The
nickname “moonrakers” is traditionally given to people from Wiltshire, especially
those from Bishop Cannings (Simpson & Roud, 2000). This is said to be
derived from the following story: once, some smugglers from Bishop Cannings had
hidden barrels of brandy in a pond, and were spotted by excisemen while trying
to retrieve them. Challenged, they replied that they were ‘only raking for that
big cheese down there’, pointing at the moon’s reflection (Moonrakers, n.d.).
This gave rise to the notion that all Wiltshire folk were particularly stupid or mad.
An old
postcard showing Wiltshire “moonrakers”
References:
Moonrakers (n.d.). Why moonrakers? – the moonraker legend. Retrieved
from http://www.moonrakers.org.uk/moonrakers.asp
Simpson, J., & Roud, S. (2000). A dictionary of English folklore. Oxford,
England: Oxford University Press.
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