From the BBC
It's looking a bit black over Bill's mother's, is often heard in the English Midlands when dark clouds appear on the horizon, heralding rain. But who is Bill?
"When I was a young boy the only person I knew called Bill was very old and it made me wonder how old must Bill's mother be?," said Matt McHugh, who contacted BBC News seeking the origin of the phrase.
"And why does she move house so much?"
"When I was a young boy the only person I knew called Bill was very old and it made me wonder how old must Bill's mother be?," said Matt McHugh, who contacted BBC News seeking the origin of the phrase.
"And why does she move house so much?"
I've tended to assume the expression is fairly widespread, but when I use it, people who don't come from the Midlands seem unaware of it. I don't know where it comes from though. My father used it rather facetiously and so do I.
On looking out of the window I see it looks like rain - it's certainly looking bit black over Bill's mother's.
On looking out of the window I see it looks like rain - it's certainly looking bit black over Bill's mother's.
5 comments:
We, being of a Northern tribe, only heard it when the late, great David Duffield was doing the cycling commentaries on Eurosport.
It had made its way as far south as Luton (which has much more in common with Midlands towns like Leicester, Derby, etc., than the inhabitants of those towns might think) but had evolved into "Will's Mother's".
Or, of course, they could be completely different people. Either way, I feel sorry for the poor woman.
One explanation I seem to recall is it refers to William of Orange's homeland, i.e. eastward.
Jannie - sounds as if he came from the right area to have picked it up.
Sam - Will's mother is bound to be the same person. Will sounds like an older name than Bill, not that it necessarily means anything.
Sackers - interesting. It sounds like a saying which could easily have political roots.
AKH: You're right. Duffers was born in Wolverhampton.
Post a Comment