Bednal Green
Preserved but no longer current.
Sheridan Knowlcs also &as a play on the story (1834). Bessee was very beautiful, and was courted by four suitors at once — a knight, a gentleman of fortune, a London merchant, and the son of the innkeeper at Romford. She told them that they must obtain the consent of her father, the poor blind beggar of Bethnal Green. When they heard that, they all slunk off except ,the knight, who went to ask the beggar's leave to wed the "pretty Bessee.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Bednal Green” mean?
Sheridan Knowlcs also &as a play on the story (1834). Bessee was very beautiful, and was courted by four suitors at once — a knight, a gentleman of fortune, a London merchant, and the son of the innkeeper at Romford. She told them that they must obtain the consent of her father, the poor blind beggar of Bethnal Green. When they heard that, they all slunk off except ,the knight, who went to ask the beggar's leave to wed the "pretty Bessee.
Is “Bednal Green” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.