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'GUYVER'

Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2019 5:08 pm
by Billyboy777
Does anyone else recall use of the word 'guyver' used by my mum, Lizzie Bryant (nee Pritchard ) from Leroy Street ? She used it to mean 'swagger' or 'swank' - I never heard anyone else use it but wondered if anyone else knew it and what its origins might be?

Re: 'GUYVER'

Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2019 10:38 pm
by kiwi
Hi Billyboy777.Welcome to the site.
‘Guyver’, I lived in the same area as your mum (Page’s Walk) but can’t say I can remember hearing that word used when I was there, saying that the way us cockneys talk at times that’s not surprising.
I have heard the word spoken but funny enough in Scotland (family) and Australia.
Your right with the meaning, very confident and arrogant, flattering talk, behaviour put on to impress. Today it would mean Bulls****r ;)
There is another word that sounds like Guyver which we all used and still do, Skiver, Lazy person, a person not pulling their weight and is Scottish Slang for a Lazy person.
So two things,someone could have said Guyver and we thought it was Skiver? And second just for curiosity did your mum have any Scottish roots.
Cheers Kiwi.
PS. Where in Leroy Street did your mum live?

Re: 'GUYVER'

Posted: Sun Jun 30, 2019 8:35 pm
by Billyboy777
Hi there Kiwi
Thanks for your reply. The word stuck in my mind because my mum used it a lot . Im not sure about confusion with 'skiver' which I don't think I heard until I did my National Service - when one heard all kinds of words one hadn't come across before !!
We lived in Barnaby buildings from about 1946 until 1949 but my mum's family (the Pritchards) lived opposite in Stewart House and had lived in Leroy Street since the 1900's
Thanks again for your interest.