subs. (obsolete).—1. A half-crown; 2s. 6d.: see RHINO (SNOWDEN, Magistrates Assistant, 1857).
2. (old).—A long clay pipe; a CHURCHWARDEN (q.v.).
1859. FAIRHOLT, Tobacco (1876), 173. Such long pipes were reverently termed ALDERMAN in the last age, and irreverently yards of clay in the present one.
3. (old).—See quots. ALDERMAN IN CHAINS = garnished with sausages.
1782. G. PARKER, Humorous Sketches, 31. Nick often eat a roast fowl and sausage with me, which in cant is called an ALDERMAN, double slang’d.
1823. GROSE, Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue [EGAN], s.v. ALDERMAN. A roasted turkey garnished with sausages; the latter are supposed to represent the gold chain worn by those magistrates.
4. (thieves’).—A JEMMY (q.v.): sometimes ALDERMAN JEMMY. A weightier tool is the LORD MAYOR (q.v.).
1833. Daily Telegraph, 14 May, 3. 7. Safe-breaking tools had been … left behind, including wedges, an ALDERMAN JEMMY, a hammer weighing 14 lbs.
1888. The Saturday Review, 15 Dec., 719. The iron shutters were prised open [by] the ALDERMAN … it would never do to be talking about crowbars in the street.
5. (Felsted School: obsolete).—A qualified swimmer. [The Alders = a deep pool in the Chelmer.] See FARMER, Public School Word-Book.
BLOOD AND GUTS ALDERMAN. See BLOOD AND GUTS.
