The Ruffe Divide

[Ron Clay]

We seem to be getting a pattern. Most Midlanders, Brummies etc call them "Daddies", except for a few in Rugby who call them "Popes". North of the Trent they call them "Tommies". In East Anglia they call them Tommies too.

Where I used to live in Warwickshire, they called them "Daddies".

I get the feeling that in the South they may use the term "pope" more commonly.

Is there anyone around from Kent? I think you call them "Popes" in that county.

 

[Ron Clay]

Oh, and I seem to remember that Pete Stone also called them "Popes".

 

[Andy Nellist]

They're referred to as Ruffe and/or Pope when they turn up in Tring in the canals and the reservoirs

 

[Ron Clay]

It seems that the Watford Gap my be one of the divides does it not?

 

[Jim Crosskey]

If it helps Ron, I grew up fishing the Thames and its sadly ex-picturesque tributory The Ock in Abingdon in Oxfordshire - they were always Daddy Ruffe to us. Haven't seen one in ages though.

 

[Del Jarman]

Why not Ron, the Gap seems to be the great divide in most things in this wonderful country of ours.

Del.