Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past Wirral History Wirral words, phrases and sayings

When I was a kid in Birkenhead in the 1950s, we called the rag-and-bone man, or scrap merchant, the 'borly' (I'm not sure how you spell it - it could be 'bawly'). I've never heard this name used anywhere else and I've always wondered what was its origin. Can anyone help? Does anyone know any other words, phrases or sayings that are (or were) used only locally in Wirral?

As i remember it the rag and bone man collected exactly those items, nothing new in recycling, the rags were recycled for materials and the bones for glue making. I can remember running out with old clothes for the rag and bone man, patting his horse and getting a balloon as a thank you for the rags. I think it was the scrap man who was mainly known as the Bally (not sure about the spelling). In later years i remember asking in the shops for a Bally's wedding cake, a cake made with every fruit, nut and raisin you could think of, a complete mixture of everything.

I think it was a bawly
Didn't he used to bawl Rango or something similar in the street
I can't remember about collecting bones
It was rags and jam jars in exchange for a goldfish sometimes