Stokes Bridge

[peterg42]

My Nan who was born in 1886 in Ledbury, but also lived in Kington and Hereford had an expression "to reach Stokes Bridge" meaning to have eaten until she was full.
Does anybody know the origin of this expression?

[Dazey999]

This is interesting, peterg,
An article in The Times (27 Dec 2003) by Jim McCue was about families' secret words.  He mentions the Nott family in Herefordshire who, after eating their Christmas dinner, claimed to have "come to Stokes's Bridge".   Jim McCue, who is a friend of the Nott family, tells that the saying came from a couple of generations ago when the Nott children used to go for a walk, but only as far as the little bridge leading to Mr Stokes's farm.  Any further and they would have been too tired to get home.  Hence, coming to Stokes's Bridge still means that a Nott can go no further. 
That's what Mr McCue claims!  Was your Nan a Nott??  Dazey

[peterg42]

Thanks so much for this. It has exercised by mind for about 40 years since Nan died (then it was too late to ask her)
I had always assumed that maybe Stokes bridge was a river crossing that had been washed away but Mr Stokes farm seems logical. I suspect the saying probably dates back to the 19th century. My mother used the expression but didn't know the origin. She said she remembered it from her earliest childhood (ca 1920). If so it probably came from the Ledbury area. Whereabouts  were the Nott family from?
My Nan was a Parry.

[Dazey999]

Here's a link to the article


http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/article838215.ece

and here's another link

http://www.wordorigins.org/index.php/forums/viewthread/848/

Dazey

[Katiepops]

My Aunt, a native of Essex used to tell us about Stokes Bridge meaning that she was full. She was 95 when she died last year (2020) and had the saying from her mother, also from Essex.