For what it's worth, Grose's _Provincial Glossary_ also has
_shack_/_shag_ as 'blackguard', from Suffolk.
A _shake-bag_ in the literal sense is one who brought out cocks for
fighting, and the term was later used, and turned into a jingle, in a
weaker generalized insulting sense, both nominal and adjectival. See
OED.
RC
-----Original Message-----
From: The English Place-Name List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Chris Michaelides
Sent: 05 January 2007 09:57
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [spam] [EPNL] Shagbag area of Newmarket
In Newmarket (Suffolk)there is a triangular area of the town that was
known as Shagbag around 1815. It was an area were cock fights were held
and in The Dictionary of Vulgar Tongue a shagbag is briefly described as
a weak or puny man - and linked to cock fighting terminology - but in
what way is not given in the dictionary. There is the obvious current
usage of the word meaning a sexually available person - but can anyone
shed any more light on the cock fighting - or any older- origin of the
word? The area was eventually pulled down, gentrified and the roads re
named!
Interestingly the area once formed part of the neighbouring Woodditton
parish but was re allocated to Newmarket.
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/image.aspx?compid=18797&filename=fig08.
gif
Chris
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