humanities.lit.authors.shakespeare

On Thu, 13 Mar 2008 14:04:21 -0400, "John W. Kennedy"
wrote:

>James Hogg wrote:
>> The situation is authentic, but I myself never indulged in fags. I was
>> more interested in doing my prep. The hard lads blowing on their
>> woodies gave me a tanner to keep cave.
>>
>> Does any American have the faintest idea what I meant by:
>>
>> "I myself went to a grammar school, where I got a very good education,
>> especially when enjoying a fag behind the bike sheds together with the
>> hooker of the house fifteen."
>
>I understand it all, except that I don't know enough about rugby to know
>the precise definition of "hooker". I also got all of the other one,
>except for "woodies" -- but I'm not even sure that "woodies" is British;
>Mary Jane, as we used to say back in the dear old days of mods and
>rockers, is not my scene.

It's more innocent than that, albeit more of a health hazard.
Woodbines was a cigarette brand:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodbine_%28cigarette%29

James