The correction fluid known as ‘Tipp-Ex’ was developed in 1965 by the company of the same name (now Tipp-Ex GmbH…
Why is it called ‘chatting’?
During World War One the entrenched soldiers, the off-duty ones, would pick lice off their clothing and flick them into…
The origin of ‘hair of the dog’
This phrase dates back possibly as far as the 1500s. It’s a shorter version of the full expression ‘I’m going…
A Beginner’s Guide to Radio Comedy Plays
Over the past couple of years I’ve become an avid listener of BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 4 Extra.…
Why are they called ‘Hush Puppies’?
In 1958 a shoe sales manager, James Gaylord Muir, was travelling through the American south. He stopped in a diner…
The origin of ‘shipshape and Bristol fashion’
This is actually an amalgamation of two phrases. ‘Shipshape’ was used as far back as the 1600s in reference to…
First Blog
I’ve decided to ditch my website, it was becoming a bit static and I felt like it was time for…
Unstuck Monsters 