Flaming Nora, it’s that Gordon Bennett again!

Who was flaming Nora, and who set her on fire? Who was the original “proper Charlie”, and was Fanny Adams really sweet? We constantly sprinkle our language with other people’s names with barely a thought for who they were and why they have been immortalised. So here are some explanations.

Hobson’s choice
Hobson was a stable owner who rented out horses. He used to insist that his customers took the horse nearest the door – ie he gave them no choice.

Gordon Bennett
As a rich 19th century playboy, Gordon Bennett had a reputation for doing wild and unpredictable things. He once set fire to a roll of banknotes; he apparently flew an aeroplane through the open door of a barn and he became blind drunk at his fiancee's father’s party and mistook the fireplace for the lavatory (with inevitable results). As a result, his name became immortalised as an expletive.

Sweet Fanny Adams
Sweet Fanny Adams was a little girl who was horrifically murdered and dismembered in the 19th century. Her murder occurred at about the same time in history as canned mutton was introduced as a new convenience food on British Naval ships. One gloomy seaman remarked that the unprepossessing-looking meal could just as easily be the remains of sweet Fanny Adams. The saying stuck and evolved to signify “nothing of value.