“Ya Pommy Ka*t!” — one of the sharpest insults an Aussie can throw at a Brit.
Most believe “POM” stands for Prisoner of the Motherland, a nod to Australia’s penal colony past. But there’s another tale, and this one’s got a pub in it, so naturally, we believe that one!
Just upriver from where the Houses of Parliament stand today, stood Millbank Prison, opened in 1816. It became the holding depot for convicts bound for a life of hard graft down under. From here they were marched to the Thames, barged to Greenwich, and packed onto ships for the voyage south.
A capstan used to moor boats, still stands on the riverbank at Millbank today. A small plaque on it reads reads:
“Near this site stood Millbank Prison, which was opened in 1816 and closed in 1890. This buttress stood at the head of the river steps, from which, until 1867, prisoners sentenced to transportation embarked on their final journey to Australia.”
Now here’s the twist: across the road, the Morpeth Arms stood. Beneath it, a set of brick lined cells, which are still intact today. Legend has it convicts were held here before boarding the barges. Meaning this pub was the last piece of dry English land many of them ever set foot on. And they didn’t even get a pint…. that’s worse than the life sentence!
So when Aussies call a Brit a POM, some swear it means Prisoner of Millbank. True or not, it’s a bloody good story and one to add to your bar stool repertoire.
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