surely it,s worth a lot more than that??:
2006-08-19 03:51:30 · 17 answers · asked by frankie1212 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Mythology & Folklore
Ah... a very English saying, that.
The ha'penny refers to a certain part of the female anatomy.... that mums of old would tell their daughters to keep safe when going out with boys. Although it really doesn't LOOK like a half-penny - even the pre-decimal ones which were huge (the coins, that is!)
I think it came from an old music-hall song .. pre-WW1 English working-class entertainment.. where they were trying to be sexual without being specific (listen to any old Max Miller routines if you want clarification).
It is called ha'penny in the song as it alliterates with 'hand' ... yes, even the poor English illiterates could alliterate!
2006-08-19 05:02:01 · answer #1 · answered by Colin A 4 · 3⤊ 1⤋
The word ha'penny is nothing to do with money, but was used to mean a females private parts, so it was basically telling girls not to let guys do what guys want to do with girls, but in the days the song was first sung you couldn't be very specific and say those sort of words.
2006-08-19 04:09:13 · answer #2 · answered by mike-from-spain 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hay Penny
2016-10-05 04:07:14 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's from the days when people had hands and ha'pennies - ah, a golden age, truly!
2006-08-19 05:27:18 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's from an old music hall song
2006-08-19 04:02:20 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Years and years ago girls would sew a ha'penny piece into their knicker leg (think bloomers), in case of emergencies. I believe it was the cost of a tram ride or something like that.
2006-08-20 23:03:55 · answer #6 · answered by sarah b 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I dont know what the hell a "Ha'penny" is, but if it is what I think it is......my "Ha'penny" is worth A LOT, and I try to keep my hand on it whenever possible.
TRUST ME ON THIS ONE!
2006-08-19 03:57:23 · answer #7 · answered by diaz276 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well one way of looking at it, when a woman goes out with a bloke she should keep her legs crossed, no SEX get the idea.and the saying comes from old London slang dating back around 80 odd years.
2006-08-20 00:18:25 · answer #8 · answered by ringo711 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
When that phrase was in common usage, I suspect a half penny was a fair sum.
They also called them a hay penny
2006-08-19 03:57:23 · answer #9 · answered by Skeff 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
A bad penny.
2016-03-16 23:59:55 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋