Ilkeston, pronounced 'Ilkisstun', the traditional pronunciation, of course, is Ilson, which is almost certainly a convenient shortening of the word. Ilkeston was once known as'Tuppy Land'. The town appears in the Domesday Book as 'Tilchestune'. Perhaps the most likely explanation for this strange rendering is that it was a mistake made by some cloth eared Norman scribe, who misheard a local referring to a road leading 't'Elchestun'. The original name of the town was probably 'Elchestun' meaning either 'The enclosure of the Elk' (the Elk-originally 'elch' or `elcha' being the name or symbol of an Anglian leader) or, possibly, 'Elac's dun' (the hill of an Anglian chief called 'Elac').
Ilkeston was granted a charter to have its own fair in the year 1252, during the reign of Henry III;
the Royal Charter was signed and sealed in Windsor Castle, granting Hugh de Cantilupe permission
to have: 'One market every week, on Thursday, at his aforesaid Manor of Elkesdon; and one fair,
every year, to continue on the vigil and on the day of the assumption of the Blessed Mary; unless
such Market and such Fair, be to the nuisance of the neighbouring Markets and neighbouring Fairs'.
The market, incidentally, may only rarely be a nuisance as such, but the 1828 edition of Pigot
and Co.'s Directory maintained that: 'The market·day, which is on Thursday, is of very little benefit
to the inhabitants.'
In the days when the assizes were held in Ilkeston, the towns people needed only pay a 'moiety'
of the tolls charged at local fairs and markets - that is, they were only charged half-price - because
of the expense they incurred in keeping the town gallows in a sufficiently good state of repair to
hang criminals. Ilkeston people, it seems, often made themselves very unpopular at neighbouring
fairs by boldly claiming this privilege.
There used to be more than one fair in Ilkeston every year, with or without permission from the
monarch: cattle and horse trading would take place at fairs held early in March, during Whit Week,
and on the first Thursday after Christmas. The October fair, once called 'Stattus' ('Statutes') was
an occasion for hiring servants; the Sunday before, 'Wakes Sunday', was a good excuse for
drinking mulled ale, flavoured with various spices, and heated by means of a red-hot poker.
It's easy to work out the date of the October fair each year providing you're a genius at mental
arithmetic: it's on the 'first Thursday after the first Sunday after the eleventh'.
Some useful translations of local expressions.
Ahtdatious Audacious.
Badly Poorly, slightly ill.
Battin Moving fast, as in "Eh wer battin' along!".
A'm-a this aah I'm of this opinion.
Ah wer all of a shek! I was all of a shake, I was trembling all over.
A'm bostin' I can't wait (usually to go to the toilet) or
"I'm in great need of" - as in "A'm bostin' fer a fag!
A'm gooin te ton me bike rahbd I'm just going to the lavatory.
Are yuh arkin? Are you listening.
Ark ut mey! Listen to me (Tradition has it that a
local female celebrity uttered this phrase
after belching rather loudly at a Civic
Dinner many years ago. With a precedent
like that, it may be taken as an apology).
'Ave yuh done? Have you finished yet?
Blobbed Stuck out, as in "Shey blobbed 'er tongue
aht ut mey!"
Blortin' Shouting out.
To bodge up To make or repair something, making the
best of available materials. "Bodging" can
therefore mean simply "making". A Staffordshire variation
is "to codge" something together.
Bogger this! "I've had enough!" As in the phrase "Bogger this
fer a game o' sowjers!",
Bost-'ead A damaged skull as in "Eh'd gorra bost-'ead".
Britches/Breeks Trousers.
By guyney! By Jove! (Possibly a corruption of "By
Guy!" referring to Guy, Earl of Warwick).
Charlie's dead! A phrase used when the underskirt is
showing beneath the hem of a lady's
dress. Sometimes "Ah see Charlie`s dead!"
Chelp To cheek, answer back as in "Yo've tow
much chelp, yo ay!"
Chunter To complain, mumble, as in: "Wot yuh
chunterin on abairt?" or "Yo've tow much
chelp 'n' chunter!" (see 'Chelp').
Cockle-ower/ova To tip up, over-balance.
Cut Canal. Ilkeston people refer to the
"Top Cut" (Nottingham Canal) and the
"Bottom-Cut" (Erewash Canal).
Dab in! Hurry up!
Dead Very. As in "It wer dead good!".
Dunna wittle! Don`t worry. If the person being addressed persists in
showing every sign of worry, this may change to the slightly
less patient form "Aw, shut yer wittlin".
Dust sey? Do you see?
Flit To move house. Also used in the pits, for
the action of moving the coal-cutting machine.
Is it woth ote? Is it worth anything?
Is that it? Really? Is that right?
It's note te dow wi` mey! It's nothing to do with me!
Jiggered Tired, exhausted.
Kaip that mungrel dairn! Control your dog!
Land one on 'im I hit him.
Scruffs Work-clothes. As in "Yo niver gooin' aht
in yer scruff, are yuh?"
Scrummagin' Pottering around, searching
Shacken Shaken or shocked.
Shimmy To climb or crawl.
Skelp To hit with the hand as in "Eh skelped 'im on th'ead".
Slorrin' Sliding.
Sneaped Snubbed, offended.
Snyded Crowded, packed with people as in "It's
no good gooin t Macklock tedee, it'll be
snyded aht wi' folk!".
Summat's up! Something is wrong.
Sustificate A certificate.
Swag Drink, swig as in "Giz a swag o' yer watter".
Taitered Exhausted.
Tantazled Puzzled.
Wrang side o't'brook Nottinghamshire - the other side of the Erewash.
Click here to go to the local Hospital Radio web page
and find out about how you could help.
Click here to go to the local Ilkeston Ladies Football Club web page.
I have had E-mails from people who have read my page on Ilkeston.
Steve Millership, a computer games artist in Manchester, grew up in Ilson and moved to Manchester in 1982
to study graphic design, and stayed.
Steve says; I will be at the fair this year having only missed one in 15 years in Manchester. I went to Hallcroft
school and have fond memories of racing up Market St. on a Thosdee dinner time to see the Mayor open the
fair, one year I managed a free ride on the dodgems with him, of course all the kids thought it was
Mayor open season and rammed him at all times. I also remember being cornered behind a round-a-bout
and being beaten up by some Gladdo kids , you took your life in your hands walking round the fair during
its construction, happy days.
Steve also suggests the following additions to my list of useful phrases;
Scratein Crying
Aye up Yowth Hello my good fellow
As anyonya hotya Has anybody hurt themselves
Fair Daggin or Tazin it Going very fast
Fish and mix Fish, chips and gravey
Sucker Ice Lolly
Paul Bednell has started his own Ilkeston web page, give it a try.
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Copyright © 1998 NoelK. All rights reserved.
Last updated 4th October 1998.