October 27, 2007

Hull, Hell and Halifax

BBC
Telegrah/ITN

I missed this. Was at a funeral in Hull where I learned the expression "God save us from Hull, Hell and Halifax" which apparently refers to the middle ages use of the gibbet on thieves which was considered barbaric compared to cities elsewhere who just hung them.

5 comments:

African neocon said...

Hmm! Funeral's are always sad occasions. Where I’m from (in Africa) they are often occasions for a big ‘knees up’ depending on age of the deceased. I never really get that: spending exorbitant money (at times borrowing money) on a party just because someone past away.

Re: the BBC piece, I was pleased that they ran the story. Many believe they [Mohammed Hamid et al] just went “paintballing”, but truth as I understand it is that they went on several ‘camping trips’.

African neocon

Jock Coats said...

Born in HUll and having lived there a few times, I know the phrase, but I never knew its originis. Fascinating. Of course it doesn't really have any "aitches" in it...:)

DAVE BONES said...

I'll be at speakers corner tomorrow if its not raining.

The brother of my friend paid for everyone to get as pissed as they liked. It was really necessary in this case, not for one person to pay, but for all of us from London to make a connection to the people of our friends home town.

Jock- So you are saying its 'ell,'ull and 'alifax?

Jock Coats said...

More like 'ell, 'oll and 'alifax actually!

:)

Cliff said...

The Halifax Gibbet was, in gact, an early form of guillotine, invented long before the French. The 'gibbet' was what was used elsewhere and from whcih malefactors were hanged