What’s in a name?
“What is a Slodger?” I hear you ask, well, let me explain.
It all started for me about 30 years ago when my family moved to Deeping St James, a small village near Peterborough in Lincolnshire.
Peterborough lies in an area of Britain called ‘The Fens’ which is a flat, low-lying region and is only habitable today due to substantial drainage schemes since the 1800s.
In the past, folk living in the fens lived a rather amphibious existence farming what land there was, cutting sedge and peat and fishing. Such folk were known by several names including ‘Fen Slodger’ and ‘Yellowbelly’.
The origin of the term Fen Slodger is unknown to me (please post if you know more) but sounds wonderfully appropriate. Yellowbelly apparently owes its origins to either the colour of the uniform of the Lincolnshire Regiment or the colour of the belly of the marsh frogs prevalent in the area.
For a brief history of Yellowbellies and the Fenland people please refer to Yellowbelly History
