Mr. Rust of Audio-Visuals
01-13-2009, 03:21 PM
Still incomplete, I'll get to it when I get to it; meanwhile, feel free to jump in and correct me if I've been remiss or tackle info from later in the episode...
"The Clock"
Guard's Tie/Tesco Table Tennis Club tie- A guards tie is worn by members of the elite Brigade of Guards of the British Army, which must be what so impresses Captain Peacock. Its design is diagonal navy blue and red stripes of equal size. Peacock is disappointed to find that the man is merely sporting the similar tie worn by the table tennis club at Tesco's grocery store chain. I only found one internet reference to said club, made by an American blogger who discovers the store in England and wonders if it's the same one with the table tennis club. Probably another AYBS fan.
"Pushcon"- Hard-wearing fabric included in the suit the gentlemen are trying to sell to a customer. Nothing found anywhere about it, most likely invented on the spot by Mr. H.
***cpl.er...Capt. Joe: "Pushcon" = Push-combed-cotton (A contraction of the phrase to make it sound more hip and new, but the new name never caught on)Combed cotton is an extremely soft version of cotton made by specially treating the cotton fibers before they are spun into yarn. As a general rule, combed cotton is slightly more expensive than conventional cotton. The extremely soft, strong material is ideal for making bed linens and clothing which will be worn against the skin.
The Concord/sound barrier- Supersonic passenger jet whose development, Mr. Humphries claims, led to the discovery of the mythical "pushcon" fabric. It was a joint effort by England and France, first flown in 1969, and a pretty big deal in its day. Wikipedia purports that people would drop what they were doing to gawk and wave at the Concorde if it flew over. It flew at a speed of Mach 2, or about 1450 miles per hour. Around 1200 mph appears to be sufficient to break the sound barrier, which is an activity Mr. Lucas suggests as being suitable for wearing a pushcon jacket.
VAT- Value-added tax, or sales tax.
Eastbourne/ Brighton- Seaside resorts on England's southern coast, listed as honeymooning possibilities by Mrs. Slocombe's customer.
Beachy Head- A cliff near Eastbourne suggested by Mrs. Slocombe as a compromise between the two above destinations; Mrs. Slocombe seems to be suggesting the customer take a leap off the cliff, as people are notorious for doing there. An estimated 20 suicides are attempted there a year, although recently authorities have succeeded in cutting down on that number. The name "Beachy Head" is actually a corruption of the French name "Beauchef", which means "beautiful headland"; the original name didn't intend to refer to the beach.
RSPCA- Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Mrs. Slocombe seems to believe the sales display, or possibly the boots, are made from a real cat.
1 Pound per Head- Using the measuringworth.com calculator, the pound per head extra it would have cost to hold the dinner in the restaurant would have been equivalent to around US$10-$11 today (with a fairly wide margin of error). Based on this estimate, the macaroni cheese dinner would also have cost $10-$11 per person, steak pie $12.50, roast chicken $15.00, and roast pheasant $20.00. The customer's suit from the opening would have cost roughly $300.
Russian Salad- According to Wik, Russian Salad-- sometimes known as Salade Olivier-- usually consists of diced and boiled potatoes, pickles, peas, eggs, carrots, onions, and bologna or boiled meat. This concoction is mixed with a mayonaisse dressing, which may be what caused Mr. Humphries so much distress. This popular version is really a poor man's substitute for the original, which debuted in the mid-19th century at Moscow's Hermitage restaurant, prepared by Chef Olivier himself. It was a higher-class recipe including ingredients such as grouse, veal tongue, caviar, crayfish tails and smoked duck.
Cabinet Pudding- Wikipedia informs me that cabinet pudding is made of sponge cake and candied cherries and is served with custard (probably preferred over "simulated cream" as offered here)
Coffee Ad Lib- I can't find definitive word on what "coffee ad lib" means, but as best as I can figure, it means what we Americans sometimes call a "bottomless cup". Refills upon request, in other words.
After Eight Mint- If Wikipedia can be trusted, this delicacy, mentioned again in "Up Captain Peacock" started production in 1962. They are dark chocolate wafers with a thin layer of mint in the center. At the time of this episode, they were manufactured by Rowntree & Company, Limited. Since then, they have been absorbed by Nestle.
"loses its deposit"- Apparently when a political party fails to score sufficient votes in an election, it loses its deposit. I can't determine yet what this deposit consists of or how many votes a party must achieve to retain it.
***larsen525:
From Wikipedia: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electio...United_Kingdom)
"To stand as a candidate in a particular constituency, a British citizen needs the signatures of 10 people registered to vote there, and pay a deposit of £500 (which is returned if he/she gains more than 5% of the vote in that seat)."
Therefore if a candidate fails to obtain at least 5% of the vote in the constituency he/she stands for, this candidate loses his/her deposit.
Galloping Gourmet- the television moniker of cooking personality Graham Kerr (1934- ), who started as a catering adviser in the British Army and by the 1960s had a successful and allegedly humorous cooking show famous for its liberal use of butter, cream, and fat, as well as Kerr's wine consumption. The show actually titled "The Galloping gourmet" ended in 1971 after Kerr was paralyzed in a car accident, but he made a recovery and by 1974 (the year this episode aired-- maybe his name was making the rounds again) he had started a new show, now with a religious infusion that some people apparently found unappetizing. Later his wife had health problems that inspired him to cut out all the fat use as well. In more recent years, he has been promoting the use of vegetables and fruits in cooking and has gotten an honorary doctorate from Johnson and Wales University.
non-corridor train- Apparently, a train in which the riders are seated in smaller compartments rather than one large open corridor. Presumably, any gasses produced by Mr. Grainger after being fed steak pie would not have much chance to dissipate in a non-corridor train, leaving him and possibly others to suffer for the remainder of the ride.
*** Also, a rider wouldn't have access to any restrooms during the ride.
Mr. Baldwin resigned- Stanley Baldwin, or the Earl Baldwin of Stanley was Prime Minister of England from 1923 to 1929, and again from 1935 to May 1937. He has a reputation for having a somewhat lax attitude toward foreign policy and for telling King Edward VII to either end his relationship with a divorcee, or abdicate. The king chose to abdicate. Baldwin resigned after the coronation of Edward's successor, George VI.
handed over to Mr. Chamberlain-- larsen525 reminded me I forgot to elaborate on Neville Chamberlain, Prime Minister after Stanley Baldwin. He also retrieved for me the information that Chamberlain went to Munich in 1938 to see that Hitler would behave himself peaceably. Hitler signed an agreement, and Chamberlain was confident that this had accomplished "peace in our time".
cuckoo/letter to the Times- A recurring topic in the London Times' editorial section is letters from people who have seen the first cuckoo of the spring- so much so it seems to be sort of a long-standing joke.
Oklahoma Pancake House- I was hoping this would turn out to be the name of a real restaurant, named for an American state that isn't at all famous for pancakes, but my research failed to find any such establishment.
danish crumpet- Similarly, there's no evidence of a pastry by this name; "Danish crumpet" appears to be used exclusively to refer to particularly desireable women of Danish heritage.
Dom Perignon- A line of champagne that's a cut above the japanese tinned variety. If Grace Brothers chose to spring for this particular champagne, it would cost them around $139 a bottle. The Dom himself was a monk living in the 17th and 18th centuries who is popularly credited with inventing champagne, even though he didn't.
Japanese tinned champagne- The Japanese don't seem to be well known for their champagnes; nearly all references on Google to "Japanese tinned champagne" trace back to Are You being Served pages of some sort or another. Paris Hilton recently posed naked except for some gold paint in advertisements for champagne that comes in cans like beer and soda do; this appears to be an Italian product.
"one's all right, two's the most..."- I've found this line attributed to Dean Martin, Dorothy Parker, and Mr. Humphries. How'd you like to invite that group 'round for drinks?
As Peacock enters, Mr. Mash announces him and then runs off a series of titles and accolades intended solely to embarrass him...
RASC- Royal Army Service Corps.
CofE- Church of England
Hero of the Battle of Catterick NAAFI- An attempt by the iron Age Votadini people to fight off the Angles in Yorkshire in the 7th Century. The NAAFI provides goods, services, and recreation for British troops, from clubs and restaurants to launderettes and grocery stores. Mash has pulled off a two for one, implying at once that Peacock is quite old and wasn't in the thick of the fighting.
Hot Cross Bun and Bar- Oddly, I've found a couple (literally) of references to this online used to indicate when a list of honorifics has gone on quite a bit longer than needed. I don't know if this originated with AYBS?, but neither of the sources I found are associated with the show.
New Seekers- A pop group with folk and rock influences which started in 1969. Named to distinguish the group from the founder's previous band, The Seekers. We can thank them for the old Coca Cola ad that went "I'd like to teach the world to sing..."
piano forte- Rumbold chuckles after he says this, probably trying to ingratiate himself with the musical group...have you noticed how he's always trying to show off his musical knowledge? Anyway, "pianoforte" is the rarely-used full name for a piano.
trip the light fantastic- This phrase, meaning to dance, is shortened from "trip the light fanastic toe", which makes a little more sense- tripping, skipping or jumping on your toes in a light and fantastic way.
goodbye- I haven't been able to trace any of the 3 million references to "goodbye" to the song Lucas is referring to. Mind, I didn't try very hard. I leave it to you readers.
"We don't want to lose you but we think you ought to go"- On the other hand, this is really a song. Rather, it's a lyric from the song called "Your King and Country Need You", a ditty intended to persuade young men to join up during World War One.
"(This will be) The Last Time"- Number One hit written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, which stayed at number one on the UK chart for four weeks in 1965. A favorite of many Rolling Stones fans.
"The Clock"
Guard's Tie/Tesco Table Tennis Club tie- A guards tie is worn by members of the elite Brigade of Guards of the British Army, which must be what so impresses Captain Peacock. Its design is diagonal navy blue and red stripes of equal size. Peacock is disappointed to find that the man is merely sporting the similar tie worn by the table tennis club at Tesco's grocery store chain. I only found one internet reference to said club, made by an American blogger who discovers the store in England and wonders if it's the same one with the table tennis club. Probably another AYBS fan.
"Pushcon"- Hard-wearing fabric included in the suit the gentlemen are trying to sell to a customer. Nothing found anywhere about it, most likely invented on the spot by Mr. H.
***cpl.er...Capt. Joe: "Pushcon" = Push-combed-cotton (A contraction of the phrase to make it sound more hip and new, but the new name never caught on)Combed cotton is an extremely soft version of cotton made by specially treating the cotton fibers before they are spun into yarn. As a general rule, combed cotton is slightly more expensive than conventional cotton. The extremely soft, strong material is ideal for making bed linens and clothing which will be worn against the skin.
The Concord/sound barrier- Supersonic passenger jet whose development, Mr. Humphries claims, led to the discovery of the mythical "pushcon" fabric. It was a joint effort by England and France, first flown in 1969, and a pretty big deal in its day. Wikipedia purports that people would drop what they were doing to gawk and wave at the Concorde if it flew over. It flew at a speed of Mach 2, or about 1450 miles per hour. Around 1200 mph appears to be sufficient to break the sound barrier, which is an activity Mr. Lucas suggests as being suitable for wearing a pushcon jacket.
VAT- Value-added tax, or sales tax.
Eastbourne/ Brighton- Seaside resorts on England's southern coast, listed as honeymooning possibilities by Mrs. Slocombe's customer.
Beachy Head- A cliff near Eastbourne suggested by Mrs. Slocombe as a compromise between the two above destinations; Mrs. Slocombe seems to be suggesting the customer take a leap off the cliff, as people are notorious for doing there. An estimated 20 suicides are attempted there a year, although recently authorities have succeeded in cutting down on that number. The name "Beachy Head" is actually a corruption of the French name "Beauchef", which means "beautiful headland"; the original name didn't intend to refer to the beach.
RSPCA- Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Mrs. Slocombe seems to believe the sales display, or possibly the boots, are made from a real cat.
1 Pound per Head- Using the measuringworth.com calculator, the pound per head extra it would have cost to hold the dinner in the restaurant would have been equivalent to around US$10-$11 today (with a fairly wide margin of error). Based on this estimate, the macaroni cheese dinner would also have cost $10-$11 per person, steak pie $12.50, roast chicken $15.00, and roast pheasant $20.00. The customer's suit from the opening would have cost roughly $300.
Russian Salad- According to Wik, Russian Salad-- sometimes known as Salade Olivier-- usually consists of diced and boiled potatoes, pickles, peas, eggs, carrots, onions, and bologna or boiled meat. This concoction is mixed with a mayonaisse dressing, which may be what caused Mr. Humphries so much distress. This popular version is really a poor man's substitute for the original, which debuted in the mid-19th century at Moscow's Hermitage restaurant, prepared by Chef Olivier himself. It was a higher-class recipe including ingredients such as grouse, veal tongue, caviar, crayfish tails and smoked duck.
Cabinet Pudding- Wikipedia informs me that cabinet pudding is made of sponge cake and candied cherries and is served with custard (probably preferred over "simulated cream" as offered here)
Coffee Ad Lib- I can't find definitive word on what "coffee ad lib" means, but as best as I can figure, it means what we Americans sometimes call a "bottomless cup". Refills upon request, in other words.
After Eight Mint- If Wikipedia can be trusted, this delicacy, mentioned again in "Up Captain Peacock" started production in 1962. They are dark chocolate wafers with a thin layer of mint in the center. At the time of this episode, they were manufactured by Rowntree & Company, Limited. Since then, they have been absorbed by Nestle.
"loses its deposit"- Apparently when a political party fails to score sufficient votes in an election, it loses its deposit. I can't determine yet what this deposit consists of or how many votes a party must achieve to retain it.
***larsen525:
From Wikipedia: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electio...United_Kingdom)
"To stand as a candidate in a particular constituency, a British citizen needs the signatures of 10 people registered to vote there, and pay a deposit of £500 (which is returned if he/she gains more than 5% of the vote in that seat)."
Therefore if a candidate fails to obtain at least 5% of the vote in the constituency he/she stands for, this candidate loses his/her deposit.
Galloping Gourmet- the television moniker of cooking personality Graham Kerr (1934- ), who started as a catering adviser in the British Army and by the 1960s had a successful and allegedly humorous cooking show famous for its liberal use of butter, cream, and fat, as well as Kerr's wine consumption. The show actually titled "The Galloping gourmet" ended in 1971 after Kerr was paralyzed in a car accident, but he made a recovery and by 1974 (the year this episode aired-- maybe his name was making the rounds again) he had started a new show, now with a religious infusion that some people apparently found unappetizing. Later his wife had health problems that inspired him to cut out all the fat use as well. In more recent years, he has been promoting the use of vegetables and fruits in cooking and has gotten an honorary doctorate from Johnson and Wales University.
non-corridor train- Apparently, a train in which the riders are seated in smaller compartments rather than one large open corridor. Presumably, any gasses produced by Mr. Grainger after being fed steak pie would not have much chance to dissipate in a non-corridor train, leaving him and possibly others to suffer for the remainder of the ride.
*** Also, a rider wouldn't have access to any restrooms during the ride.
Mr. Baldwin resigned- Stanley Baldwin, or the Earl Baldwin of Stanley was Prime Minister of England from 1923 to 1929, and again from 1935 to May 1937. He has a reputation for having a somewhat lax attitude toward foreign policy and for telling King Edward VII to either end his relationship with a divorcee, or abdicate. The king chose to abdicate. Baldwin resigned after the coronation of Edward's successor, George VI.
handed over to Mr. Chamberlain-- larsen525 reminded me I forgot to elaborate on Neville Chamberlain, Prime Minister after Stanley Baldwin. He also retrieved for me the information that Chamberlain went to Munich in 1938 to see that Hitler would behave himself peaceably. Hitler signed an agreement, and Chamberlain was confident that this had accomplished "peace in our time".
cuckoo/letter to the Times- A recurring topic in the London Times' editorial section is letters from people who have seen the first cuckoo of the spring- so much so it seems to be sort of a long-standing joke.
Oklahoma Pancake House- I was hoping this would turn out to be the name of a real restaurant, named for an American state that isn't at all famous for pancakes, but my research failed to find any such establishment.
danish crumpet- Similarly, there's no evidence of a pastry by this name; "Danish crumpet" appears to be used exclusively to refer to particularly desireable women of Danish heritage.
Dom Perignon- A line of champagne that's a cut above the japanese tinned variety. If Grace Brothers chose to spring for this particular champagne, it would cost them around $139 a bottle. The Dom himself was a monk living in the 17th and 18th centuries who is popularly credited with inventing champagne, even though he didn't.
Japanese tinned champagne- The Japanese don't seem to be well known for their champagnes; nearly all references on Google to "Japanese tinned champagne" trace back to Are You being Served pages of some sort or another. Paris Hilton recently posed naked except for some gold paint in advertisements for champagne that comes in cans like beer and soda do; this appears to be an Italian product.
"one's all right, two's the most..."- I've found this line attributed to Dean Martin, Dorothy Parker, and Mr. Humphries. How'd you like to invite that group 'round for drinks?
As Peacock enters, Mr. Mash announces him and then runs off a series of titles and accolades intended solely to embarrass him...
RASC- Royal Army Service Corps.
CofE- Church of England
Hero of the Battle of Catterick NAAFI- An attempt by the iron Age Votadini people to fight off the Angles in Yorkshire in the 7th Century. The NAAFI provides goods, services, and recreation for British troops, from clubs and restaurants to launderettes and grocery stores. Mash has pulled off a two for one, implying at once that Peacock is quite old and wasn't in the thick of the fighting.
Hot Cross Bun and Bar- Oddly, I've found a couple (literally) of references to this online used to indicate when a list of honorifics has gone on quite a bit longer than needed. I don't know if this originated with AYBS?, but neither of the sources I found are associated with the show.
New Seekers- A pop group with folk and rock influences which started in 1969. Named to distinguish the group from the founder's previous band, The Seekers. We can thank them for the old Coca Cola ad that went "I'd like to teach the world to sing..."
piano forte- Rumbold chuckles after he says this, probably trying to ingratiate himself with the musical group...have you noticed how he's always trying to show off his musical knowledge? Anyway, "pianoforte" is the rarely-used full name for a piano.
trip the light fantastic- This phrase, meaning to dance, is shortened from "trip the light fanastic toe", which makes a little more sense- tripping, skipping or jumping on your toes in a light and fantastic way.
goodbye- I haven't been able to trace any of the 3 million references to "goodbye" to the song Lucas is referring to. Mind, I didn't try very hard. I leave it to you readers.
"We don't want to lose you but we think you ought to go"- On the other hand, this is really a song. Rather, it's a lyric from the song called "Your King and Country Need You", a ditty intended to persuade young men to join up during World War One.
"(This will be) The Last Time"- Number One hit written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, which stayed at number one on the UK chart for four weeks in 1965. A favorite of many Rolling Stones fans.