Yorkshire Words Of The Week

From: Claire Postill, Broughton Road, Malton, North Yorks.

ON reading Elizabeth Gill’s letter (August 20, Country Week), I find that I can give definitions for two of these words. Being a Yorkshire woman, I am also sure that in another area they will mean something completely different!

Crozzled – well cooked crisp bacon.

Smithed – bowled over by someone.

I also noted Jack H Kells’, “It’s looking black o’er bit wife’s mothers”. My husband’s version was, “black o’ Bill’s mother’s”. He is a Malton man whereas I am a “West Ridinger”. There are many differences in the dialect after living here for 40 years and I still do not understand it all.

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From: Gladys Walton, Coimers Wharfe, Mytholmroyd, Hebden Bridge.

A gentleman I worked with for many years used to say, if the weather was improving: “It’s clearing over’t knoll.” After 60 yers I still don’t know where or what t’ knoll was!

From: R&J Smith, Gomersal Lane, Cleckheaton, West Yorks.

HERE are a few more words or sayings from when I “wor nobbut a lad” in the Dewsbury, Ravensthorpe and Thornhill area, when a broom handle was a “stale” and doorsteps were “doorsens” and they got ruddled on a Friday and the best hand-”brodded” rug was put down in front of the fireplace ready for weekend.

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Grandmother would wear a “harding clart” for an even cloth (harding being hessian). On a cold winter night the coal fire would be banked up with “slek” (coal dust) to keep it alight till ‘tomorn.

We children would be “laikin out” and told to come in before dark or we would get “gorby ruttles”.

I can remember grandmother saying, “sitha doy, will ta tak t’ashes round to ashnoo.”. This was round the back of the back-to-back terrace house and was a small brick building used to store ashes and household rubbish before the days of dustbins and regular collections, and was adjoining the outside non-flush toilet which was shared with a neighbour.

Another couple of words which we still use are “bunfeyt or fuddle” to describe a funeral tea at which those who attended would be fair sluffened.

From: David Hebb Barrow Haven, North Lincolnshire.

Regarding J Whyte’s letter (Country Week, July 16). I have always understood “tracklements” to be accompaniments to meat dishes, mustard, pickles, and sauces etc.

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