Re Elephant and Castle.
Capital Kiwi [why do I always think of CK as "Captain Kiwi" in a superman outfit with a bird across his chest?
] says - I heard that the locksmiths had an elephant and a castle on their coat of arms, that they were prevalent in this area of London and that was how the name came about.I always believed what my father told me [including Santa Claus etc.] but Googling would support CK.
http://www.quinion.com/words/qa/qa-ele1.htm states that my long held theory is probably a myth (along with Goat and Compasses = "God Encompasses") on the grounds Eleanor of Castile, the wife of Edward I wasn't an infanta (or at least wasn't known as that).
The castle is really a howdah (a hunting seat) on the back of the elephant. The Elephant and Castle pub was prior to 1760 a smithy that had the same name and sign. This was used by the Cutlers' Company, a guild dating from the 13th century for workers who made knives, scissors, surgical instruments and so on. (linking across to the silver service thread!!!!) The guild used the elephant and howdah symbom. A suggestion is that the connection is the ivory used for knife handles.
Thanks for the debunking of my myth CK. Next someone will be telling me that the Easter Bunny is only Mickey Mouse dressed up!
Rod
