but I am thinking that.Ĭroydon Facelift: A hairstyle in which one's 'Barnet' (see above) is pulled back into a tight bun or pony tail, bringing the forehead and its wrinkles along for the ride. I'm not saying that people who drive big cars are all selfish, planet-destroying numbats. The practice was once confined to wealthy areas like Chelsea, but is now depressingly popular all over the country. The disfigurement was originally known as a Glasgow smile, but took on the Chelsea moniker in the 1980s thanks to a local group of football thugs.Ĭhelsea Tractor: Chelsea's fourth entry, the Chelsea Tractor, refers to a Range Rover or other four-wheel-drive car more suited to the countryside, when used in an urban setting. Image: Matt BrownĬhelsea Smile: To give someone a Chelsea smile is to cut their cheek from mouth to ear on both sides. The spiral pastry was created over 300 years ago in the Chelsea Bun House, which stood at the north-eastern end of Royal Hospital Road until its demolition in 1839.Ĭhelsea Pensioner: The famous red-jacketed pensioners have lived in retirement at the Royal Hospital Chelsea since the 17th century, which makes them very aged pensioners indeed. "Ere, doctor, I've broken me 'Chalk', like," is a phrase often heard at the Royal Free, no doubt.Ĭhelsea Bun: You've probably never heard of the Brentford Roll (see above), but the Chelsea Bun is still a mainstay of the baker's counter. See above.Ĭhalk Farm (Arm): The north annexe of Camden Town is apparently Cockney rhyming slang for arm. Image Matt BrownĬamberwell Carrot: The world's most famous eponymic spliff. Happily, in real life, it's much smaller than depicted.
The colourful insect was first recorded (in Britain) on nearby Coldharbour Lane in 1748.
The west London landmark was visible from inventor Andrew Ritchie's bedroom workshop.Ĭamberwell Beauty: This striking mural in Burgess Park, Southwark represents the Camberwell beauty ( Nymphalis antiopa).
#Factory town claptone portable
A Brixton Briefcase was commonly used to describe those portable stereos (sometimes called ghettoblasters) popular in the 1980s.īromley-by-Bow (Toes): More Cockney rhyming slang, supposedly used to refer to toes - though I have to confess I've never heard of anyone being "quick on their Bromleys".īrompton Bike: The famous folding bicycle got its name from the Brompton Oratory. Sounds simple enough, apart from finding a kitchen with an open fire.īrixton Briefcase: suggested this most wonderful of phrases. It was founded by novelist and magistrate Henry Fielding in 1749.īrentford Roll: Historian Val Bott shared with me this 1810 recipe for Brentford rolls, as written by Maria Rundell. Other London groups, like the Camden Town set of artists, might also have been mapped, but this is the most famous example.īow Street Runner: An early police force in London, which operated from the magistrate's court on Bow Street. Notable members include Virginia Woolf, EM Forster and John Maynard Keynes. It caused a minor media frenzy in the early years of the millennium, including regular (and somewhat credulous) reports on the early Londonist.īloomsbury Group: The early/mid-20th century group of artists, writers and thinkers who tended to live in the Bloomsbury area. A Battersea bundle was a common term for a bunch of asparagus.īexley Beast: The Beast of Bexley was a puma or other large cat said to roam the borderlands of Kent and London. A "nice Barnet" comes from Barnet Fair, which rhymes with hair.īattersea Bundles: Battersea's Wetherspoons pub is named The Asparagus because the urine-meddling vegetable was once an abundant crop in the area. We've (mostly) left out songs and musical references, as there'd be too many.īarnet Fair (Hair): One of the more popular Cockney phrases. The following list includes elements of Cockney rhyming slang that are based on London locations, as well as a handful of fictional characters who are named for parts of London. We've put together this map of the best, with a bit of help from Twitter (thanks to everyone who responded). London has inspired dozens of eponyms when you look around, from Chelsea Tractors to Millwall Bricks. The area also lent its identity to the Camberwell beauty, a species of butterfly first recorded hereabouts. The Class B carrot isn't the only thing to take its name from Camberwell. The cone of weed gets its name, says Danny, because "I invented it in Camberwell and it looks like a carrot."
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