The term 'Six-of-the-best'

It says a lot that the proposed replacement is still being expressed in imperial units.


I stand corrected! (Or should I bend over?)

I can just about get my head around 0.5 litres being a 'small pint', but in Spain recently a 'large' beer was 0.4 litres, and was served in something resembling a wine glass. This must be similar to Myrkassi's schoner. It was very nice beer, but I hope the measure doesn't catch on. As they say here: 'a pint of plain is your only man'.

Is closing the gate part of a traditional six strokes of corporal punishment?

I think you're thinking of a 'five-barred gate' - five parallel horizontal strokes, with the last delivered diagonally, crossing the first five and leaving a pattern of welts resembling the sort of wooden gates used to keep livestock shut in fields.

And 'there's eating and drinking in it.'

A toast to the wonderful wit of the Irish!

To get back on topic, while I was researching my recent story An Inspector Calls (qv) I discovered that the standard penalty for absconding from an approved school was eight strokes of the cane on the boy's clothed bottom, and this was found to be an effective deterrent. No doubt it had a certain shock value simply through being more than six.

What happened when girls abscond from school ? It would be rather unfair if a boy had to stand in since girls don't have boy's clothed bottom. I concede research can totally make you rewrite a story multiple times.

I take it you have never been to Germany. It would forever change your concept of what is defined as a large beer.

Indeed, and strong as well. Not sure I would be able to take six of their best!

Alan Barr - I've heard that when punishment was delivered over a boy's clothed bottom, certain masters and prefects would chalk the cane, rubbing a piece of blackboard chalk along it so that when it landed across the seat of the boy's trousers or shorts it would leave a white line. this would allow the caner to adjust their aim for subsequent strokes, and leave a clear indication that the boy had just been caned.