Ship shape and Bristol fashion

[Oliveoyl]

Can an enlightened forumite explain the origin of this phrase, esp why Bristol, rather than Porstmouth, Liverpool or anywhere?

 

[MoodySabre]

Well there's one plausible explanation here
Phrase finder

 

[tangomoon]

Way back, Charles Hill yard in Bristol started putting a brass plaque on the vessels they built, as a mark of quality.

Plaque bore the legend: 'Shipshape and Bristol fashion.'

 

[Saguday]

Interesting that they claim it's not a phrase used outside the UK much. We found it is used all the time on the US East Coast, where every man and his broker refers to yachts for sale as being in Bristol fashion or, quite commonly, in Bristol condition.

I suspect they think the phrase originates in Bristol, Rhode Island, though /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[tangomoon]

Yes, along with castles, family history and all the other long-standing traditions established in that area for the past thousand years

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif