Lobscouse

“Lobscouse” is one of those suggestive British dialect words, like “loblolly,” that came from the sea and were retained by seagoing New Englanders. On board ship, lobscouse was a treat. Elsewhere, it was a dish for country bumpkins. “Lob” meant a heavy lump and therefore a yokel; “loblolly” meant a bumpkin’s heavy broth or porridge; and “lobscouse” meant a navvy’s heavy stew. A sea chowder made of salt meats instead of salt fish, it was not always appreciated by its eaters. “He has sent the