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Home James

It's a movie cliche. The original saying (to the coach driver) was supposedly "Home, James, and don't spare the horses!" (The movie one allegedly goes, "Once around the park and home, James"--said to the chauffeur.)

Dates from the mid-1800s; there was also a 1934 song with the same phrase as a title: "Home, James, and don't spare the horses" by Fred Hillebrand.

From "Dictionary of Catch Phrases: American and British from the Sixteenth Century to the Present Day" by Eric Partridge, updated and edited by Paul Beal, Scarborough House, Lanham, Md., 1992) in www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/24/messages/392.html; also, www.saidwhat.co.uk/quotes/favourite/fred_hillebrand/home_james_and_dont_spare_the_3923

The British show "Inspector Lewis" (or just "Lewis") references this saying. DI Robbie Lewis had just met DS James Hathaway, who has come to pick him up from the airport; as they prepare to leave, Lewis says, "'Home, James!' I've always wanted to say that." (The comma should be there; it's "Home, James," not "Home James".)

Lewis says it again at the end of the first episode of the third season. As he and DS Hathaway are preparing to leave, with Hathaway driving, he says, "Home, James!"

by Sammie28 October 5, 2009

124πŸ‘ 25πŸ‘Ž


Home James

It's more like, ''Home, James!" referring to your *driver* to get a move on. I first heard my mother coin? this expression at the age of 8. I say 'coin' because i donot know from where it wast derived. We didn't have a driver, nor know any fellows named James. It was more like, let's go. I use this expression when I'm in the car, ready to get a move on, speaking to the driver who may or not go by the given name James. Luckily my new driver is actually named James so this isn't a problem.

Home, James! I'm done with this shopping establishment and would like to take a nap.

by Honey March 31, 2005

63πŸ‘ 60πŸ‘Ž


Home James

What you sometimes call a bus driver in Montreal, if their name happens to be James.

"Hey, Home James! How far till Notre-Dame Basilica?"

by matt October 23, 2003

22πŸ‘ 72πŸ‘Ž


Home, James

The Phrase "Home, James," is a cliche supposedly born circa 1840. It is a widely understood phrase used by a passenger to his or her driver, telling the driver to take him or her home.

Queen Victoria of Britain reigned from 1837 until 1901. She would be driven about, when not using a train, by horse drawn carriage as was the convention at the time. There would have been a number of coach drivers available to her, depending on the location and the carriage being used. One of them towards the end of the 1800s was named James.

His name was James Darling, and little is known of him except his name and position. It was the convention of the time for an upper class person to address a driver by his surname, but this would have left the Queen saying β€œhome, Darling.” The Queen naturally decided to use his first name to save embarrassment, and a phrase was born.

Home, James, and don't spare the horses

by gasspark August 16, 2015

42πŸ‘ 4πŸ‘Ž


Welcome Home James

A statement made by Marcus Fenix when welcoming James home in Gears of War 4. It is a reference with tremendous symbolism and meaning. It is often quoted by the legendary owner of the legendary Nigel the Pig

*James opens door*
*Out of the Shadows a face appears*

Marcus Fenix: Welcome Home James.

by Daytony500fan March 7, 2017