cotton socks!

[ajacko]

where does the phrase bless your cotton sock s come from - is it something to do with the plague?

[bluedolphin]

could it be athlete's foot or something???? but in any case it was the opening line of the great song "Reward" by Julian Cope " bless my cotton socks I'm in the news" back many years ago.

[mikewall01]

Originally the phrase was "bless his cotton STOCKS". and was used by the clergy when ending services to bless their patrons stocks of cotton especially following the great cotton glut of 1788 to 1791. However, the phrase changed to it's present form in 1848 when a printer left out the 'T' from stocks whilst reprinting the Book of Common Prayer.He was severely flogged for this error !!! The phrase has been "socks" ever since.

[paulperoni]

Yes, 'bless their cotton socks' relates to the plague because all the mice who carried the fleas who inturn carried the plague wore cotton socks. The only way that the plague was ended was to convince all the rats to wash their cotton socks once a week.