Canny lass

It only took a minute!

So it is!

I can manage 3 Keith: Bette Davis, Peter Sellers and Jimmy Stewart

It appears that the expression 'pay on the nail' isn't peculiar to Bedlington and doesn't have anything to do with nail production. It was in general use in the English language as early as the 16th century and has been noted as early as the 14th century in Anglo-Norman 'payer sur le ungle' - literally translated ' to pay on the nail'. The nail in question appears to have been a nothing more than a finger nail. http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/cash-on-the-nail.html

Keith 2 and Merc, go for it!

Absolutely not ignoring John's supposition - just adding an alternative supposition.

Wouldn't that make it eligible as a market cross?

Is there some specific connection between the market cross and nail production?

It was also a common practice to mark out a place for exchange and sale of goods - a market place, hence the 'market cross'. This marker didn't always take the form of a cross. I've read somewhere that these market places were usually beside the church but for the life of me I can't find a reference just now. A market cross, according to Wikipedia, is a structure used to mark a market square in market towns. They are often elaborately carved and can be found in most market towns in Britain. They are not, however, all elaborately carved. Wikipedia informs us that: "These structures range from carved stone spires, obelisks or crosses, common to small market towns such as that in Stalbridge, Dorset to large, ornate covered structures, such as the Chichester Cross†The word obelisk, which comes from the Greek language, is particularly interesting for me. Liddell and Scott (1940), still a valid work of reference today, say this; á½€bελ-ίσκος , á½, Dim. of á½€bελός I, A. small spit, skewer, Ar.Ach. 1007, Nu.178, V.354, Av.388, 672, Sotad. Com.1.10, X.HG3.3.7, Arist.Pol.1324b19, PEleph.5.2 (iii B. C.), etc. 2. pl., spits used as money, Plu.Lys.17, Fab.27 ; cf. á½€bολός fin. 3. nail, IG12.313.141 (prob.), 11(2).148.70 (Delos, iii B. C., pl.). 4. = subula, Gloss. 5. window bar, ib. (pl.). II. anything shaped like a spit : the blade of a two-edged sword, Plb.6.23.7 ; the iron head of the Roman pilum, D.H.5.46. III. obelisk, D.S.1.46, Str.17.1.27, Plin.HN36.64. IV. drainage-conduit, "οἱ á¼Î½ τοῖς τείχεσιν á½€.†D.S.19.45, cf. IG 9(1).692.14 (Corc., ii B. C.) ; so perh. πεÏὶ τοῦ πιλῶνος (= πυλῶνος) κaὶ τοá½bιλίσκου (= τοῦ á½€bελίσκου) PLond.2.391.2 (vi A. D.) ; cf. "á½€bολίσκος†1. Henry George Liddell. Robert Scott. A Greek-English Lexicon. revised and augmented throughout by. Sir Henry Stuart Jones. with the assistance of. Roderick McKenzie. Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1940. http://www.perseus.t...04.0057:entry=o)beli%2Fskos Look at 3 - á½€bελ-ίσκος (obelisk) would appear to be synonymous with 'nail'. There's no doubt that our nail is an obelisk it fulfills all criteria – tall, four sided, tapering with a pyramid shaped top. Nail is just another name for this structure. Anybody know how long it's been referred to as the 'nail'.

Not yet Malcolm but looking forward to it.

I think it's called supplementary street lighting.

As Kieth 1 would say: ERRRR--

I would never have got it!!

Excellent, and as you say some very nice pictures! Thank you Symptoms.

I came across this site and wonder if anybody knows anything about the flint implement found at Nedderton in 1998 or the burial cists found at Millfield in the 1930s? www.keystothepast.info/durhamcc/K2P.nsf/K2PDetail?readform&PRN=N13980

Did he say PINK?

I agree whole heartedly. I think the majority are great as well. What was heart warming for me wasn't only what these youngsters did but actually HEARING about it. We 'adults' aren't too good at singing their praises in public. It's the odd few who've gone astray that hit that headlines, unfortunately.

Really warms the heart to hear something good about young people.

Are those buildings used at all now?

There were two cookery rooms on the landing of the stairs from the main entrance but the library was accessed from the stairs at the righthand side of the building (viewed from the exterior). I can't remember any classroom between these and I can't think how you would get to it, other than through a door leading from the library. There was no door leading in that direction from the cookery room. However, I remember that the corridor downstairs was very long so there would have been room for something between the library and the cookery room. I left in 62 but there was a Mrs Wilson, art teacher, at that time. A small, demure creature with a french pleat hairstyle. She often wore pleated tartan skirts and cashmere sweaters in beiges and browns. Could that be her? I had no Idea that the catholic school had taken over the premises. When did that happen?

Now that brings back memories. I used to miss assembley at Westridge most Wednesday mornings when I was in my third year and go to Beadnells to do the shopping for the domestic science teacher. She had to have the ingredients before the first class of the day started.

Thank you kind sirs for your warming good wishes. Foxy, what's a weekend-off? Hasn't your good lady told you that a woman's work is NEVER done?.

When you say "this place" are you referring to the Red Lion or Bedlington.co.uk? If it's the latter I have to agree with you! It's like a good book which you just can't put down for a minute.

Went into the British Library on Euston Road but wasn't allowed to even look at a book as I couldn't produce an electricity- or gas bill. This is perfectly true! To use the library I had to register. To register I had to produce one item from each of 2 lists. One Item containing my signature and one item containing my adress. I only had my passport to show my signature. Unfortunately I didn't have the required gas/electricity bill with me with which to prove my adress so I couldn't register. I tried to argue that my electricity bill would be of no use, as it wasn't in English, and was informed that "we have translators." What's Britain coming to? (I've now packed an electricity bill in anticipation of my next visit).

Why not? It's certainly another possibility but I agree that much depends on just when the name first saw the light of day.