“JERRY BUILT.”

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 309, 15 December 1936, Page 6

“JERRY BUILT.”

bmam of the term. ~ -.... i What Xhe origin of the term /'•“jerry built" and why shmihl the owners of this cheerful sdimdmg name X’have to be connected with a term of /‘obloquy? Major G. B. ALhoe, secre- . tary of the British Incorporated Ass.)- |/ \f.iaiion of XrchHects and Surveyors, has what seems a likely solution. •Major At hoe freeiy that all dictionary references assume wJILohI further arguumut that "jerrytluilt" means "Badly-built.’’ Jerrybuildeis. according to Young’s "Every Man His Own Mechanic." published m use the worst possible description of; bricks. WaLtar Bes-nt. in b’s gljovel, “Children of Cdbhon," writes of Ahe “jerry-builder who walks ’here S#Jene £Hd .wonders how lor - h’« houses are likely Io stand,” anb gh But - Major Athoe feels convinced /that -one has to go back to Norman- ' Fnem'jh for d solution. “Ad•jutar.e "In Latin .means “ to he.p,” and In old French "ajurie” meant relict or belt). ‘’Hence the nautical terms jury-mast and jury-rig, which Webs- > ter describes as a mast or rig for temporary service, usually in an emer- - gwry. —«• Therefore, as so-called jerry-buiit bouses are certainly not built to last, ' and can only be for temporary serAdre, the connection between jerry and jury is suggested. The "emergency” in the case -of ships is represented in the case of houses by the urgency of housing accommodation at whatever sacrifice of caution. 'Properly speaking, then, a “jerry-built"

house is a -temporary or emergency house