Odd factoids

[Drago]

Donkey Smacking used to be a popular passtime in rural Westminster.

 

[PeteXXX]

Smack, though popular in Westminster, was made illegal in Scotland recently. A law not to be sniffed at!

 

[Drago]

Westminster was named in honour of Chropistopher Wren's favoirite tv show, Yesminister.

 

[PeteXXX]

Yesminister was loosely based on the Kenneth Williams line in the Carry On film. . 'Oooh, Yes, Matron'
It is not known if Hattie Jaques actually answered in the affirmative.

 

[Drago]

Hattie Jacques was allergic to hats.

 

[raleighnut]

Hattie Jacques was allergic to hats.

Especially the ones worn by John Le Mesurier

 

[Drago]

John Le Mesurier was an abandonded baby. He was dumped in a box on the steps of a chinese restaurant in Guildford. Inside was a note saying "please look after John." Also inside the box was a tape measure, so the Chinese restairant staff called him John the Measure, before putting him to work preparing ingredients, skinning cats, etc. In later life John grew up to be a bit hoity toity so changed his name to make it more French sounding.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Chinese takeaway was invented as a way of sobering up drunk people, before they got the night bus home. This went wrong when the drunks got on the bus before eating it. This led to the late rice buses.

 

[Drago]

The People Carrier, or MPV, was invented by Renault. They bought old buses, painted them in metallic colouts, slapped on an Espace badge, and sold them to the public for a massive mark up.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

MPV is short for Metallic Painted Vehicle.

Due to a mix up, the Taliban ordered 1,000 MPVs instead of RPGs. They were very disappointed when a shipment of Renault Espaces turned up.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Westminster was named in honour of Chropistopher Wren's favoirite tv show, Yesminister.

Christopher Wren was very insecure about his name, and built St Paul's to try and outdo his great rival architect Matthew Eagle, who never got beyond Parish Churches.

 

[PeteXXX]

John Le Mesurier was an abandonded baby. He was dumped in a box on the steps of a chinese restaurant in Guildford. Inside was a note saying "please look after John." Also inside the box was a tape measure, so the Chinese restairant staff called him John the Measure, before putting him to work preparing ingredients, skinning cats, etc. In later life John grew up to be a bit hoity toity so changed his name to make it more French sounding.

Apologies for bringing a really honestly true fact into here, but I nearly bought John Le Mesurier's house, on Canterbury Road, in Ramsgate many moons ago.. 👍🏼

 

[PeteXXX]

Birds were not only the surname of builders of places of worship, but also known as the manufacturers of custard powder.

 

[Drago]

Custard was conceived as a means by which a wallpaper paste manufacturer could sell their over production to a gullible public.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Donkey Smacking used to be a popular passtime in rural Westminster.

Smack the Dead Donkey was a phrase describing the practice of waking up sleeping members in the House of Lords in the 1960s. This practice has subsequently been banned, after the Profumo Affair