COPS & THE CAPTAIN - AN ARMY OFFICER'S UNUSUAL HOBBY

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Cops and the captain

Down Memory Lane

An army officer’s unusual hobby


My uncle Balraj had been a captain in the British army, and had seen action in Burma during World War II. After the end of the war and his retirement from the army he settled down in England where he got a highly remunerative job. He visited us once in two years, and his visits were looked forward to since he was an entertaining talker and a jolly person.

An entertainer

He was dark and plump, but very well dressed. He was a pipe smoker, and whether the pipe was lit or not, it dangled forever from one corner of his mouth. His friends called him by his initials, JSB. The boys and girls from the neighbouring houses gathered in our place when JSB came on a visit. He regaled them with stories of the war which he told in a lively rollicking style.

JSB had a rather unusual hobby. He was an avid student of the origins and developments of language. He gave us fascinating accounts of how some words came into being, and how their meanings changed during the course of time. Most of what he said has been forgotten, but the story of some words stuck in my mind.
Origin of ‘cops’

One such word was ‘cop’. We now use the word to refer to a policeman, but without knowing how the word came into being. It is supposed to be derived from the old English verb to cop, meaning to catch, or get hold of. A policeman is also referred to as ‘copper’, that is one who cops or catches offenders. “Mind you, he may be a copper, but that doesn’t make him a mean metal” said JSB with a chuckle. “And when you write cops, make sure not to add an ‘e’. That would make them woods”

There is another theory too about the origin of ‘cop’. In 1829, Sir. Robert Peel organised the first police force in London. Members of Peel’s force were dressed in blue uniforms with large copper buttons. These conspicuous copper buttons it is said gave the name coppers to the police. This was later shortened to ‘cop’. London policemen were sometimes called ‘peelers’ or ‘bobbies’ after Sir.Robert Peel, who was affectionately known as ‘Bobbie Peel’.

JSB gave us many such accounts about various words, always interlaced with boisterous humour and guffaws. We were enthralled by his witty exposition of the origin of words. He passed away in his nineties about fifteen years ago.

J.VASANTHAN

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