OT Did you know?

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

It was necessary to keep a good supply of cannon balls near the cannon on old war ships. But how to prevent them from rolling about the deck was the problem. The storage method devised was to stack them as a square based pyramid, with one ball on top, resting on four, resting on nine, which rested on sixteen.

Thus, a supply of 30 cannon balls could be stacked in a small area right next to the cannon. There was only one problem -- how to prevent the bottom layer from sliding / rolling from under the others.

The solution was a metal plate with 16 round indentations, called, for reasons unknown, a Monkey. But if this plate were made of iron, the iron balls would quickly rust to it. The solution to the rusting problem was to make them of brass - hence, Brass Monkeys.

Few landlubbers realize that brass contracts much more and much faster than iron when chilled.

 

Consequently, when the temperature dropped too far, the brass indentations would shrink so much that the iron cannon balls would come right off the monkey.

Thus, it was quite literally, cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey. And all this time, folks thought that was just a vulgar expression?

[FastCargo 412]

I don't know, I may have to call shenanegeans on this one:

 

http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq107.htm

 

http://www.snopes.com/language/stories/brass.asp

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brass_monkey_(colloquial_expression)

 

FC

Edited November 20, 2009 by FastCargo

[UK_Widowmaker 571]

Ah... I shall have the dog who emailed me this Keel Hauled!!!!

[Flyby PC 23]

Not to worry Widowmaker. Just revise the expression to 'Freeze the balls off a polar bear'.

 

Vulgarity restored, and everything is tickety boo again.

[FastCargo 412]

Well, there are modern colloquial expressions that have stranger origins...this doesn't sound unreasonable on the face of it...

 

 

FC

[RAF_Louvert 101]

.

 

Enlightening stuff there uncleal, thanks for sharing Sir.

 

 

WM, while the "balls" portion of the phrase is a recent addition the "brass monkey" likey is of naval origin going back several hundred years. Read the following article for a very indepth and historically supported explanation:

 

Brass Monkeys Examined

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

 

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[Flyby PC 23]

There are lots of common expressions which stem from stonemasonry, many of which I've forgotten already, one I remember is being 'sent to coventry', ie nobody speaks to someone after doing something wrong.

 

I medieval times, most cities were established and being run by Trade Guilds, like Carpenters, Tailors, Stonemasons, etc, and in many cities tradesmen required the freedom of that city to practice their trade. If the tradesman was no good, or broke the law, he'd be banned from the city, and if he wanted to make living, he'd need to move to an 'open' city where such misconduct was overlooked. Coventry was one such city, hence, following some misdeed, someone might be sent to Coventry.

 

Like I say, there are loads of terms derived from stone, but I'd need to think a while to recall more.

 

On the level, all square.

 

Sure I'll remember more...

 

One has to do with heretics being burned at the stake...... it'll come to me....

 

 

 

 

[Flyby PC 23]

Robbing Peter to pay Paul comes from stone meant for St Peter's Cathedral in London was used for St Pauls instead.

 

I doubt this meant stone was actually literally stolen, no Cathedral would want that reputation, but I suspect the supply of Portland Stone for St Pauls was so stretched that progress with St Peters had to wait from time to time. - But I'm guessing this part. Some people say it refers to money, not stone, but I was told it was the stone.

 

On a closely related subject, I believe it was only in the 1950's that you were finally allowed to bring dressed stone into London. Prior to that, it could only be brought in to be dressed by London Stonemasons. These trade guilds were very powerful once upon a time, but they also delivered a level of excellence in craftsmanship we really haven't seen since. The only thing grand about a modern building is the price.