register for free
View our sister sites
Our sister sites
Our sister sites
Our sister sites
terrier69
Dogsey Veteran
terrier69 is offline  
Location: UK
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 4,185
Female 
 
07-02-2009, 10:44 AM

Sweet Fanny Adams/Sweet F A

As some of us could recall being called Fanny Adams in our youth and also had heard the phrase Sweet F A I thought I'd google to find out who Fanny Adams was.
Poor little mite......

http://www3.hants.gov.uk/museum/curt...anny-adams.htm

Poor Fanny's headstone, erected by Public subscription in 1874, and renovated a few years ago, still stands in the town cemetery on the Old Odiham Road. It might have been our only reminder of the tragic affair had it not been for the macabre humour of British Sailors.
Served with tins of mutton as the latest shipboard convenience food in 1869, they gloomily declared that their butchered contents must surely be 'Sweet Fanny Adams'. Gradually accepted throughout the armed services as a euphemism for 'sweet nothing' it passed into common usage.

As an aside, the large tins in which the meat was packed for the royal navy, were often used as mess tins and it appears that even today mess tins are colloquially known as 'fannys'.
Reply With Quote
CheekyChihuahua
Dogsey Veteran
CheekyChihuahua is offline  
Location: n/a
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,459
Female 
 
07-02-2009, 10:50 AM
Very interesting Wishbone. I was called "Fanny Adams" as a child by my Mum sometimes, so now all is clear! Thank You
Reply With Quote
terrier69
Dogsey Veteran
terrier69 is offline  
Location: UK
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 4,185
Female 
 
07-02-2009, 10:56 AM
..... and I'd always though Sweet F A meant sweet f**k all

Horrible story but obviously true with a gravestone and all that.
Reply With Quote
catrinsparkles
Dogsey Veteran
catrinsparkles is offline  
Location: england
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 5,601
Female 
 
07-02-2009, 11:27 AM
Interesting post thank you. I had read a bit about it before, but that artical filled in the gaps thank you.


I was called Fanny by gaslight as a child. I wonder if that is connected? Or is that to do with florence nightingale?
Reply With Quote
Losos
Fondly Remembered
Losos is offline  
Location: Suffolk, England
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,529
Male 
 
07-02-2009, 12:28 PM
Becky - Very interesting I'm the same as you as I also only know the expression and thought the abbreviation FA meant something totally different.
Reply With Quote
hectorsmum
Dogsey Veteran
hectorsmum is offline  
Location: Derbyshire.....the walking county
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,982
Female 
 
07-02-2009, 12:51 PM
i love articles like this, the history of a name i find fasinating.

a very sad story, but its good to know where the phrase comes from.

i call my daughter Fanny Annie.
Reply With Quote
youngstevie
Dogsey Veteran
youngstevie is offline  
Location: Birmingham UK
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 20,832
Female 
 
07-02-2009, 01:02 PM
Originally Posted by catrinsparkles View Post
Interesting post thank you. I had read a bit about it before, but that artical filled in the gaps thank you.


I was called Fanny by gaslight as a child. I wonder if that is connected? Or is that to do with florence nightingale?
Like you my Gran used to say ''Fanny by gaslight''

Interesting find there, I love to find out these things, maybe some of us think it's useless info, but makes you look so brainy, when you can relate where and why somethings are said.

Thanks for that.
Reply With Quote
catrinsparkles
Dogsey Veteran
catrinsparkles is offline  
Location: england
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 5,601
Female 
 
07-02-2009, 01:27 PM
Originally Posted by youngstevie View Post
Like you my Gran used to say ''Fanny by gaslight''

Interesting find there, I love to find out these things, maybe some of us think it's useless info, but makes you look so brainy, when you can relate where and why somethings are said.

Thanks for that.
I've just remembered there was an old black and white film called Fanny by Gaslight.....but not sure why we would be called after a film!
Reply With Quote
youngstevie
Dogsey Veteran
youngstevie is offline  
Location: Birmingham UK
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 20,832
Female 
 
07-02-2009, 01:37 PM
Originally Posted by catrinsparkles View Post
I've just remembered there was an old black and white film called Fanny by Gaslight.....but not sure why we would be called after a film!
Do you know your right.....I'll have to look that up and see if there is any other thing other than a film.

All I remember was her saying that, and I always thought it was because in those days her farm house had gas lights but as a kid you always think of the simplest things don't you xx
Reply With Quote
Nippy
Dogsey Veteran
Nippy is offline  
Location: South Devon
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 22,394
Female 
 
07-02-2009, 01:37 PM
Very interesting Becki.
My Gran used to call me Lizzie dripping, is that connected to Fannys friend Lizzie do you suppose??
Reply With Quote
Reply
Page 1 of 4 1 2 3 4 >


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools


© Copyright 2016, Dogsey   Contact Us - Dogsey - Top Contact us | Archive | Privacy | Terms of use | Top