Sent Down.
The Court in Lancaster Castle which is still functional, has a door in the floor
which covers a flight of stairs. The stairs lead down to the cells which have
the reputation for being the most secure in Great Britain, because criminals
are sentenced then immediately SENT DOWN the stairs to imprisonment.
Kick the Bucket
In the past, hangings were very crude affairs and prior to the gallows being
law, a criminal was hung by the rope around his neck being thrown over a beam
in the roof, an object (Usually a bucket) was placed for him to stand on, then
kicked away to leave him dangling. Hence; Kick the Bucket!
Money for Old Rope
An enterprising hangman would make a few shillings by cutting the rope that
had been used to hang a man in to short lengths and sell them as Lucky Charms!
Hence; Money for Old Rope!
A Screw
The treadmill was an instrument of torture, a huge horizontal drum with wooden
slats would be tread by the prisoners, it was of no practical use, just a means
of exercising the prisoners severely. To make the drum harder to turn, a screw
was tightened by the warder who was referred to by the prisoners as A Screw!
