on 1/9/02 6:50 AM, Grant Q at [log in to unmask] wrote:
> Per the interesting discussion on the naming of the
> privy:
>
> One holer, two-holer, Dooley, Backhouse, Pokey, Loo,
> Easer, Johnnie, Biffy, Donnicker, Ajax, Jerico,
> Depository, Willie, Convenience, Closet, Stool,
> Throne, Head, Vault, Pool, Post Office,Roadside Rest,
> Garderobe.
>
From 'Kent Privies' (Lewis 1996), and trying
to leave out ones already mentioned.... I suspect
some of these are family euphemisms rather than 'names'.
Alphabetical use of the definite article follows Lewis'
usage; I'm too lazy to alphabetise them properly:
A 'certain' place
Asterroom
Aunt Jane's
Bog
Boghouse
Bombay
Chamber of Commerce
Chamberlain Pianos [bucket lavs only]
Chuggie
Cludgie
Comfort Station
Crapper Box
Crapphouse
Crapping Castle
Crapping Kennel
Dike (also dyke)
Doneks
Dover House
Dubs
Dubby
Duffs
Dunnakin (also dunnekin, dunnikin, dunnick)
Gong
Gong House
Here is are
Holy of holies
Home of rest
Honk
House of Commons
House of Office
Houses of Parliament
Jakes
Jerry-come-tumble
Karzi
Klondike
Knickies
Larties
Little House
My Aunts
Nessy
Netty
Petty
Place of Easement
Place of repose
Place of retirement
Shittush
Shooting gallery
Shunkie
Slash house
The Boggy at the Bottom
The Bush
The Dispensary
The grot
The Hum
The jakers
the jampot
the japping
the lats
the long drop
the ping-pong house
the proverbial
the Sammy
the shants
the shot-tower
the sociable
the tandem [two-holer only]
the thinking house
the throne room
the watteries
the wee house
Thunder box
Tivvy
Widdlehouse
Windsor Castle [which of course is in Berkshire, not Kent]
And this year's award for the best traditional folk name for an English
privy is... [expectant gasps. Presenter opens envelope, and puts hands to
mouth in gesture of mock surprise]
We have a tie!
'The Halting Station Hoojy-boo'
and
'The House Where the Emperor Goes on Foot'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dr. Alasdair Brooks
Department of Archaeology
La Trobe University
Plenty Road
Bundoora VIC 3083
Australia
Phone - 03 9479 3269
E-mail - [log in to unmask]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The buffalo tastes the same
on both sides of the border"
Sitting Bull
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