As an aside, you seem to be revealing your age by these examples.
•I’ll start with something most know about, but maby not the workings… Cockney Rhyming Slang. Do you know what a Cockney is? Would you know what is meant when a Cockney says, “You’ve got a lovely pair of minces!”? LEARNED A BIT O' THE OLD COCKNEY DURING TWO BIZ VISITS TO MERRIE OLDE IN THE EARLY 2000'S, AND SINCE THEN THROUGH REGULAR COMMS WITH A COLLEAGUE-NOW-MATE WHO LIVES WITH HIS FAMILY IN LETCHWORTH. MINCE PIES = EYES. THOUGH I DOUBT SUCH THINGS ARE COMMONLY RECOGNI(S)ED IN THE U.S. - NOR COMMONLY NOTICED IN THE UK THESE DAYS.
We still notice them, though most men are more likely to notice a nice pair of threepenys
•If an English man said he was off to Liverpool to watch the National, do you know what he would be doing? ATTENDING YOUR GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE ANNUAL EVENT. SOCIAL & EQUESTRIAN EQUIVALENT TO OUR KENTUCKY DERBY.
Yeah, similar. Our equivalent would be the Epsom Derby. I’m not sure there is anything like the National outside of Europe. The National is massive and the biggest betting day of the year! It’s run over bigger fences than usual and over a greater distance! Almost every workplace will have a sweepstake on the winner!
•In a big event, celebrated all over the UK, an effigy of which historical English figure gets ritually burned in November of each year. PAINS ME TO KNOW THIS AS A DEVOUT PAPIST, BUT IT WAS GUY FAWKES. "A DESPERATE DISEASE REQUIRES A DANGEROUS REMEDY."
Indeed. In years gone by, there was quite a battle between the Roman Catholics and the Protestant Church of England, particularly when it came to the monarchy. November 5th sees Guy burned on a bonfire, with huge firework displays, much like July 4th in USA
•“Kiss Me Quick” became a bit of catch phrase in Blackpool, many years ago. If you were displaying this message, what item of clothing would you be likely to have on? "SQUEEZE ME SLOW" ... A BLACK PORK PIE HAT (WHICH ARE THE ORIGIN OF THE COCKNEY SLANG "PORKIES" = PORK PIES = LIES).
Kinda. Although the “Squeeze Me Slow” part was a part of the phrase on which it was based, the hats usually just say “Kiss Me Quick”. They are on cheap black hats of different designs, but not usually far from the shape of a pork pie hat. The pork pie hat though is not the origin of the slang term. It is simply based on the pork pie itself, which was very popular in the old east end, where Cockney Rhyming Slang was rife!
•Do Sid, Babs, Kenneth, Bernie and the rest of the “Carry On Team” mean anything to you? NOT A BLOODY CLUE.
Bawdey old British Comedy – A real British institution! You’re missing out!
•In which British city would you see the “Old Firm Derby”? FULL DISCLOSURE: HAD TO CHECK THIS ONE TO CONFIRM MY MEMORY ... CELTIC VS. RANGERS FOOTBALL (AKA, GLASGOW DERBY). SHAME IT'S BEEN CANCELED THIS YEAR.
They actually play several times each season. It’s extremely heated and hate-filled. Rangers are a traditionally protestant football club, while Celtic are very much a Catholic club! They have dominated Scottish football for years!
