# Word of the Day: Gaberlunzie



## Capt Lightning (Aug 20, 2020)

Gaberlunzie is an old Scots word for a licensed beggar.  Sometimes known as 'Blue gowns' because of the blue cloaks  that they wore.


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## peramangkelder (Aug 20, 2020)

Gaberlunzie....hmmm I did have to look that up
A Gaberlunzie Man sounds an awful lot like the Aussie Rag and Bone Man I remember form the 50s and 60s


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## Aunt Marg (Aug 20, 2020)

A number of years ago I was staying in my countryside getaway castle and was awoken in the middle of the night by the gate bell ringing, and when I answered the door there stood a gaberlunzie. I now ensure the drawbridge is raised before I retire for the night.


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## Ruthanne (Aug 20, 2020)

I don't think I've ever met a gaberlunzie only beggars without licenses and I don't think one can get a license for that where I live.


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## Kadee (Aug 20, 2020)

Gaberlunzie Man sounds....sound like a man we knew of as kids ....he walked the streets picking up all the used drink cans he found ....we would tease the old man ,who walked with a limp ..had no teeth we could see and chewed gum .
He carried a dirty old sugar bag every where he went .

Little did I know until I was about 40+ years old that “tapper “ wasn’t stealing ”our cans” that we’d pick up to get money to go to the pictures ( movies )
He was creating what I think are beautiful cars of all shapes and sizes from the cans ....
not selling them


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## Aunt Marg (Aug 20, 2020)

Kadee46 said:


> Gaberlunzie Man sounds....sound like a man we knew of as kids ....he walked the streets picking up all the used drink cans he found ....we would tease the old man ,who walked with a limp ..had no teeth we could see and chewed gum View attachment 119054carrying an old dirty sugar bag to carry his cans
> Little did I know until I was about 40+ years old that “tapper “ wasn’t stealing ”our cans” that we’d pick up to get money to go to the pictures ( movies )
> He was creating what I think are beautiful cars of all shapes and sizes from the cans ....
> not selling them


The cars are extraordinary!

Are they from your own collection, Kadee?

The man was incredibly talented!


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## Kadee (Aug 20, 2020)

No @Aunt Marg he is mentioned on line ,I’ll get a link ..so so interesting
https://diane-adventurebeforedementia.blogspot.com/2012/04/man-with-sugar-bag.html

I grew in Broken Hill in New South Wales ( Australia ) it was a town of 40+ thousand back then
Sadly since mines have closed its down to about 15.000 now days
Poor ole tapper would not get many cans now days if he was still alive


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## Sliverfox (Aug 21, 2020)

Kadee46's story of the Gaberlunzie man  goes prove that one man's trash is another man's treasure.

Thank you   for telling  us about him.


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## Keesha (Aug 21, 2020)

Walking through the subway, one sometimes has to step around the odd  Gaberlunzie , who’d fallen asleep with scattered empty bottles around them.


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## Keesha (Aug 21, 2020)

Sliverfox said:


> Kadee46's story of the Gaberlunzie man  goes prove that one man's trash is another man's treasure.
> 
> Thank you   for telling  us about him.


I agree. Next time I see folks stopping to pick up bottles and cans I’m not only going to be polite and grateful to them but consider that there might be another reason why they do this. 
Thank you for that Kadee.


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## hollydolly (Aug 21, 2020)

*As a Scot, I know this old Scottish Medieval word from Walter Scott Books *


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