Oh, to be in England!

October 2, 2010 9:57 AM

'Mrs Shufflewick is a dirty old woman. She is 60, maybe 70, weak-willed and easily led."

"She has usually just had a few, you can tell by her big red conk and boss-eyed way of walking. She loves a gossip but can never stop long in case her next gin gets cold on the counter. Everybody laughs at her. They call her 'Shuff', they whistle and poke fun and cheer when she hoicks up her skirts. They always shout for more, though she doesn't need encouraging. She is a terrible show-off, whether she is tiddly or not. There is no holding her when there are sailors around: she has a weakness for the Navy. The last sailor she met was French, he kissed her on both cheeks. She was doing up her laces at the time.”

Deserving of a proper biography, and now has one. To get full bore audio experience, well, listen and learn.

posted by IndigoJones (7 comments total)

Also in 1969, Rex met David, a labourer in his 30s who would stay with him until his death. They shared a fondness for drink and gambling.

Aww.
posted by Countess Elena at 10:10 AM on October 2, 2010

I think that's part of the drag tradition at the Black Cap that produced hinge & brackett, lily savage etc. I prefer earlier drag but some of Mrs Shufflewick's schtick is funny.
posted by shinybaum at 10:11 AM on October 2, 2010

My dad had a Mrs. Shufflewick album when I was a kid. Who can forget her music hall act, Bubbles La Trine and her Dancing Sheepdogs?
posted by Trochanter at 10:22 AM on October 2, 2010

"He said, 'Have you had a check-up lately?' and I said, "No... a couple of Hungarians...."

Lovely. Thanks for posting this!
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 12:49 PM on October 2, 2010

in case her next gin gets cold on the counter

Did the meaning of this expression get lost on its way across the Atlantic, or does it really suggest that there are people who drink gin hot?

Awesome post, thanks
posted by nebulawindphone at 7:14 PM on October 2, 2010

Hot gin is lovely, you make a punch of it.
posted by Scram at 8:48 PM on October 2, 2010

Did the meaning of this expression get lost on its way across the Atlantic, or does it really suggest that there are people who drink gin hot?

You can drink hot gin, but this is more likely indicating that the drinker usually drinks fast and copiously, as if exhorted by their mother to get it down you 'before it gets cold'.
posted by Happy Dave at 4:06 AM on October 3, 2010