Cochell?

[airbolt]

I have heard several Radio presenters ( usually from London ) refer to a " Cochell " of something - ie a quantity of something. Not sure how it is spelt or if it is rhyming slang. Any clues anyone?

[Clayhead]

Could you have heard "cockle"? This is used as an extension of "****" as in "**** & hen" i.e. Ten. This would fit with your theory of a quantuty.

[Clayhead]

Sorry - words have been censored but you'll get the meaning.

[Quizmonster]

I wondered whether you had misheard 'couple'. Of course, 'couple' strictly means 'two', but it is often used to mean several. One might say: "We had a couple of pints on Saturday"...meaning a few rather than precisely two.

[jocook17]

could it be cache? just the accent makes it sound different

[roystrutt]

Cochell [ not sure of spelling ] is a word I heard a lot in the East end of London where I worked in the 50's.
It is a market saying.

[roystrutt]

Just found the proper spelling.
It's cotchell, see below.

http://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/12/me ssages/913.html

http://met.open.ac.uk/genuki/big/eng/BKM/Vocab ulary/vocabulary-C.html

http://www.thamesbarge.org.uk/barges/bargeglos sary.html

[AJD10]

My father worked in Stratford Market, East London. Every Saturday he filled sacks with a collection of vegetables and fruit. These sacks were delivered to homes of staff, and widows of men who used to work at the market. It was referred to as a cotchell. I can't say I ever saw the word written so my spelling could be incorrect.