Read The Diamond of Drury Lane Online
Authors: Julia Golding
FLASH
. . . showy
FLAT
. . . someone easily fooled
FOGRUM
. . . senile old man
FUNK
. . . to back out, to fight shy
GERRARD STREET
. . . a favourite street of writers, artists and print sellers
GIMCRACK
. . . showy but worthless
GOB-FULL OF CLARET
. . . a bloody mouth
GREEN ROOM
. . . place where actors wait to go on stage, so called because of the colour of its walls
GROSVENOR SQUARE
. . . high-class part of the West End of London
HEMPEN FEVER
. . . death by hanging (the rope is made of hemp)
HOG-GRUBBER
. . . mean, nasty, sneaking person
HOYDEN
. . . boisterous girl
ISLINGTON
. . . country village, north of London
JARVEY
. . . driver of a hackney cab
LAID UP IN LAVENDER
. . . pawned
MARYLEBONE FIELDS
. . . open land just north of Oxford Street
MOONSHINE
(a load of . . .) . . . insubstantial rubbish
NIPPING-JIG
. . . dance of death on the gallows
NOSEGAY
. . . little bouquet to hide bad odours (and there are plenty of them around my neighbourhood)
NOT WORTH A FART
. . . you don’t really need me to explain this, do you?
THE PIT
. . . lowest level in the theatre, frequented by gentlemen and those aspiring to be counted in that class
THE POOL
. . . moorings in the Thames
PORTER
. . . a dark beer
PRIG
. . . self-righteous know-it-all (as well as lots of other meanings I won’t repeat)
THE ROOKERIES
. . . also known as St Giles, a dangerous district you should avoid if you want to emerge with your possessions, teeth and hair intact
THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY LANE
. . . the best theatre in the world. And my home, just off Covent Garden
TOGS
. . . clothes
TOWER OF LONDON
. . . fortress and prison
WAPPING
. . . the docks (keep an eye on your valuables)