Knobs and Gudgeons and Snuffy Bradford and Hilperton Tie-downs - Trowbridge & Bradford-on-Avon

Research on the nicknames "Trowbridge Knobs" & "Bradford Gudgeons" & "Snuffy Bradford" & "Hilperton Tie-downs."

 

1888

(B-o-A)

The question has been asked—* Was it ever a chapel? ’ Aubrey has given his opinion that it was, and this was also opinion of Precentor Venables and the Rev Dr Cox. It was long used as a lock-up; and until recently, if not at the present time, It was made available as a powder magazine. The fish (a gudgeon) which forms part of the final is the emblem of St. Nicholas. The inhabitants of the town were once familiarly spoken of as "Bradford gudgeons," and those who had been tenants of the lock up were said have been "under the fish and over the water."

(Wiltshire Times 21st July 1888)

 

1899

The old chapel on the bridge over the river Avon, at Bradford-on-Avon, has seen many changes. Once the resort of pious pilgrims, it became and remained until the second quarter of this century a prison, or "lock up,” for the detention of petty offenders. It is also known as the “blind-house" from the fact of its having no windows. It is perhaps better adopted for incarceration than for devotion, for its walls are extremely massive, and are surmounted with a heavy stone roof. The chapel was originally dedicated to St. Nicholas, the patron saint both of thieves and fishermen, and still retains its vane, a gilded gudgeon, whence the Bradford-on-Avon folks are still called “ Bradford gudgeons.”

(Wiltshire Times 15th July 1899)

 

1901

There was the Blind House or lock-up which still exists, and is said to date from 1757. A correspondent writing some time ago when a cry was raised that this old building should be knocked down, was eloquent in defence of the relic. He said, "If my memory be true every stone of the walls is chamferred to its joints, and from the walls spring the dome of stone masonry on the apex of which is a large ball of stone from which sprang the taunt "Trowbridge Knob.” The return compliment "Bradford Gudgeon" owes its origin to the fish on the Bradford Blind House.

(Wiltshire Times 2nd March 1901)

 

1920

'and from the walls spring the dome of masonry, on the apex of which, on a plinth, is a large ball of stone, from which sprang the name "Trowbridge Knob.” On a somewhat similar but much more ancient structure which stands on the bridge spanning the Avon at Bradford, the finial takes the shape of a fish, hence the term "Bradford Gudgeon.” In the 18th century it was no unusual occurrence for a party of Bradford Gudgeons to visit Trowbridge, especially on a Saturday evening, and frequently gangs of Trowbridge Knobs went to Bradford.'

(Wiltshire Times 20th November 1920)

 

1926

'Trowbridge steeple, long and leetle,

Dirty town and shabby people.'

Trowbridgians will possibly resent the latter line, but let us hope that they are nobs and not snobs. Trowbridge Knobs and Bradford Gudgeons, as well as Hilperton Tie-downs and Bradley Donkeys, were nick-names when I was a boy (c.1850-1860.)

(extracted from an article in the Wiltshire Times 9th October 1926)

 

1932

Young rowdies from Bradford used to invade the town on Saturday evenings in winter, before the introduction of gas, and the young rowdies of our town made a rule to drive them out, so the air was thick near the bridge with cries, "There goes the Gudgeons,” or "Here comes the Knobs,” (a knob adorns the top of the Trowbridge blindhouse, and a gudgeon the top of Bradford blindhouse)

(Wiltshire Times 23rd January 1932)

 

1932

The blind house at Trowbridge has a ball as its finial; the like building in Bradford-on-Avon has a fish. It is said that the lads of Trowbridge and Bradford were consequently styled the knobs and gudgeons respectively. There was always a rivalry existing between the two places; and on certain occasions the boys met on Trowle Common and a good set-to ensued.

(Wiltshire Times 9th April 1932)

 

1948

There is a sort of latent antagonism between the two towns, which many years ago expressed itself in pitched battles with sticks and stones and cudgels on Trowle Common between the Trowbridge "knobs" and Bradford “gudgeons,” and it is well within the memory of most people that football matches between the two towns were anything but sporting encounters and frequently terminated in a riot. More recently it is of no little moment that a sign erected at the top of Widbrook Hill bearing the name "Trowbridge” has several times been torn down and thrown into the ditch!

(Wiltshire Times 24th July 1948)

 

1949

Sir : Having read with interest your correspondence re "Trowbridge Knobs" and "Bradford Gudgeons" I wonder whether any of your readers can explain the origin of the terms applied to other places in this locality named in the two following doggerel verses:—

 

Trowbridge Knobs

Bradford Gudgeons

Hilperton Tiedowns

Bradley Donkeys

 

Roade Waspies

Beckington Bees

Frome Dumbledories

and Warminster Fleas.

(extract from Wiltshire Times 3rd December 1949)

 

1949

By the way, how many people have heard of Bradfordians called "gudgeons" and Trowbridge people "knobs"? These epithets apparently date back to the late 18th century when great rivalry existed between the towns.

According to William Martin's history of Trowbridge, written in 1850, the expressions were taken from the ornaments surmounting the town's respective blind houses - in Bradford a guilded fish and in Trowbridge a large spherical stone or "knob."

Martin writes: Under the respective designations of "knobs" or "gudgeons," the inhabitants of either town did, in days of yore, sometimes exchange hard words or even harder blows. This, however, was sometime back and we believe that the feud has now entirely died away.

(Wiltshire Times 12th November 1949)

 

1949

Sir: Referring to Trowbridge "Knobs" and Rode "Wopsies," in my boyhood days, about seventy years ago, the inhabitants of Southwick, called Suddick by the locals, were known as "Barnsdoor Savages."

Can any of your readers explain if this was due to their pugilistic propensities, or to their habit of heaving stones at all and sundry passing through the village.

(Wiltshire Times 17th December 1949)

 

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SNUFFY BRADFORD

 

1931

How the pleasant and picturesque old town of Bradford-on-Avon earned the uncomplimentary title of "Snuffy Bradford," still occasionally heard was explained to me by an elderly Bradfordian whose family had resided in the town for many generations.

It seems that in the days when snuff-taking was practiced by all classes the citizens of Bradford were particularly addicted to the habit and large quantities of snuff were brought to the town in barges. A consignment of snuff was accidentally upset during the course of unloading at the canal wharf one day when a strong wind was blowing, and this speedily carrying the snuff into the streets and through every open door and window, set the whole town sneezing.

Some strangers who chanced to be visting the town that day, dubbed it "Snuffy Bradford" - and the name persisted after snuff-taking has fallen into disfavour.

(Wiltshire Times 8th August 1931)

 

1937

There have been many conjectures in the past as to the reason why the town Bradford has been known as Snuffy Bradford, but probably the real reason is the fact that many years ago a Bradford worthy, named Tugwell, knowing the weakness of Bradford people for snuff, left a sum of money to ensure that at least once a year a large number of people shall have a quantity of this pungent powder. On Friday last, at the Parish Church Vestry, the Rev. R. Sercombe and the Churchwardens distributed to forty aged people 1s. 3d. each of "snuff money." It is safe to presume that very few, if any, of the recipients spent their money in the way intended.

(Wiltshire Times 23rd January 1937)

 

1949

Sir: With reference to the inquiry which appeared in your paper in my boyhood days there was quite a business done at Bradford in the snuff trade, particularly amongst elderly people. Many of the tradesmen kept a snuffbox by them and when customers came to their shop would hand out the snuff-box wishing "good health." The leading shop for snuff was in the Shambles —Messrs. Taylor—who were Drapers and Grocers. It was the Grocery Dept, which was noted for the sale of snuff, and on entering the shop you would notice a large canister of snuff on the counter, and this was sold in small measure. I remember distinctly that the counter was coloured by the snuff. Hence " Snuffy Bradford."

(Wiltshire Times 19th November 1949)

 

1955

According to ancient tradition, Bradford owes its nickname of Snuffy to the fact that a cargo of snuff, conveyed up the river in barges in Georgian days, was upset in the vicinity and set the residents sneezing for days. Another theory was that Bradford folk were once inveterate snuff-takers. One or two still practised the venerable custom in my day. notably Mr. "Dicky" Edmunds, the rate collector who made his rounds in an old-fashioned dog-cart drawn by the most picturesquely-spotted piebald pony ever seen outside a circus

(Wiltshire Times 7th May 1955)

 

 

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HILPERTON TIE-DOWNS

 

1836

CHURCH DANGER

It is worthy of remark that, during the very heavy gale of wind Tuesday last, the good people of the hamlet of Hilperton, near Trowbridge, used the precaution of cording down the church: the ropes which crossed the edifice were fastened to pegs driven into the earth, and others secured to the tomb-stones.

(Wiltshire Independent 1st December 1836)

 

1901

The term "Hilperton tie downs," attached to the people of Hilperton, is said to be explained by the Wiltshire Independent for December 1, 1836, as follows: It is worthy of remark that during the very heavy gale of wind on Tuesday last the good people of the hamlet of Hilperton, near Trowbridge, used the precaution of cording down the church, the ropes which crossed the edifice being fastened to pegs driven into the earth, and others secured to the tombstones."

(Wiltshire Times 13th March 1901)

 

1938

The villagers of Hilperton are commonly known as the "Hilperton Tie Downs,” because when a long time ago the sheets of lead blew off the roof of the Church, they were fixed back with ropes which were tied to the tombstones.

(Wiltshire Times 24th December 1938)

 

1954

Local tradition gives the curious nickname "Tie-downs" to inhabitants of Hilperton, though this, like other similar collective nicknames, seems to be falling into disuse, especially among the younger generation. Writing on the subject in the Hilperton Church "Herald," the Rector (Rev. C. P. Hanna) says that he had never heard the expression in the five years he has been at Hilperton, until recently he was asked about it by someone who is investigating the question of village nicknames. He goes on to give a story explaining the name, told him by Messrs. A. and J. Matthews, This story is more picturesque than the prosaic suggestion in the Victoria County History that "the name may possibly refer to some process in cloth manufacture carried on there," and certainly deserves re-telling. It appears that before Hilperton Church was rebuilt in 1848, it had a flat lead roof. One day when there was a high wind some of the sheets of lead began lifting in a way which alarmed the then verger (a Mr. Feltham, who was the great-grandfather of Mr. Matthews). So Mr. Feltham borrowed long wagon ropes from Manor Farm and Church Farm and tied the roof down, making the ropes fast to tombstones each side. Thus the roof was saved. But next morning some local wag, passing the church on his way (along Middle Lane) to work at Trowbridge, untied some of the ropes and tied them to thistles instead. He then told his friends in the town that the ignorant villagers of Hilperton had tied their church down to thistles, and so "Hilperton Tie-downs" became a term of humorous reproach

(Wiltshire Times 18th December 1954)

Done