hings youve always wanted to know.

Why do the british drive on

the left?
Up to the late 1700's, everybody travelled on the left side
of the road because it's the sensible option for feudal,
violent societies of mostly right-handed people.
Jousting knights with their lances under their right arm
naturally passed on each other's right, and if you passed a
stranger on the road you walked on the left to ensure that
your protective sword arm was between yourself and him.

Tower of London
Many stories associated with British history come from
the Tower. In 1483 King Edward IV's two sons were
murdered in the so-called Bloody Tower.
Traitor's Gate, set in the southr wall of the Tower, has
steps leading down to the River Thames. Countless
prisoners, including the future Queen Elizabeth I of
England, were brought to the Tower by barge, and
ascended the steps before being imprisoned. Fortunately,
Elizabeth was released from the Tower and became
Queen.
No visit to the Tower would be complete without seeing
the ravens; huge black birds who are an official part of
the Tower community.

New Year
Tradition has it that the first person over the threshold on
New Year's Day will dictate the luck brought to the
houshold in the coming year. This is known as First
Footing.
The first footer usually brings a piece of coal, a loaf and a
bottle of whisky. He must, of course, enter by the front
door and leave by the back.
In Scotland the New Year remains the greatest of all
annual festivals. There are many theories about the
derivation of the word "Hogmanay".

Why do the British use the

slang word bread for money?
From cockney rhyming slang, bread and honey = money, and
which gave rise to the secondary rhyming slang 'poppy', from
poppy red = bread. Bread also has associations with money,
which in a metaphorical sense can be traced back to the Bible.
Bread meaning money is also linked with with the expression
'earning a crust', which alludes to having enough money to pay
for one's daily bread.

Boxing day
Boxing Day (26 December) is so-called because it's time when
tradespeople receive a 'Christmas Box' some money in appreciation of
the work they've carried out all year.

Why do many British bathrooms have

separate hot and cold taps instead of one
mixer tap?
A high proportion of British housing stock dates to the
19thand early 20thcentury, before efficient mixer taps and
modern valves were available. When interior plumbing was
introduced it would have begun with a simple system piping
cold water straight from the mains into the kitchen. Hot
water was later added separately, hence a dual system.