Spooner… take two

For some reason, a post I just wrote, hasn’t appeared… kidnapped by the boggart maybe; here is a copy of it:

William Archibald Spooner was born in London in 1844 and he appears on the 1851 census in Warwickshire, staying with his grandfather, William who had been the Archdeacon of Coventry. What a huge household, and how interesting to see the number of residents was supported by an almost equal number of servants:

• William Spooner, b.1779, 72, Head Rector Of Elmdon
• Barbara Mary Spooner, b.1814, 37, Daughter
• Edward Francis Fortescue, b.1840, 11, Grand Child
• John Fortescue, 1844, 7, Grand Child
• Henry Maxwell Spooner, b.1847, 4, Grand Child
• Janet Spooner, b.1850, 1, Grand Child
• Marion Spooner, b.1843, 8, Grand Child
• William Archibald Spooner, b.1845, 6, Grand Child
• Lucy O Brien, b.1825, 26, Niece
• Mary Anne Tipton, b.1815, 36, House Keeper
• Charles Wood, b.1831, 20, Servant
• Hannah Taylor, b.1831, 20, Servant House
• Joseph Butter, b.1808, 43, Servant Butcher
• Anne Dawes, b.1820, 31, Ladies Maid
• Rebecca Soundes, b.1820, 31, House Maid
• Mary Woodhouse, b.1815, 36, Nurse
• Mary Underwood, b.1837, 14, Nurse
• Harriett Weggett, b.1836, 15, Nurse

Ten years later, in the census of 1861, William is at school in Oswestry with his brother, Henry. William went up to Oxford, to New College, and eventually became a don, in history, philosophy and divinity. He was ordained, as was his brother Henry, like their grandfather. William married, and had five children, William, Frances, Rosemary, Ellen and Agnes, and was much loved as a husband, father and teacher.

William Spooner’s family history imetaphor

s interesting, but what he is most remembered for, and remembered very fondly, and given his name to, is muddling up words and phrases, often with hilarious results. He was such a clever and quick thinking man, his tongue couldn’t keep up with the tumbling thoughts and things would come out completely wrong. Examples are legendary, but some of them I am sure are actually made up, or were spoken by other people.

Although ‘a disembowelled voice’ isn’t strictly a Spoonerism, I just think it is so funny! I have a friend, a dear friend who makes some magnificent spoonerisms… here are just a few examples:

• keep the oils wheeled
• like casting stones upon water
• I thumb my finger at you
• a disembowelled voice