Migrantweb.com Hostels Forum

[Phyl]

Hi Len,

Came across an interesting little piece in one of the company's staff Journals. People coming into Hostels were perplexed by the word 'crib' I was myself. To me it was a bach at the river used for holidays..
Here out of the 1956 January issue of the tidings is an explanation and I quote from the article.

'Some newcomers to our migrant hostels are baffled by the word "crib"
which we use to describe "cut lunches". They think it might be an example
of Australian slang.
Not so! Browsing through early copies of "Company Tidings" we came across this explanation,sent in by a correspondent at Radium Hill ,South Australia,and published in the January issue of 1956:
"The word 'crib' had it's origin in the copper mines of East Cornwall,England. It refers to any mid-shift meal. It is the equivalent
of the West Cornwall 'croust' and the East Devon 'scran'."

Interesting eh what !!!!
_________________
Kind regards,
Phyl

[Len]

When I saw the title cribs, the first thing that popped into mind was packed lunches, a term used from years gone-by.
I myself never had a problem with it because I was young and if that�s what packed lunches were called then so be it, didn�t really know any different.
I have, to this day never heard the term crib used again. I�ve spoken to my parents and they told me that, at the time they thought that it was an unusual name to call a cut/packed lunch and it must have been an aussie slang word used to describe packed lunches and accepted it.

Interesting to know thou that the term used, actually originated from the UK.
I wonder if the term Crib is still being used today, or was it just used on the hostels?

[Fergie]

[Phyl]

Thanks for that interesting snippet Fergie ,it is nice to have further history about cribs.
_________________
Kind regards,
Phyl