace.
Brixton Briefcase: @LordLouCan instructed this most fantastic of phrases. A Brixton Briefcase was generally used to explain these transportable stereos (generally referred to as ghettoblasters) well-liked within the Eighties.
Bromley-by-Bow (Toes): Extra Cockney rhyming slang, supposedly used to confer with toes — although I’ve to admit I’ve by no means heard of anybody being “fast on their Bromleys”.
Brompton Bike: The well-known folding bicycle obtained its title from the Brompton Oratory. The west London landmark was seen from inventor Andrew Ritchie’s bed room workshop.
Camberwell Magnificence: This putting mural in Burgess Park, Southwark represents the Camberwell magnificence (Nymphalis antiopa). The colorful insect was first recorded (in Britain) on close by Coldharbour Lane in 1748. Fortunately, in actual life, it is a lot smaller than depicted.
Camberwell Carrot: The world’s most well-known eponymic spliff. See above.
Chalk Farm (Arm): The north annexe of Camden City is outwardly Cockney rhyming slang for arm. “Ere, physician, I’ve damaged me ‘Chalk’, like,” is a phrase typically heard on the Royal Free, little doubt.
Chelsea Bun: You’ve got in all probability by no means heard of the Brentford Roll (see above), however the Chelsea Bun remains to be a mainstay of the baker’s counter. The spiral pastry was created over 300 years in the past within the Chelsea Bun Home, which stood on the north-eastern finish of Royal Hospital Highway till its demolition in 1839.
Chelsea Pensioner: The well-known red-jacketed pensioners have lived in retirement on the Royal Hospital Chelsea for the reason that seventeenth century, which makes them very aged pensioners certainly. Except I’ve misunderstood one thing.
Chelsea Smile: To provide somebody a Chelsea smile is to chop their cheek from mouth to ear on each side. The disfigurement was initially referred to as a Glasgow smile, however took on the Chelsea moniker within the Eighties because of a neighborhood group of soccer thugs.
Chelsea Tractor: Chelsea’s fourth entry, the Chelsea Tractor, refers to a Vary Rover or different four-wheel-drive automotive extra suited to the countryside, when utilized in an city setting. The follow was as soon as confined to rich areas like Chelsea, however is now depressingly well-liked everywhere in the nation. I am not saying that individuals who drive large vehicles are all egocentric, planet-destroying numbats… however I’m considering that.
Croydon Facelift: A coiffure wherein one’s ‘Barnet’ (see above) is pulled again into a good bun or pony tail, bringing the brow and its wrinkles alongside for the trip. The time period grew to become well-liked within the early Noughties — a time when it was well-liked to mock the dress-sense of the decrease courses.
Dagenham Dustbin: A time period originating within the Nineteen Sixties to confer with a Ford Cortina. Because of its low value, the Cortina grew to become Britain’s hottest (and most stolen) automotive, however was infamous for rusting. The Dagenham eponym refers to Ford’s manufacturing plant in that space.
Ealing Comedy: Casual title for the humorous movies produced at Ealing Studios within the Forties and 50s. Classics reminiscent of Passport to Pimlico, The Lavender Hill Mob and The Ladykillers typify the style.
Enfield Rifle: I am unable to personally title many varieties of gun — not my scene — however even I’ve heard of the Enfield rifle (or, extra correctly, the Lee-Enfield rifle), which was the British military’s kill-stick of alternative from 1895 until 1957. It’s named after the realm of Enfield (then Middlesex, now Higher London) which was lengthy residence to the Royal Small Arms Manufacturing facility that produced the weapon.
Feltham Magnificence: A uncommon number of apple.
Greenwich Meantime: A system of timekeeping primarily based on a meridian by (or simply subsequent to, relying on degree of pedantry) the Royal Greenwich Observatory. It stays one of many world’s key reference instances, though it is since been shouldered out by UTC. Mockingly, Greenwich itself isn’t all the time at Greenwich Meantime because of the UK’s transition to British Summer time Time within the, erm, spring. By god, timekeeping is a fiendish enterprise.
Hackney Carriage: The verbose title for a black cab and, previously, a horse-drawn carriage for rent. You’d assume that its title should absolutely come from the London space of Hackney. I imply, would not it’s an enormous coincidence if the in any other case obscure time period ought to seem independently in the identical metropolis twice with none connection? But it surely’s not so clear lower. The phrase might alternatively come from the French phrase haquenée, that means a medium-sized horse suited to a woman. The time period Hackney carriage appears to have been in use for the reason that seventeenth century.
Hampstead Heath (Tooth): “How do you want my new ‘Amps?” you would possibly ask, in the event you ever end up preincarnated as a Cockney 100 years in the past. Hounslow Heath was additionally used as a slang for enamel.
Hampstead Novel: A derogatory time period for the form of middle-class morality novel set someplace privileged like Hampstead. I can do no higher than quote Wikipedia’s listing of authors related to the style: Margaret Drabble, Margaret Forster, Fay Weldon, Penelope Full of life, Kingsley Amis, Ian McEwan, Melvyn Bragg and Zoë Heller.
Hampton Wick (Dick): The male generative organs have so many nicknames that we may in all probability invoke a dozen London areas to explain them (“It’s best to see the girth of his Penge”, “Ere, what’s your Belsize?”, “One thing, one thing Cockfosters”.) However Hampton Wick appears to be real Cockney rhyming slang for dick. Cautious to not get your Hampton Caught…
Hounslow Marvel: A uncommon apple selection.
Hoxton Fin: Also referred to as a faux-hawk, this was an early Noughties’ coiffure beloved of males within the Hoxton-Shoreditch space. The look, which was additionally championed by David Beckham, concerned a fin of hair operating front-to-back throughout the pinnacle.
Lambeth Stroll: I’ve usually averted musical entries within the listing (Waterloo Sundown, Muswell Hillbillies, Dagenham Dave… there can be too many), however Lambeth Stroll appears too nicely established to disregard. The 1937 tune and dance have been impressed by a avenue of the identical title.
Man on the Clapham Omnibus: A typical phrase since Victorian instances, “the person on the Clapham omnibus” is the archetypal “regular” individual. Certainly, the phrase is utilized in legislation to imply an peculiar and cheap individual, when arguing about factors of conduct.
Millwall Brick: An improvised baton made out of compacted newspaper, and supposedly wielded by Millwall ‘followers’ throughout incidents of crowd violence. The Millwall Brick appears to have been invented within the Nineteen Sixties after authorities began clamping down on the extra conventional instruments of cudgelcraft.
Newington Butts (Guts): The title Newington Butts typically raises a smirk for apparent causes. However the Southwark avenue is historically utilized by Cockneys to confer with anatomical areas upstream of the underside. To be a “ache within the Newingtons” is, by rhyming slang, to be a ache within the guts.
Nigel Tufnel: The Spinal Faucet guitarist is known as after Tufnell Park. It is a artful play on non-fictional guitarist Eric Clapton, whose surname can be a area of London at comparable latitude.
Paddington Bear: One other character named after a part of London, on this case, the railway station at which he’s found by the Brown household.
Peckham Rye (Tie): Extra Cockney rhyming slang.
Richmond Maids of Honour: The creamy, puff pastry treats are mentioned thus far again to the time of Henry VIII, with varied legends attributing their recipe to Anne Boleyn or one among her maids. A protracted-established tea room on Kew Highway is known as after the cake, and nonetheless serves them.
Shoreditch Tw*t: A turn-of-the-century fanzine focussed on the artistic industries of Shoreditch, but additionally a synonym for the form of hipster who got here to be related to the realm.
Sloane Ranger: Usually, a younger posh individual from the Kensington/Chelsea space whose chief concern is to pursue life-style fashions. The time period, enjoying on the clique’s epicentre of Sloane Sq., was popularised within the 70s by Peter York and Ann Barr, and stays in use.
Spring Grove Codlin: One more uncommon number of apple. Spring Grove is an space close to Isleworth.
Stepney Womble: Not one of many better-known Wombles, however the one one to be straight named after a London space (versus the collective “Wombles of Wimbledon Widespread”).
Three Stops Wanting Dagenham: The phrase “Barking mad” has unsure origins. It would not appear to have been used earlier than the Nineteen Thirties, and possibly arose in likeness to a canine barking wildly. Wherever it whenced, it is turn into related to the east London city, both within the phrase “One cease in need of Barking”, or extra cryptically as “three stops in need of Dagenham” (i.e. at Barking).
Tottenham Cake: One other London candy, the Tottenham cake is a sponge topped with pink icing. In accordance with Haringey council, the distinctive color was initially imparted by native mulberries. The cake was reportedly given without spending a dime to native faculty youngsters when Spurs received the FA Cup in 1901.
Wembley Fraggle: Sufficiently old to recollect Fraggle Rock? The muppety youngsters present featured an brisk younger fraggle referred to as Wembley, named after all after the London neighbourhood and soccer floor.
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Source : https://londonist.com/london/maps/mapped-bits-of-london-that-gave-their-names-to-stuff
