Ha-Ha Road: Why This London Street Can't Take Itself Seriously
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- Опубликовано: 16 май 2024
- "The next stop," said the number 386 bus to Woolwich, "is Ha-Ha Road". Wait, it's called what? Well, you can't give a bus stop a name like that without me wanting to find out why. So I got off, and started digging up the story of London's silliest road...
I remember when I lived on the end of that road, driving down for a period of time it was blocked off for whatever reason. And the sign read ha ha road closed. I’d chuckle every time I saw it.
Omg that’s hilarious, just spat my lunch out!
Reminds me of the deli in a (now-defunct) supermarket in my hometown. They sold a variety of products made by a company called Land-o'-Lakes, which led to one of the items in the display case being identified with a handwritten sign reading "LOL AMERICAN CHEESE".
@@ZGryphon Yeah, we have LoL cheese around here. Grocery chains still label it as LOL American Cheese.
“In the army, this is known as target practice”... 😄
That’s not funny at all. That’s horrible! Poor sheep dying for no reason... 😞
@IngLouisSchreurs ha ha
@@Wrendys it is funny
fried rice how can you think of the death of an innocent animal as funny? It’s definitely not funny at all.
@@Wrendys haha
That red telephone at the beginning is a rare K2 (kiosk number 2)- similar but much larger (and older) and of a slightly different design than the more common K6 usually seen in the wild (or associated with britishness). Fascinating to see one still in public. Most people wouldn't know the difference until they searched for a photo of the two side-by-side (a good comparison photo is on the wikipedia page for "red telephone box")
This is EXACTLY the kind of comment I'd expect to find under a Tim Traveller video. I am very satisfied to be given yet more polite directions to niche trivia.
I bet it's listed as it's a rare type and that's how it's survived.
I think I shot one last year. Tasted funny.
1:45 "It's not place for messing around" - Films 'Messing Store' bus stop. Nice!
I'm French, but never heard of this expression. Britain is a real Conservatory for Old French vocabulary.
To be fair...most English-speakers haven't heard of this expression either! But yes we Brits do conserve some other Old French expressions, like cul-de-sac :)
cul-de-sac...a great title by Genesis. :)
@@TheTimTraveller Haha might nowadays be referring to that ditch wall like you said in the video, but in old french its just a name given to any unexpected obstacles. In Quebec we also have the Ha! Ha! river, the Ha! Ha! bay, the Ha! Ha! lake and the small Ha! Ha! lake.
In the case of Saint-Louis-du Ha! Ha! the haha was designating a long portage section for travellers from the Temiscouata lake and the St-Laurent river, because people traveled by canoe at that time and the lake was the end of the rivers road that took travellers from Acadia to Canada.
You've got some Ha Ha around the Invalides. fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ha-ha
Or, as we like to say in Britain, a Conservatoire.
Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha! is a pleasant little town. I went there a few years ago, just for the sheer hell of it. They have an astronomical observatory and, as is common in French Canada, a colossal stone church that looks like it could easily seat everyone in town and probably the surrounding villages as well.
According to the municipal website, the precise etymology of the town's name is unknown, but probably shares a common ancestor (the old French exclamation of surprise) with the ha-ha rather than having anything to do with the landscape feature directly. The town goverrnment's best guess is that it's so called because trappers and the like in the 1600s were routinely surprised to run across it, nestled as it is in what is still basically the middle of nowhere.
As an aside, not too far away on the bank of the St. Lawrence is a town called Trois-Pistoles, which, a bit disappointingly, refers to an archaic bit of French coinage.
only tangentially related, but Charles Borromeo actually recommends that a parish church be able to contain four times (i think) the size of the usual congregation, to accomodate everyone visiting during patronal feast days and so on
@@rin_etoware_2989 Well, I think they've got that covered in St-Louis-du-Ha! Ha!
According to some french dictionnary (and referenced in french Wikipedia), the word "Ha-Ha" may come from Louis XIV's son, who was forbiden by its nurse to go near the "saut-de-loup" (the original word), then seeing that it is not very dangerous said "Ha-ha, this is such a little thing that have to make me affraid?". Then everybody used the word "ha-ha". You know, in France, we have not understand yet the sense of humor and this little story may have been one of the funniest thing for us at the time...
After the closing credits, Tim pulls himself up.
"Oh, so THAT'S where the bloody 'E' was! Now I can fix the opening credits!"
What 'E'?
I live in Ottawa Ontario Canada, and my wife and her family are from New Brunswick. Every year we drive out East to visit my wife's family and we always see the sign to Saint-Louise-du-Ha! Ha! in Quebec, and always wondered why it was called that. Such an odd way of discovering the meaning!! Thank you for your absolutely brilliant videos on obscure topics!
3:13 A ha-ha is used to shield your property without blocking your view.
So they dug a ha-ha and put a hedge right next to it.
0:16 The parabolic arc in the metalwork is a nice touch.
For those who don't know, it's the mathematical shape for the path taken by a cannonball (or other projectile) under gravity.
Another fun episode! The Ha Ha catches all: from live stock to laughing stock
Can only imagine the sheep: there is only one side they can get out of the ditch: towards the fields. Nobody accidentily walks up a wall.
@@HappyBeezerStudios I suspect that is part of the point of the Ha Ha.
Could have been worse. Could have been a Ho-Ho, they're much deeper...
I understood that reference.
Good ole Bloody Stupid Johnson.
Pretty sure there's a Hoe Street in Walthamstow lmao
Thought it was a Ho-Ho-Ho?
Avoid the hehe altogether.
I already knew what a Ha-Ha was, but that is probably the best (and funniest) demonstration ever. Well done, Tim.
In German, these kinds of trenches are called AHA-Graben.
Aha is meant as the exclamation of (sudden) acknowledgement/insight.
As far as I know, we don't have any streets named after these structures.
It's probably too close to humor to have a street named like this.
But the German language also has the AHA-Erlebnis.
I was ready to mention Saint Louis du Ha! Ha! but you beat me to the punch.
Brilliant as ever. Thank you.
Ah cheers Paul! Looking forward to Stephenson's tunnels tomorrow :)
You're not going to win an Oscar for those final 10 seconds.
But thanks for creating yet another very interesting video. You deserve a few million subscribers. I just became one of them.
Maybe Nelson, of The Simpsons, named it? He's been around since forever...
These videos deserve more views
This is the kind of Reality Check I like
This happened.
In nearby Eltham, there is a path called Kings Butts.
Don't get him started Katy...
cheaky
looking forward to this one 🤣
'Butts' are firing butts - Bales of hay with targets on - where archers practiced as part of their lordships dues to the King (to raise men for war in return for royal favour ) there are many Butts up and down the country.
Hanworth has a snakey lane.
Great videos. You really should do a collab with Tom Scott. I was wondering: how many times have you tried making the last scene? Loved that one.
Cheers! I had to scrap the first two or three takes, mostly because I had a natural reflex to look at where the ditch was before "accidentally" falling into it...
I have a feeling that Lindy Beige Might be a better mix. even tho he might be tempted to get off topic a bit to easily
@@sirBrouwer Does Tim enjoy making fun of the French?
@@qwertyTRiG that i don't know.
@@sirBrouwer It is somewhat implied by a Lindybeige collaboration.
Hope you got permission! I studied at Thames Poly and a friend wanted to see the area I was in. So went round taking photos with another friend. Less than 5 minutes later police screeched up demanding to know what we were doing. Barely said a word to me but asked my friend (from Plymouth with a VERY broad accent) if he had any Irish in him.... he was... disgruntled!
Ive been living in Woolwich for two years now and really needed this video.
Thanks Tim. I use to work for BT and sometimes I'd work in the Woolwich area and often wondered about HA, HA Street. Well now I can stop wondering. Ps love your films.
Ah thanks Edwin! Glad I could help put your mind at rest :)
Haha, in Switzerland the baracks are not that advanced: in my recruit school there were sheep (fenced off) in one part of the area. However, sometimes a sheep broke out, wandering arond the territory. Sometimes the entire herd walked over the main square. So in conclusion: whilst lacking a ha ha, it was still pretty funny.
A Haha is a well known landscaping element -- from Wikipedia "A ha-ha is a recessed landscape design element that creates a vertical barrier while preserving an uninterrupted view of the landscape beyond." Its not much use to suburban gardeners, you really need a stately home with a park that has a deer herd; the haha would be used to keep the deer out of the formal gardens by the house.
I like your videos and sense of humour. Coming from Canada, I always wondered about St Louis du Ha! Ha! Finally I have an idea of it's name. Thanks mate.
Another VERY interesting (local vid). We drive through Woolwich (and Ha Ha Road) regularly. 👍🙂
Hey Tim Traveller just discovered your RUclips videos and having watched about half a dozen I can safely say I'm hooked! Your humour reminds of Jay Foreman, and love the way you deliver it in the same deadpan style! Keep making more as I can't get enough of them!!
Cheers Rob! I'll see what I can do...
This channel is a hidden treasure! Love it!
I'm always happy when a new video from you shows up in my feed
...and I'm always happy when I read comments like yours. Thank you!
I've just started watching your videos during the quarantine and they're amazing! Love how you explain the terms in an enjoyable way. Can't wait for more of your videos after they release the travel ban. Greetings from Indonesia, hope you can soon cover the southern hemisphere of the word too! Cheers! 🍻
I looked into Ha Ha Road origins some years ago and what I came up with was a fence or hedge, one side of the fence or hedge ground level was lower than the other.
That was about it, probably something well known hundreds of years ago but now lost in the mist's of time.
Thanks for this, well done.
Nice.
Ha-Ha Road, with the instrumental tune of 'Chuckle Vision' playing in the background *claps*. Bravo.
can't stop watching your video's, pls make more!
Loving the Salisbury reference...
Just too funny! Ha-Ha! Liked the vid.
Thank you for the smiles! And here in the US, thats golden! 'Appreciate your hard work! You should be hired by the British Tourism board...or at least the National Railway!
Or the Spurs
The Dutch appreciate him, I think. I believe he did get some help from local tourist organisation for some of his mountaineering stunts there.
I did some work on the 2012 Olympic Shooting Venue which was located either side of Ha Ha Road. On my first visit a taxi driver explained the derivation of the name.
Damn...I just found this guy's channel randomly n I like trains so I watched one video n now I can't stop!...This guy's awesome...🤣🤣 Can't believe he has just 70k subs!...Keep it up man...you're doing a wonderful job. 👍👍
Cheers Ravi!
Very informative videos you make, thanks👍✝️♥️
No London road is going to beat Ham Parade in terms of silliness.
Never. Just imagine a parade of hams.
And then London Road. Ha-ha!
Love it, cant syop watching your vids!
Fascinating!! I always wondered where the name came from, and what that ditch is. Now I know both, thank you :D
Neat video! Thanks for uploading!
After I watched the explanation of HA HA road I was like AHA!
Then I was like haha after Tim fell in.
Excellent, thank you Tim
Ha Ha, great vid😉
Why was this never featured in a Monty Python sketch? This would be right up their alley.
Probably too easy for MP.
I used to always chuckle when passing St. Louie de Ha-Ha on my way to Ottawa from Montréal!!!
Dang you! I knew what was coming in the end and still I laughed out loud! Haha!
It makes sense to me, you have a sheep, I have an artillery piece, the results are inevitable.
RJLbwb indeed and it's called dinner.
I am really enjoying your videos!
The house I was born in is about five minutes' walk away, near the other end of Kinveachy Gardens. And reputedly my father was offered the position of goalkeeper for Arsenal in about 1930, but turned it down because it didn't seem like a secure position. Many thanks for this.
In front of the Royal Crescent in Bath there is a ha-ha.
Always get a chuckle when driving through Quebec and see sign for Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha! just off the Trans Canada Highway.
Such an interesting channel
On point! 👌🙂
Now I know why Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha! is named like that! Also I totally laughed even though it was predictable.
Hey Tim, love this video. I remember watching the excellent Sir Kenneth Clarke series 'Civilisation' and he mentioned 'ha-ha' walls. He said it was the exclamation expressed when stumbling across them, as they were a major feature built into the vast Victorian gardens which replaced fences.
Reminds me of Terry Pratchett, where he mentions a Ho-Ho in the Patrician's Palace garden. A Ho-Ho, he explains, is like a Ha-Ha, only much deeper.
I must admit, the "ha" in the end sounded so incredibly masculine 🙄
Despite the traffic cone ending up 'there'
@@MarceldeJong .... RIGHT THERE !!! 🤭
You could be so right...
New fave youtube channel
When I was a kid we were on a family trip to Lotherton Hall in Yorkshire. My brother and I were running around like lunatics, as kids do, and he fell straight into a ha-ha. That's how I learned about them!
I was wondering if you knew about St. Louis du Ha! Ha!
On my 3 day drives from NL to ON, seeing that road sign was always a refreshing bit of levity to break up a boring night of driving.
There are many of these around country houses in the UK that were landscaped by Capability Brown ...
...Sheppey : measure of distance equal to about 7⁄8 of a mile (1.4 km), defined as the closest distance at which sheep remain picturesque : The Meaning of Liff Adams/Lloyd
Love the chucklevision theme
Tim: *Falls into Ha-Ha*
Neison: "HA! HA!"
There is a passage in E. M. Foster's _The Longest Journey_ which mentions it:
'… The lawn ended in a Ha-ha (“Ha! ha! who shall regard it?”), and thence the bare land sloped down into the village. …'
Perhaps there was a verse or other literary reference, of which this fragment is a part, which gave this peculiar non-feature of the landscape its name.
This is amazing.
There is also "The Mini Ha Ha" at "Old Deer Park" in Richmond. As the park was part of the old Richmond Palace.
Absolutely love your videos. I haven’t been able to travel recently due to some kind of a “pandemic”, so these videos are a nice reminder of what different places are like
Good one Tim!
Brilliant!
Hello, interesting and well presented
Ok, I'll admit, I did two chortles that if my mouth were open probably would have sounded like "ha ha" on that last bit.
Good stuff.
HA-HA in the defence structural sense of the word most likely is some sort of abbreviation, which those military types seem to be very fond of... And most likely French for good measure...
Koning Bolo HA= Horse Artillery ;)
@@Joe-fe4xi So it is Cavalry... The road should be named CaCa then...
Probably there were not enough traffic cones to grab the attention, so it just wandered to its fate.
Sorry I'm late, I was on vacation with little to no internet :P
Your piano playing is amazing and really fits to the videos! :D
Steroumel be honest with me, this place you went on vacation with "little to no internet"... was it a train?
The Tim Traveller n..no! :P
It was an island BUT I managed to find not one but two bits of railway there!
@@Steroumel Ooh! Another train channel to check out!
Never heard of it in Versailles before ! I’ll check it for sure.
Loved the ending! Ha-HA! xxx
Using the Chucklevision music when talking about Ha Ha Road... Genius!
lol - nice video. Never knew what a HA HA was - education complete! (ps. nice dig at Arsenal)
If you visit that Ha Ha then do go up the road to Charlton House, a Tudor manor house that's now a community building, with a lovely tea shop and a ha ha in the grounds.
needles to say, I couldn't stop laughing when seeing the video. Thanks a lot for such a joyfull moment
The traffic cone was the icing on the cake! XD
Finally, some context for Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha!!
386 is quite the funny route too, certainly at the Blackheath end \m/
Here in Canada in the province of Quebec about 30km south of the St.Lawrence River you can find a village on Hwy 85 named "Saint-Louis-du-Ha!-Ha!" (and yes the exclamation marks and hyphens are included). Perhaps you can travel there. Just type it into Google to find it. BTW, you can practice your antique French as Quebecois (the French dialect spoken in Quebec) is based on Pre-Revolution French and has laws so that they preserve it and don't modernise.
I've been there! It's a nice little town utterly dominated by an enormous church, as is typical of small towns in Quebec. There's also an astronomical observatory.
That would be the one mentioned in the video.
Thank you Tim Machine
I have run along that road many times. Gunner!
Classic ending!
in Soho there's "Percy Passage" which always makes me smile.
I used to go to school in Woolwich and walked along Ha-ha Road ...back in the 60's that was.
ha-ha in the Oxford English Dictionary means a sunken fence apparently.
My late Father worked at the Woolwich Arsenal as an industrial research chemist, for the duration and had to throw himself into a stairwell to avoid the V1 explosion that destroyed that church, he recalled that he put his head up too soon and had to duck again to avoid an incoming oak beam. That was one of the less dangerous happenings he recalled.
We have 'Fanny Hands Lane' just down the road which I feel beats Ha-Ha Road.
In the Ozarks of Missouri is a state historical site called "Ha Ha Tonka" its a mansion ruined by fire over 70 years ago and is on a reservoir near Branson Mo.
There is a bridge at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park over a ha ha which is also a piece of art (you can walk across it so it's a very useful piece of art). Worth a Google, it's quite fun.
are you by any chance related to map men (Jay Foreman)? Similar style
And here I was expecting this to be the road with the Ministry of Silly Walks on it.
Lul the chucklevision theme, ah yes the chuckle brothers, from my home town