Biggin' it up

[Pam Downes]

Why do we have expressions such as 'vertically-challenged' and 'follically-challenged' when what is meant is 'short' and 'bald'?
I'm considering taking the government to court as I believe that in making me use such long words in order to be politically correct, that they are in fact breaching my human rights in making me learn how to spell such long words when my poor little brain cell has enough trouble learning how to spell 'bald'.

Pam Downes

[Mythology]

Just abbreviate them, Pam. :)

My regular correspondents all know what I mean when I put something like
"... Writtle (that's Chelmsford to the GC) ... "
in my e-mails.

"the GC" is a *lot* easier to learn (and spell) than complicated phrases like "those who don't know the area". ;)

[Pam Downes]

Just abbreviate them, Pam. :)
My regular correspondents all know what I mean when I put something like
"... Writtle (that's Chelmsford to the GC) ... "
in my e-mails.
"the GC" is a *lot* easier to learn (and spell) than complicated phrases like "those who don't know the area". ;)
On the other hand, you can 'little it down' a bit too much!
:confused:

Pam Downes

[Mythology]

Sorry!

Geographically Challenged.

(and, just think about it, if you're a little on the short side, wouldn't it be nice to sign your letters "Pam Downes, VC"? ;) )

[Pam Downes]

Geographically Challenged.
(and, just think about it, if you're a little on the short side, wouldn't it be nice to sign your letters "Pam Downes, VC"? ;) )
Thanks Myth. I could only manage 'genealogical community'!!
Fortunately I'm not bald (yet) so at least I wouldn't have to use FC after my name. :D

Pam Downes

[Mythology]

It just gets worse ......

I'm glad to say that this idea got nowhere, but flicking through Ceefax, I came across reference to a motion proposed at some kind of teachers' conference today that "fail" (presumably in the context of exams) should be replaced by "deferred success".

A pavement pizza is imminent.

[LynA]

It just gets worse ......

I'm glad to say that this idea got nowhere, but flicking through Ceefax, I came across reference to a motion proposed at some kind of teachers' conference today that "fail" (presumably in the context of exams) should be replaced by "deferred success".

Every time we can't find one of our ancestors in a census is it now a deferred success?

My husband says that at least I can now call my attempts at watercolour painting deferred successes. :(

[GeoffD]

*short thread hijack*
Tracey is an Essex person ... handy to know that. And Mythology uses place names like Writtle that I actually have ancestors from. Folks, see my Gingerbread Hall post in the Essex county forum ... I am intrigued by the name and would really like to know if the place still stands.

*back to topic*

[Chasing Caseys]

im not blonde and never danced round my handbag or been to a "Club" in Basildon

[GeoffD]

Tracey Donaldson ... and ive never danced round my handbag or been to a "Club" in Basildon
:confused:

Are these quaint Essex customs? All my Essex lot died before I was born, so I haven't been taught the old ways. ;)

[Chasing Caseys]

There are lots of quaint Essex customs.................

[GeoffD]

I'm pretending to not know about the "Essex Girl" steroetypes, Tracey. Not doing a good job of it, I'm afraid.

[Mythology]

I am not convinced about Essex Girls. About five years ago, after mooching around an Essex village churchyard, I decided that I needed a couple of pints of cider inside me before I attempted the long walk back to town to get the train home.

I went in the village pub, and found that I was the only male customer in there - there were about thirty or forty Essex girls who, I gathered, had escaped to the pub leaving husbands and boyfriends at home to watch somebody kicking a ball around on the telly.

Not one of them even offered to buy me a drink, let alone anything else!
Very disappointing. ;)

[Chasing Caseys]

Mythology, you were in a village mooching in a churchyard |shakehead ,they probably heard about you before you even got to the pub ;)

[Mythology]

They could have strolled down the chuchyard then, I wouldn't have minded - when you get to my age you can't afford to be fussy about where you get chatted up! ;)

[Mythology]

Geoff .....

"*short thread hijack*"

Didn't you read the first post - "short" is a no-no these days! ;)

Seriously, I am as stumped as you are re Gingerbread Hall. I don't know how common it was in Essex, but a number of mine in Suffolk seem to have tacked the word "Hall" on not in the sense that we would normally think of it, a substantial "country estate" type of building, but simply as an indication that it was a proper farmhouse with a bit of land, rather than the average village hovel, and I wonder if that might be the case here.

None of the toffs listed in the 1839 directory give it as an address, but, looking at the Great Baddow entry and clutching a substantial harvest, here's an idea.
When you get back home, dig out that 1841 entry and post *all* the names listed at Gingerbread Hall in that other thread. There are a couple of schools there with the names of the principals listed - it could possibly be that one of those had a gardener.
There's also the Almshouses - doesn't say who was in charge, but if all the occupants of Gingerbread Hall are about a million years old, that's a place that might have employed a gardner too.

[GeoffD]

Thanks for that, Mythology. It was a farm - three ag labourer families, my gardener and his family, and an old lady of 80. Also, farms either side - Little Sir Hughes, Sir Hughes, Turnpike House.

(Bruddy 'ell - a squall just blew in on off the Mekong. Quite wild outside.)