Thursday 27 September 2007

OLD BILL

Commenting on yesterday's blog, ELLIOT asked whether, when I referred to the work of BILL STICKERS, I actually meant BILL POSTERS...

Well, Elliot, they are, as it happens, one and the same: being a devious customer, he goes by either name, but may well favour Bill POSTERS in your native Australia.

I grew up, knowing this fly-by-night criminal as Bill STICKERS, and you will realise just how old I am when I tell you that the following joke appeared in the London Graphic in 1884:
A countryman named William Stickers, flying to London to escape from rural justice, was appalled at reading on a wall: BILL STICKERS BEWARE. He went a little further, but reading again, BILL STICKERS WILL BE PUNISHED WITH THE UTMOST RIGOUR OF THE LAW, gave himself up for lost and surrendered.
In 1960s London - in direct response to the proliferation of BILL STICKERS WILL BE PROSECUTED signs...


...Mr Stickers (aka Posters) famously began sticking up posters (or posting up stickers) which read:

BILL STICKERS IS INNOCENT!

There was a skiffle group called Bill Posters Will Be Band; and - strictly for snappers-up of unconsidered whatsits - you will be amused to know that an utterly useless anagram of Bill Stickers Will Be Prosecuted is: Restrict well-publicised blokes.

And that, I regret to say, concludes your trivia allowance for the day...

2 comments:

Boll Weavil said...

Yes, Bill has always derived from the Stickers line in my book. I remember being told the story of the unfortunate William as a morality tale with the moral being that God was everywhere and all-seeing and would seek redress for offences known and unknown.I soon learned it wasn't true and carried on with the sins anyway. Only when I grew up did I appreciate he might have patience and a long memory.....

Elliot Cowan said...

Everyone knows Bill Stickers was dreadful man with bad breath and dirty fingernails.