Cobbler's children?

I was having a chat with someone 2 or 3 weeks ago, and mentioned that something was 'a case of the cobbler's children'; I received a blank look.
So I explained that it was short for the saying 'a cobbler's children are the worst shod', meaning that the cobbler was too busy earning money by mending other people's shoes, and so could not spare the time to mend his family's.

Well, they'd never heard of it. I subsequently mentioned this to several people, and no-one else had heard of it either
I'm sure i'm not making it up, my Mum used the saying years ago when I was a boy
Perhaps it's a bit old-fashioned now, or was peculiar to the part of the country where I grew up?

Has anyone else heard of it?

Re: Cobbler's children?

I haven't heard of it Geoff - its an up north saying so the northerners will answer you better - but I like it ........

Re: Cobbler's children?

I haven't heard that saying either Geoff

As Patsy says, it's most likely a northern saying

Re: Cobbler's children?

New to me too. Cobblers was about cobblers awls-ie balls.

And no I was not born within the sound of the Bow bells.

Re: Cobbler's children?

I have certainly heard the expression "The cobblers children are the worst shod". I took it to mean that those nearest home are the worst fared

Re: Cobbler's children?

This is why I find this modest little island of ours so fascinating-just go 50 miles and it`s another accent,another dialect.

Re: Cobbler's children?

I've heard it too, so I don't think it's northern as such, I believe it was Granddad who would use it he was from Kent.

Re: Cobbler's children?

Yes it is a saying I know well I wonder if is a Northern saying ...

A lot of southerners I have met had never heard of 'A duck in pattens' either and didn't know what pattens were . I guess we Northerners wore them for longer

Re: Cobbler's children?

I haven't heard that expression either Meg - would like to know what it means though, please

Re: Cobbler's children?

I think the first phrase may have come from Northhamptonshire-it was the centre of shoe production.