Nippy
Encyclopedia
A nippy was a specific type of waitress associated with the J. Lyons & Co
brand of tea
, and its tea shops and cafes in the UK. Beginning in the late 19th century, a J. Lyons waitress was called a "Gladys". From 1926, because the waitresses nipped around the tea shops (that is, they were nippy) the term "Nippy" came into use. Thus, the etymology of the word is similar to the more general term "soda jerk
". Nippies wore a distinctive maidlike uniform with a matching hat.
played the nippy in question. The show was written by Arthur Wimperis and Austin Melford, Billy Mayerl
wrote the music and Arthur Wimperis and Frank Eyton
the lyrics. Several records were released with songs from the musical, such as the title song and the lively "The Toy Town Party" sung in the show by Binnie Hale. Another of Mayerl's lesser known but attractive melodies from the show was "It must be you".
worked at J. Lyons & Co for a relatively brief period in the late 1940s. However, her capacity at J. Lyons was to work as a research chemist at their laboratories in Hammersmith
, London. So, while Thatcher was for a time a female employee of J. Lyons & Co. during the period when nippies existed, contrary to myth Thatcher was not a nippy herself.
J. Lyons and Co.
J. Lyons & Co. was a market-dominant British restaurant-chain, food-manufacturing, and hotel conglomerate founded in 1887 as a spin-off from the Salmon & Gluckstein tobacco company....
brand of tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
, and its tea shops and cafes in the UK. Beginning in the late 19th century, a J. Lyons waitress was called a "Gladys". From 1926, because the waitresses nipped around the tea shops (that is, they were nippy) the term "Nippy" came into use. Thus, the etymology of the word is similar to the more general term "soda jerk
Soda jerk
A soda jerk was a person — typically a youth — who operated the soda fountain in a drugstore, often for the purpose of preparing and serving ice cream soda. This was made by putting flavored syrup into a specially designed tall glass, adding carbonated water and, finally, one or two scoops of ice...
". Nippies wore a distinctive maidlike uniform with a matching hat.
Advertising Icon
By the 1920s it was already long established in the advertising world that an attractive female could sell products, and the tea business was no exception. Nippies appeared in all manner of advertising, on product packages, and on promotional items. The nippy soon became a national icon. Unlike other endorsements of the day, which often took the form of popular celebrities or cartoon characters, a nippy was contrastingly accessible and close to home. A nippy was someone who could be seen and interacted with every day, and perhaps this was part of the appeal of the concept. J. Lyons was very careful to maintain the nippy image as wholesome and proper—strict cleanliness standards for nippy uniforms were maintained, and prior to World War II J. Lyons would not hire married women as nippies. So popular was the image that miniature nippy outfits were popular for children dressing up for special events such as fetes.Nippy, the musical
In 1930, the nippy concept was adapted into a hit musical comedy for the stage called Nippy. Popular actress Binnie HaleBinnie Hale
Binnie Hale was an English actress and musician. Both her father, Robert Hale and younger brother, Sonnie Hale were actors. She married West End actor Jack Raine, with whom she had one daughter....
played the nippy in question. The show was written by Arthur Wimperis and Austin Melford, Billy Mayerl
Billy Mayerl
Billy Joseph Mayerl , was an English pianist and composer who built a career in music hall and musical theatre and became an acknowledged master of light music. Best known for his syncopated novelty piano solos, he wrote over 300 piano pieces, many of which were named after flowers and trees,...
wrote the music and Arthur Wimperis and Frank Eyton
Frank Eyton
Frank Eyton was an English popular music lyricist best known for co-writing the lyrics of Johnny Green's "Body and Soul" with Edward Heyman and Robert Sour....
the lyrics. Several records were released with songs from the musical, such as the title song and the lively "The Toy Town Party" sung in the show by Binnie Hale. Another of Mayerl's lesser known but attractive melodies from the show was "It must be you".
Margaret Thatcher
British prime minister Margaret ThatcherMargaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
worked at J. Lyons & Co for a relatively brief period in the late 1940s. However, her capacity at J. Lyons was to work as a research chemist at their laboratories in Hammersmith
Hammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
, London. So, while Thatcher was for a time a female employee of J. Lyons & Co. during the period when nippies existed, contrary to myth Thatcher was not a nippy herself.