https://spitalfieldslife.com/2024/07/10/in-itchy-park-with-jack-london/ In the midst of life I woke to find myself living in an old house beside Brick Lane in the East End of London Mon, 28 Oct 2024 20:51:20 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 https://spitalfieldslife.com/2024/07/10/in-itchy-park-with-jack-london/#comment-1637769 Mon, 28 Oct 2024 20:51:20 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=200202#comment-1637769 The original phrase is from the Scots dialect of English (or Scots language, as some would have it). An itchy-coo is something dry and rustly causing a tickling, particularly from plants like tansy heads, dried dogrose hips, etc., which children may mischievously drop down each other’s backs. Being Scots, it is possible there were similar terms in Geordie, Yorks. dialects and others strongly influenced by norse germanic roots.
My mother used to use itchycoo as a swearword substitute, along with gitche gumee, which those who remember their Hiawatha will recognise. Of course, the latter is not related to the former, being from the Ojibwe around Lake Superior, Longfellow’s Shining Big-Sea-Water (gichi-gami, gitchi-gami or kitchi-gami in ojibwe).

]]> https://spitalfieldslife.com/2024/07/10/in-itchy-park-with-jack-london/#comment-1588038 Wed, 10 Jul 2024 10:53:37 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=200202#comment-1588038 The fate of the homeless, or the poor, still deeply worries me, and remember studying Gustave Doré when I did the first year of my OU degree. When I was working in London several decades ago now, every doorway I passed on my way from the tube station had someone huddled in it, with barely more than a bit of cardboard covering them. I help financially where I can, but feel totally helpless in between. I was born into a modest family with very little money, but none of us ever went without food in our mouths or shoes on our feet that I can remember, however hard my parents had to work for it. I never judge, but always wonder how so many homeless get to be where they are today. Fortunately (for me) I’ve never liked alcohol, but sympathise with those who turn to it for comfort, even when it might make their situation even harder.
Thank you for this Post Gentle Author. We all need to a reminder at times, and I’m still fascinated by history, but especially architecture and social history – so your posts are perfect!

]]> https://spitalfieldslife.com/2024/07/10/in-itchy-park-with-jack-london/#comment-1588021 Wed, 10 Jul 2024 08:45:15 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=200202#comment-1588021 There was a 1967 song by the New Faces called Itchycoo Park but nobody is sure exactly which park it refers to. Could this be a contender?

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