The Cockney Alphabet

A popular, organic, phonetic alphabet used in East and South London from the mid 1800s

A for Gardner (Ava Gardner)
B for Stew (beef stew)
C for Miles (see for miles)
D for 'ential (deferential)
E for Brick (heave a brick or 
E for Peron (Eva Peron)
F for 'vescence (pheasants)
G for Police (chief of Police)
H for Beauty (age before beauty)
I for Novello (Ivor Novello)
J for Orange (Jaffa Orange)
K for 'ancis (Kay Francis)
L for Leather (Hell for Leather) 
M for 'sis (emphasis)
N for Eggs (hen for eggs)
O for The garden wall ( over the garden wall)
P for 'ming fleas (performing fleas)
Q for Chips (queue for chips)
R for Mo' (half a mo') or
R for Askey (Esther Askey)
S for Williams (Esther Williams)
T for Two (tea for two)
U for Instance (you for instance)
V for La France (Vive la France)
W for Bob (trouble you for a bob)
X for Breakfast (eggs for breakfast)
Y for Crying out loud (why, for crying out loud?)
Z for A joke (said for a joke)

 

Designed and printed in England.
Copyright Roullier White Ltd