knock up

[Peter Percival]

To knock someone up might mean to rouse them from their slumbers early
in the morning, or it might mean to get them pregnant (and maybe other
things). Is there a pondian aspect to the rousing/impregnating
meanings? is one mainly USA and 'tother British?
--
Do, as a concession to my poor wits, Lord Darlington, just explain
to me what you really mean.
I think I had better not, Duchess. Nowadays to be intelligible is
to be found out. -- Oscar Wilde, Lady Windermere's Fan

[Jerry Friedman]

On 5/11/17 7:49 AM, Peter Percival wrote:
> To knock someone up might mean to rouse them from their slumbers early
> in the morning, or it might mean to get them pregnant (and maybe other
> things). Is there a pondian aspect to the rousing/impregnating
> meanings? is one mainly USA and 'tother British?

As far as I can tell, the meaning of waking someone with thy knocking is
pretty much unknown here in the USA, except as something Brits say.

--
Jerry Friedman

[Harrison Hill]

The "knocker upper" used one of two techniques: either a long
stick, or a pea-shooter - to rattle the right window, so as to
not knock everyone else up as well.

This Dusty Springfield ad shows that the practise was widely
remembered into the British sixties.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsX0Rkcb6zE

[bert]

On Thursday, 11 May 2017 15:09:34 UTC+1, Jerry Friedman wrote:

Exactly so. The actor David Niven, in one of his volumes
of reminiscences, tells how on a transatlantic liner trip
he became friendly with an American lady. One evening,
after she had agreed to an early morning date for one of
the many deck games, he said okay, he'd come to her cabin
about 6 am to knock her up . . .
--

[Peter Duncanson [BrE]]

A "knocker up" was employed by a company to waken its employees so they
could arrive on time at the factory to start their shift.

http://www.baldockhistory.org.uk/downloads/History-People-Knocker-Upper.pdf

A Knocker-up (sometimes called a knocker-upper) was
a job that began during the Industrial Revolution
when few people owned alarm clocks. A knocker-up
would begin sometimes as early as 3a.m. to rouse
sleeping people so they could get to work on time.
Usually, the knocker-up was a man and most often
used a long and light stick, often bamboo, with
pieces of wire or a small knob attached at the end.
He used this device to reach up to bedroom windows
and wake his customers at whatever time they had
requested. The knocker-up would not leave someone’s
window until he was sure they were awake.
Some knocker-ups worked freelance - their clients
would either post the time they wanted to be woken
next to their doors, in their windows, or verbally,
in advance. In return, they would pay the knocker-
up a few pence per week. Many knocker-ups were
employed by mills or bigger factories to wake their
large workforce on time.

And:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-35840393

Knocker uppers: Waking up the workers in industrial Britain


--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.usage.english)

[Dingbat]

The uninformed American would presume that he woke her up first:-)

[Charles Bishop]

In article <bc0b23cc-c859-470c...@googlegroups.com>,

No url, but it was mentioned on a QI show where a photo, or video was
shown, and the panelists were asked what was going on. I don't think any
of them knew.

--
charles

[henh...@gmail.com]

On Thursday, May 11, 2017 at 11:02:10 AM UTC-7, Peter Duncanson [BrE] wrote:
> On Thu, 11 May 2017 07:55:25 -0700 (PDT), Harrison Hill
> <harrison...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >On Thursday, 11 May 2017 15:09:34 UTC+1, Jerry Friedman wrote:
> >> On 5/11/17 7:49 AM, Peter Percival wrote:
> >> > To knock someone up might mean to rouse them from their slumbers early
> >> > in the morning, or it might mean to get them pregnant (and maybe other
> >> > things). Is there a pondian aspect to the rousing/impregnating meanings? is one mainly USA and 'tother British?
> >>
> >> As far as I can tell, the meaning of waking someone with thy knocking is pretty much unknown here in the USA, except as something Brits say.
> >


> >The "knocker upper" used one of two techniques: either a long stick, or a pea-shooter - to rattle the right window, so as to not knock everyone else up as well.
> >
> >This Dusty Springfield ad shows that the practise was widely remembered into the British sixties.
> >
> >https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsX0Rkcb6zE
> >
> A "knocker up" was employed by a company to waken its employees so they could arrive on time at the factory to start their shift.
>
> http://www.baldockhistory.org.uk/downloads/History-People-Knocker-Upper.pdf
>
> A Knocker-up (sometimes called a knocker-upper) was
> a job that began during the Industrial Revolution

> when few people owned alarm clocks. A knocker-up would begin sometimes as early as 3 a.m. to rouse sleeping people so they could get to work on time.

> Usually, the knocker-up was a man and most often
> used a long and light stick, often bamboo, with
> pieces of wire or a small knob attached at the end.

> He used this device to reach up to bedroom windows
> and wake his customers at whatever time they had
> requested. The knocker-up would not leave someone’s
> window until he was sure they were awake.
> Some knocker-ups worked freelance - their clients
> would either post the time they wanted to be woken
> next to their doors, in their windows, or verbally,
> in advance. In return, they would pay the knocker-
> up a few pence per week. Many knocker-ups were
> employed by mills or bigger factories to wake their large workforce on time.
>
> And:
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-35840393
>
> Knocker uppers: Waking up the workers in industrial Britain
>
>
> --
> Peter Duncanson, UK
> (in alt.usage.english)



>>> A knocker-up would begin sometimes as early as 3 a.m.

So many of these would (i suppose) go to bed at 6 p.m. wake up at
Midnight to 2 a.m. work until morning, and then take a nap.


( Who is a knocker-upper's knocker-upper? )