Comments on: Old Rope http://www.grannymar.com/blog/2009/09/26/old-rope/ I am not a has-been. I am a will be. Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance Tue, 22 May 2012 08:38:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Grannymar http://www.grannymar.com/blog/2009/09/26/old-rope/#comment-26515 Grannymar Sun, 27 Sep 2009 08:22:25 +0000 http://www.grannymar.com/blog/?p=5017#comment-26515 Magpie - I always look forward to how you come up with another take on my topic. Fran - You are welcome. Darlene - I never thought about nursery rhymes and why they were invented. That is one for Magpie I think! Judy - We do come up with some peculiar sayings. ;) Magpie - I always look forward to how you come up with another take on my topic.

Fran - You are welcome.

Darlene - I never thought about nursery rhymes and why they were invented. That is one for Magpie I think!

Judy - We do come up with some peculiar sayings. ;)

]]> By: kenju http://www.grannymar.com/blog/2009/09/26/old-rope/#comment-26514 kenju Sat, 26 Sep 2009 23:43:08 +0000 http://www.grannymar.com/blog/?p=5017#comment-26514 I've never heard that saying, so maybe it hasn't crossed the ocean. I’ve never heard that saying, so maybe it hasn’t crossed the ocean.

]]> By: Darlene http://www.grannymar.com/blog/2009/09/26/old-rope/#comment-26513 Darlene Sat, 26 Sep 2009 20:05:06 +0000 http://www.grannymar.com/blog/?p=5017#comment-26513 The origins of old sayings are as interesting as are the original reasons for nursery rhymes. It gives a whole new meaning to each of them. Maybe you should do a post on that, grannymar. The origins of old sayings are as interesting as are the original reasons for nursery rhymes. It gives a whole new meaning to each of them. Maybe you should do a post on that, grannymar.

]]> By: Fran http://www.grannymar.com/blog/2009/09/26/old-rope/#comment-26512 Fran Sat, 26 Sep 2009 19:22:51 +0000 http://www.grannymar.com/blog/?p=5017#comment-26512 I remember reading a newspaper article, when the news media were all commentating about Ebay, where a reporter acquired a bundle of old rope and managed to sell it on Ebay giving him the appropriate header "Money for old rope". The article covered information on the workings of Ebay however your nugget of information may prove to be more useful and will be filed in the memory banks unlike the Ebay info. Thank you. I remember reading a newspaper article, when the news media were all commentating about Ebay, where a reporter acquired a bundle of old rope and managed to sell it on Ebay giving him the appropriate header “Money for old rope”.
The article covered information on the workings of Ebay however your nugget of information may prove to be more useful and will be filed in the memory banks unlike the Ebay info. Thank you.

]]> By: Magpie11 http://www.grannymar.com/blog/2009/09/26/old-rope/#comment-26511 Magpie11 Sat, 26 Sep 2009 16:07:57 +0000 http://www.grannymar.com/blog/?p=5017#comment-26511 Ursula, old rope was unpicked and used as oakum for caulking ships...that's where I thought the saying came from until someone told me that the hangman would keep his rope and use it again and pocket the rope money...now someone tells me something different yet again! This came from one website: MONEY FOR OLD ROPE Rope made from hemp had a limited lifetime. When it wore out it was picked apart and recycled. It was used for caulking. Rope fibres (known as oakum) were hammered into the seams between planks of a ship and hot pitch was poured over it. This was done to waterproof the ship. Of course you got money for the old rope. The phrase came to mean money for anything (seemingly) worthless. www.localhistories.org/sayings.html Google gives 338,000 responses! Easy money was called 'money for jam'. For example, The Athenaeum, 1919 - "The great use of jam in the Army ... originated a number of phrases, such as 'money for jam' (money for nothing)." IIRC the idea of jam as "nothing" comes from Alice..."The rule is jam tomorrow, jam yesterday but never jam today." Given the insubstantial nature of much jam the origin could be just that...money for (nothing) jam.... Ursula, old rope was unpicked and used as oakum for caulking ships…that’s where I thought the saying came from until someone told me that the hangman would keep his rope and use it again and pocket the rope money…now someone tells me something different yet again!

This came from one website:
MONEY FOR OLD ROPE

Rope made from hemp had a limited lifetime. When it wore out it was picked apart and recycled. It was used for caulking. Rope fibres (known as oakum) were hammered into the seams between planks of a ship and hot pitch was poured over it. This was done to waterproof the ship. Of course you got money for the old rope. The phrase came to mean money for anything (seemingly) worthless.

http://www.localhistories.org/sayings.html

Google gives 338,000 responses!

Easy money was called ‘money for jam’. For example, The Athenaeum, 1919 - “The great use of jam in the Army … originated a number of phrases, such as ‘money for jam’ (money for nothing).”

IIRC the idea of jam as “nothing” comes from Alice…”The rule is jam tomorrow, jam yesterday but never jam today.”

Given the insubstantial nature of much jam the origin could be just that…money for (nothing) jam….

]]> By: Grannymar http://www.grannymar.com/blog/2009/09/26/old-rope/#comment-26510 Grannymar Sat, 26 Sep 2009 15:34:19 +0000 http://www.grannymar.com/blog/?p=5017#comment-26510 Ursula - I am not complaining, most people associate ropes with fishermen or boats. As a matter of interest on August 13, 1964, Peter Anthony Allen and John Alan West became the last people to be executed for murder in England. In 1965, the death penalty for murder was banned in England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland outlawed capital punishment in 1973. Ursula - I am not complaining, most people associate ropes with fishermen or boats.

As a matter of interest on August 13, 1964, Peter Anthony Allen and John Alan West became the last people to be executed for murder in England. In 1965, the death penalty for murder was banned in England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland outlawed capital punishment in 1973.

]]> By: Ursula http://www.grannymar.com/blog/2009/09/26/old-rope/#comment-26509 Ursula Sat, 26 Sep 2009 15:19:47 +0000 http://www.grannymar.com/blog/?p=5017#comment-26509 Please, Grannymar, give me some slack: I wasn't around when hanging people was all the vogue. But there have been and are sailors, captains, fishermen in the close and wider family. I even once managed to capsize a dinghy single handedly - with the help of a (wrongly) pulled rope. Gave up sailing after that. Still, if you ever need a proper knot you know where to come. U Please, Grannymar, give me some slack: I wasn’t around when hanging people was all the vogue. But there have been and are sailors, captains, fishermen in the close and wider family. I even once managed to capsize a dinghy single handedly - with the help of a (wrongly) pulled rope. Gave up sailing after that.

Still, if you ever need a proper knot you know where to come.

U

]]> By: Grannymar http://www.grannymar.com/blog/2009/09/26/old-rope/#comment-26507 Grannymar Sat, 26 Sep 2009 13:11:41 +0000 http://www.grannymar.com/blog/?p=5017#comment-26507 Ursula - I am not surprised at your comment since everywhere you see boats you see ropes! Rhyleysgranny - These sayings come out once in a blue moon! A blue moon refers to the second full moon that occurs in any calendar month. On average, there will be 41 months that have two full moons in every century. Nick - The phrase money for jam is a term used to imply that 'money can be made easily'. When someone objects to paying for work done eg; plumbing or woodwork, they might complain that the person gets money for jam! Ursula - I am not surprised at your comment since everywhere you see boats you see ropes!

Rhyleysgranny - These sayings come out once in a blue moon! A blue moon refers to the second full moon that occurs in any calendar month. On average, there will be 41 months that have two full moons in every century.

Nick - The phrase money for jam is a term used to imply that ‘money can be made easily’. When someone objects to paying for work done eg; plumbing or woodwork, they might complain that the person gets money for jam!

]]> By: Nick http://www.grannymar.com/blog/2009/09/26/old-rope/#comment-26505 Nick Sat, 26 Sep 2009 12:25:05 +0000 http://www.grannymar.com/blog/?p=5017#comment-26505 Okay clever clogs where did the phrase "Money for jam" come from? It's an odd phrase, since jam is actually quite tricky to make. "Money for weeds" would make more sense.... Okay clever clogs where did the phrase “Money for jam” come from? It’s an odd phrase, since jam is actually quite tricky to make. “Money for weeds” would make more sense….

]]> By: Rhyleysgranny http://www.grannymar.com/blog/2009/09/26/old-rope/#comment-26504 Rhyleysgranny Sat, 26 Sep 2009 10:36:07 +0000 http://www.grannymar.com/blog/?p=5017#comment-26504 I love to hear the origins of every day sayings. I have never heard of this one. More please :) I love to hear the origins of every day sayings. I have never heard of this one. More please :)

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