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Hi from south holland, Lincs


fengreg
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Yet more Yellowbelly's! Welcome fengreg.

 

Three of my favourite meanings are:

 

A species of newt, frog or eel (there is disagreement on this point) found in the Lincolnshire Fens had yellow undersides.

 

Opium extracted from poppy heads, and taken to relieve malaria that was prevalent in the fens in earlier centuries, turned the skin a shade of yellow.

 

Women traders on street markets in past times are reputed to have worn a leather apron with two pockets, one for copper and silver and one for gold. At the end of a good day they would say they had 'a yellow belly' meaning they had taken a large number of gold sovereigns.

 

So what is the true definition?

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Good old wikipedia whitbridges !

 

There are a few theories "Yellow-belly, A person born in the Fens of Lincolnshire (From the yellow, sickly complexion of persons residing in marshy situations.)"

 

During summer the farmers would often work without their shirts on . As they tended the fields they would be bent over, and get a lovely suntan on their back. Their fronts however would be in the shadows the whole time and so would stay white. The reflection of the corn is said to have given a yellow hue to their bellies.

 

Before the regimental system in the British army was established, armies were raised from the county yeomanry. The Lincolnshire Yeomanry had a very bright yellow waistcoat. During the American war of independence the Lincolnshire yeomanry sent forces to America and these were soon to be nicknamed "yellowbellies" in the same way that other yeomanries became known as "redcoats" or "Greenbacks" etc. Anyone who has taken the time to acquaint themselves with the Lincolnshire Regiment will know that they were formidable troops who excelled themselves in battle on the Somme and in Flanders during the Great War as well as many other campaigns e.g. Egypt (The Lincolnshire Regiment's cap badge was a sphinx). It has nothing at all to do with cowardice. We should be proud of our yellowbelly nickname.

 

Lincolnshire was(and probably still is ) full of poachers, the pollen of meadow flowers was rubbed onto the poacher's belly as they crawled through the fields stalking their prey.I am told that the constabulary of the time regarded this is proof positive that the individual concerned had been up to no good and could well earn a trip to the colonies.

 

​I think the general consensus in these parts is that it is connected to the wearing of yellow waistcoats by the Lincolnshire militia / yeomanry .

 

Why is my text getting highlighted ????

Edited by fenboy
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As you say good old Wiki FB.

 

Nothing like a bit of first hand explanation, cheers. The favourite seems to be the military explanation. This what the Lincy's used to tell me when I lived in Branston for a few years in the eighties.

Love the poachers theory though.

Edited by Whitebridges
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