Ripper-Related Victorian Vocabulary

[Archaic]

Victorian Slang Terms For "Police"

The following definitions were taken from a Victorian book published in the 1870's and are all slang terms for “Police."

BLUE-BOTTLE, a policeman. It is singular that this well-known Slang term for a London constable should have been used by Shakespeare. In Part II. of King Henry IV., Act V., Scene 4, Doll Tearsheet calls the Beadle, who is dragging her in, “ a BLUE-BOTTLE rogue."

BOBBY, a policeman. Both BOBBY and PEELER were nicknames given to the new police, in allusion to the Christian name of the late Sir Robert Peel, who was the prime mover in effecting their introduction and improvement. The term BOBBY is, however, older than the Saturday Reviewer imagines. The official square-keeper, who is always armed with a cane to drive away idle and disorderly urchins, has time out of mind been called by the said urchins Bobby the Beadle. BOBBY is also, I may remark, an old English word for striking or hitting, a quality not unknown to policemen.

'COPPER,' A slang name for a policeman derived from cop, which is a well known and generally used vulgarism for 'catch.'

Note: this book said the term "copper" goes back at least as far as the year 1659.

Best regards,
Archaic

[Archaic]

What "Wife" Means In Victorian Prison-Slang

This is from an 1882 book.

"In prison slang a fetter fixed to one leg is called a wife."

Well, look on the bright side- at least it's only fixed to one leg!


Archaic

[Archaic]

re: Origins of "Clink" and "Clink Street"

Hi Ruby.
I just looked up Clink Street Prison and the phrase "the clink" again, and the sources I read said that the exact origin of the word was unknown but it seemed to be an onomatopoeia. (An onomatopoeia is of course a word that sounds like the noise it represents, such as "bang".)

It seems that the prison might actually have been named after the word "clink" rather than the other way round. 'Clink Street' apparently means 'Prison Street'.
The word is known to have been in use by the 1300's.

"Clink" refers to the sound of rattling prison chains as well as to keys, bolts, and metal bars.

Here are links to a few of the articles I read:

The first article is very informative, and explains how 'The Clink' in London made income from anti-prostitution laws in the late 1100's. It also discusses the fact that wealthy prisoners could purchase food, bedding, candles, etc. The Clink: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Clink

Clink Street Prison: This page says Shakespeare visited a friend here and the Clink Street Prison can be rented out for parties! (*How about a Ripper Conference??* )

http://www.london-se1.co.uk/places/clink-prison-museum

1995 'Dictionary of Word Origins': "The name for a prison comes from the sound of the bolt of a cell-lock as it's shot home, and also from the "clink" of prisoner's leg-irons as they drag them around."

The article attached below is from 'The Western Antiquary', 1882, and discusses the origins of the word "clink".

It looks to me like the word "clink" really is an onomatopoeia, and was most likely the origin of the name "Clink Street", rather than the other way round.

Best regards,
Archaic

PS: Word origins are often rather murky, especially when they involve very old words and archaic usages. If anyone has found different information regarding the origin of this word or any other word under discussion here you are very welcome to post it. The more the merrier!

[Errata]

Hi Ruby, thanks for that clarification.

Since "clink" is an onomatopoeia, I thought that's where it originated.

I guess "clink" is the perfect word for "prison", having both an historical origin (Clink Street Prison) and sounding just like what it represents (the clink of prison keys & metal bars).

Thanks and best regards,
Archaic

That totally reminds me. Bedlam, meaning chaos and insanity from the popular pronunciation of Bethlem hospital, the much feared insane asylum.

[Archaic]

Origins of "Clink"

Hi Ruby, thanks for that clarification.

Since "clink" is an onomatopoeia, I thought that's where it originated.

I guess "clink" is the perfect word for "prison", having both an historical origin (Clink Street Prison) and sounding just like what it represents (the clink of prison keys & metal bars).

Thanks and best regards,
Archaic

[Rubyretro]

Sorry to be a bit late reading this thread !

Infact 'clink' comes from Clink Street, London :

Narrow, dark and cobbled, it is best known as the historic location of the notorious Clink Prison, giving rise to the slang phrase 'in the clink', meaning 'in prison'

(Clink Street is really near Tate Modern, the Globe and Southwark).

So the adjective 'clinking' (as in keys) comes from the prison, and not the other way round !

[Archaic]

Slang Term For "Sham Virgin"

Here are a few slang terms for "Sham Virgin" taken from an 1891 book.

This refers of course to the practice of selling the virginity of young girls. Brothel-keepers and procurers were out to make as much money as they could, so they often tried to sell a girl's "virginity" more than once. There were all sorts of tricks used to attempt to fool the client. Those tricks are described in many 18th & 19th C. books, as well as in modern Social History books.

As William Stead endeavored to expose in 'The Maiden Tribute of Modern Babylon', young girls were often lured, tricked, and abducted into prostitution. In some cases they were even sold into what was called "White Slavery" by a member of their own impoverished family. Once in the clutches of the procurer, the girls were locked up, denied food, and threatened with harm or even death order to break their spirit and make them believe escape was impossible. Their virginity was quickly sold to a wealthy client, and once violated and "ruined" the girl often gave up trying to escape, knowing she had become a social outcast. From then on she had little choice but to be a prostitute.

This shameful and immoral practice still goes on all over the world today.

Best regards,
Archaic

[Archaic]

Victorian Slang Words for "Prison"

Thanks, guys.

Here are some more slang words for 'prison' from the same 1890 book.

PRISON: jigger; quad; Irish theatre; shop; stir; clinch; steel;toll shop; dry room; House that Jack built.

"Jigger": I wonder if it bears any relation to the old phrase "Well I'll be jiggered"?

“Quad” comes from “quadrangle”, a common prison design.

“Dry room” probably refers to the lack of alcohol.

“Irish Theatre” cracked me up. (I’m Irish )

“House That Jack Built” must be derived from the nursery rhyme of the same name.

Best regards,
Archaic

[YankeeSergeant]

Porridge

"Doing porridge"?

Grave Maurice, When I was in the Navy we referred to someone getting a sentence of three days bread and water as "Cake and Wine."

[The Grave Maurice]

"Doing porridge"?

[Steven Russell]

Chokey? Doing bird? Slammer?

[YankeeSergeant]

Calaboose

Since we were talking about Bridewell, here's a nice collection of British slang terms for "Prison" taken from a book published in 1890.

PRISON: academy; boat; boarding-house; bower; block-house; bastille; floating hell; floating academy; mill; stone-jug; jug; calaboose; cooler; coop; clowns; clink.

I believe “floating academy” and “floating hell” derive from the fact that large ships were used as makeshift holding-cells for prisoners in the 18th C., often prior to their deportation to a penal colony.

“Mill” came from the prisons that punished criminals by forcing them to do pointless hard labor, such as turning a heavy mill-wheel that didn’t actually grind grain or serve any purpose other than those of 'punishment' and 'penitence'. The prisoners were forbidden to speak to one another and were supposed to be silently laboring, contemplating their sins, and repenting. (Oscar Wilde was subjected to this while in prison and it broke his health.)

“Clink” comes of course from the clink of metal prison-keys & of metal bars slamming shut.

I’m not sure of the origins of “stone-jug”, but I’m wondering if it could refer to the fact that a mouse which enters the mouth of a stone jug can’t climb out again even if the jug is dry? (That idea came to mind because I saw a variation of this once. I accidentally left the lid partially open on my metal bin full of horse grain, and a family of little field-mice entered. They ate themselves silly and were all fat and happy for a while hours...but they ate the level of grain down to the point that they could no longer jump out of the bin; it had smooth sides. When I peeked in, they all looked very fat and very worried. I sighed, tipped the can over, and let them go. They waddled away.)

Best regards,
Archaic

Actually I believe Calaboose is a corruption the the Spanish word Calabozo for jail. AS to jug, I'm not sure, I son't remember the mouse story.

[Archaic]

"To Do Over" & "To Do The Trick"

Hi Steven. Some associated terms from an 1892 book:

To Do Over, verb. phr. (common).— I. To knock down; to persuade; to cheat; to ruin.
2. (thieves'). — To search a victim's pockets without his knowing it.
3. (venery). — To seduce; also to copulate.

To Do The Trick: verb. phr. (colloquial). —To accomplish one's object; specifically (venery), to get rid of one's maidenhead.

Best regards,
Archaic

[Steven Russell]

I thought it was "The Farmer's in His Den". Even so, this derivation of "dell" is fascinating - I'd certainly never heard of it. The connection with virginity and desire is suggestive though. Maybe the male Victorian considered the sexual act as one of dominance and education as much as pleasure? This would make sense, I suppose, if the received image about Victorian society (at least the upper strata) is correct.

It's a bit like being rewarded in heaven with virgins. Surely ladies who knew what they were doing would be preferable?

Steve.

[Archaic]

"Dell": "Virgin", "Young Wanton"

Hi Curious4. Thank you.

Steven, here's an old slang term for "Virgin" from an 1891 book. It seems to have undergone many changes, so that it once meant "virgin", then "young wanton", then "mistress". (Maybe that reflects what was viewed as a natural progression?)

I don't think I've encountered this word "dell" with these sexual meanings before- or maybe I did, and I simply didn't get it.
Now the old nursery rhyme "The Farmer In The Dell" has an entirely new meaning!

I wonder whether the rhyme or the slang term came first? Many nursery rhymes have old stories or slang behind them.

Note the double entendre in the 1622 example.

Best regards, Archaic