TOT: Gavver

[David Lang]

In Maidstone & Medway "gavver" is a slang term for police. As in "look out, the gavvers are coming".

I believe it's a Romany word, but I'm not sure.

Does it occur anywhere else in the UK?

[Syd Rumpo]

I have no idea, but the police in Ireland are called the Garda from the Irish 'An Garda Síochána' (On GArda shickORna) meaning keepers of the peace, often just 'the guards'.

Cheers

[The Natural Philosopher]

Research reveals it is.

Allegedly used mostly in Kent.

However if you have time on your hands, this is an interesting read

And of course shows exacter how much benefit widespread immigration of Romany peoples has had on Europe.

AS in 'I cant think of a single example'

[Chris Hogg]

Sounds like a corruption of 'gaffer' (or vice versa), i.e. boss

[News]

In message , David Lang writes

I'm originally from Herts not Kent, but am certainly aware of gavver, but don't think I've ever used it. Same with rozzers, or bizzies in Liverpool. Not terms I used. Cops, coppers, plod, fuzz were fairly common. Even Dibbles when I was younger, as in Officer Dibble and Top Cat :-)

[The Natural Philosopher]

Apparently it isn't..gaffer is assumed to derive from 'godfather' or 'grandfather'

Romany is a (group of) very old Indo European language(s) most closely related to Hindi.

[The Natural Philosopher]

The filth, if you were in London..

West End Central had a reputation far beyond its geographical boundaries.

[David Lang]

Five-O and Feds are common in London I believe.

[spuorgelgoog]

We have polis.

Owain

[Capitol]

My friends father was an inspector in West End Central and a colleague was a constable in the area. The reputation was well deserved as many of the force were from Glasgow and applied the same policing standards as they had used in the Gorbals.

[Bob Eager]

I once read a large number of books written by John Wainwright (ex Yorkshire police). These may have been fiction, but as with most books (and ther were a lot of them) I thought it pretty clear that they were based on personal experience.

A great deal of 'rough and ready' policing.

[The Natural Philosopher]

It was the endemic corruption and planting of false evidence that they were famous for.

[David Lang]

Goddams?

[whisky-dave]

Pigs, old bill, was the most common.

I had a couple of experiences of them nasty.

[Dan S. MacAbre]

We had 'scuffers', too.

[News]

Yes, I had forgotten scuffers.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Yes. It dealt mainly with vice. I take it that's why you are familiar with it?

[polygonum]

Worth a gander:

[David Lang]

Thanks, I'd read that which confirms what I thought. Does it occur anywhere else in the UK though?

[polygonum]

I'd certainly not heard it before your post.