plantfit 7,580 Posted July 26, 2007 Report Share Posted July 26, 2007 Ayup all you great people of Nottingham, Can anyone tell me where the saying "It looks a bit black over Bill's Mother's" comes from? I now live in Lincolnshire and often come out with the phrase but these hay seeds out here ent a clue what I'm refering to Cheers Rog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ayupmeducks 1,730 Posted July 26, 2007 Report Share Posted July 26, 2007 They use it in the west Midlands as far as Birmingham and as far north as Barnsley. No idea where it origonated or how. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted July 26, 2007 Report Share Posted July 26, 2007 Does anyone know where Bills mother lives? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted July 26, 2007 Report Share Posted July 26, 2007 Does anyone know where Bills mother lives? Under where it's black... obviously!!! LOL Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Caz 25 Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 I used it coming over the mountain today it was as black as. !faint! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 Does anyone know where Bills mother lives? Under where it's black... obviously!!! LOL Everywhere? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Limey 242 Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 It woulda been here last night - but it was too dark to see! I know it is used in the Heanor/Eastwood area, but it was not as common in Long Eaton, and unknown in the Ashby/Coalville areas of Leicestershire. It is becoming well used in the Ann Arbor area of Michigan - I think Mary has adopted it as her favorite "British" phrase! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
katyjay 5,090 Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 I Googled 'It's black over Bill's Mother's' in the search engine and up comes tons of information. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted July 27, 2007 Report Share Posted July 27, 2007 Ain't the proper way of sayin it black owwer Bills movvers !rotfl! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
plantfit 7,580 Posted July 29, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2007 Ayup all, Out here in Hayseed county (Lincolnshire) they say "It's dark over Grandads tates" though what grandad is doing with his tates out is beyond me, I wonder if Bills mother knows Grandad? Rog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted July 29, 2007 Report Share Posted July 29, 2007 Grandad might av ad a bike? Strange people these 'worm diggers' Am a 'Yellabelly' mesen Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ScooterSam 1 Posted January 1, 2008 Report Share Posted January 1, 2008 yep it's a bit black over Bill's mothers! my nana used to say that all the time when i was growing up, and my parents still do! even i say it and my boyfriend looks at me as if ive gon mad..LoL.. well he was born in lincolnshire! pah! but i was born in nottingham, so i always thought the saying came from there. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ayupmeducks 1,730 Posted January 1, 2008 Report Share Posted January 1, 2008 I was told recently it was used across the "Black Country" as well as way into Lancashire and across South Yorkshire, so not as Nottingham as we thought. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
banksofthetrent 0 Posted May 25, 2008 Report Share Posted May 25, 2008 My grandparents are both dyed in the wool Brummies and they say it. It's probably one of those that is lost in the mists of time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lizzie 0 Posted May 30, 2008 Report Share Posted May 30, 2008 I was born and bred in Nottingham and know the saying well, but my husband who was born in the Black Country has never heard it before. Here in Lincolnshire they don't know it either, I always understood it to be a Nottingham saying. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Basford Bill 0 Posted October 1, 2008 Report Share Posted October 1, 2008 The saying in owd Basford was...It's gerrin a bit black owwer Whitemoor. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zacsmum 0 Posted October 2, 2008 Report Share Posted October 2, 2008 when i lived in bulwell it was always a bit black over dirty huckna Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted July 18, 2009 Report Share Posted July 18, 2009 Another version of where this saying came from and as far as I am aware, it is fairly local saying, was this. A man by the name of Bill Trickett had a scrap buisness on Trent Lane, Snienton. Hence there is a playground/park named after him, that stands on the site of his yard and his house. Every so often, he would burn off, what I would imagine in those days was, rubber insulation from around copper wire etc. This of course sent swales of thick black smoke in to the air. This caused this ritual to be adopted by the locals, to describe black rain clouds and has stuck ever since. True, I do not know but sounds good Quote added as original post moved to make new thread Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted October 4, 2009 Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 Just got back from my mums in Nott'm, and the conversation over dinner turned to "Things our parents used to say" and I mentioned "It's a bit black over Bills mothers" , jokingly I asked her where it was and the reply was "Tother side of Yuppington" So that's it , it's all official now, Bill's mam lived 'tother side of Yuppington. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
firbeck 859 Posted October 5, 2009 Report Share Posted October 5, 2009 If you Google Yuppington, all it comes up with is Leamington Spa, it must have the highest rainfall in the country. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted May 8, 2010 Report Share Posted May 8, 2010 I think Bill mam as moved rahnd ere! Its a bit black, need the lights on! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
carltongal 101 Posted May 9, 2010 Report Share Posted May 9, 2010 Who is Bill's mum ? it rained here too so she dont live here Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bramleyapple 0 Posted December 23, 2010 Report Share Posted December 23, 2010 It woulda been here last night - but it was too dark to see!I know it is used in the Heanor/Eastwood area, but it was not as common in Long Eaton, and unknown in the Ashby/Coalville areas of Leicestershire.It is becoming well used in the Ann Arbor area of Michigan - I think Mary has adopted it as her favorite "British" phrase! Yeah I have heard it from me mum, she was born in Eastwood Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,458 Posted December 24, 2010 Report Share Posted December 24, 2010 The only person I ever knew who used the phrase was my grandma who lived in Radford, but I haven't heard it now for over 30 years. She'd look out of the kitchen window and say "It looks black over Bill's mothers", and from their house on Grimston Road she'd be looking in the direction of Churchfield Lane and the railway line which runs across the back. So I reckon Bill and his parents lived somewhere around the old Radford Colliery Quote Link to post Share on other sites
EileenH 496 Posted December 24, 2010 Report Share Posted December 24, 2010 My Mam would say it too - only it sounded like 'o`er Bill`s mother`s' and the 'o' in mother would be very short, like in 'dog' not like the 'u' in 'cup'. If you see what I mean Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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