A myth about archers and a salute

 Once again, I heard the story that the two-finger gesture started because, in the Middle Ages, French soldiers cut two fingers off captured English archers (or threatened to do that) so they could no longer use a bow. So English archers waved two fingers at the French as a gesture of defiance. It's a myth. The two-finger gesture was first recorded in 1901. It's thought to have started in the 19th century, but nobody is sure how or why.

But there is no evidence it has anything to do with archery. There is no evidence at all that the French ever cut two fingers off captured English archers or threatened to do that. Why would they? If the French captured an English archer, wouldn't it be easier just to kill him? There is, of course, no evidence that English archers ever waved two fingers at the French. Unfortunately, it's an entertaining myth, so it tends to get passed around a lot.

Calais

 On 7 January 1558, the French captured Calais from the English. During the 14th and 15th centuries, English kings claimed they were also kings of France. At various times they conquered parts of France but in 1453 the French liberated all of France except Calais. However English monarchs continued to use the title king (or queen) of France for centuries. Finally, in 1800 King George III realised it was a bit too silly to keep that title.

Square Meal

 Why do we say 'a square meal' There is a popular myth that this saying comes from the time when British sailors ate off square plates. In reality, the phrase began in California in the mid-19th century and it simply meant a good meal for your money, as in the phrase 'fair and square'. Later the saying made its way to Britain.

Four poster beds

 I sometimes come across this old myth: Four Poster Beds had canopies to catch mice falling from thatched roofs. No, four-poster beds had canopies and curtains to keep out drafts. (Old houses had many drafts). There is no evidence that the canopy was designed to catch falling rodents. In any case, a four-poster bed was very expensive. If you were wealthy enough to afford one you would normally have a roof of tiles, not thatch. Even if you did have a thatched roof in a wealthy home all bedrooms had proper ceilings. So there was a ceiling between the bed and the roof.

Garden Gnomes

 Today we have garden gnomes but in the 18th century, rich people sometimes paid human beings to pose in their gardens. They were called ornamental hermits and they usually lived in a hut on the grounds of a large house. Often they were paid to wear strange clothes (sometimes they were dressed as druids). Sometimes they were supposed to just stand or sit in the garden without speaking to anyone. Garden gnomes were introduced in the 19th century.

Money Does Not Stink

 In Rome, urine was used to wash clothes. The emperor Vespasian put a tax on urine collected from public toilets and sold for cleaning. His son complained that it was a disgusting way to raise money. Vespasian held a gold coin under his son's nose and said 'pecunia non olet' (money does not stink).

19th Century Toilets

In the 19th century toilet pans were made of porcelain. They were usually decorated, embossed, or painted with attractive colors. Seats were of wood and cisterns were often emptied by pulling a chain. At first toilet bowls were boxed in but the first pedestal toilet bowl was made in 1884.