Up sticks

Posted by Lewis on November 20, 2003

In Reply to: Pull up stakes posted by James Briggs on November 20, 2003

: : Canyou please explain the meaning and where this comes from? Thank you - Sax

: Perhaps from mining prospectors who would stake out an area in the hope that they would find gold. Actual wooden stakes were used. If no gold was found, then the propector would depart and 'pull up his stakes'

The version I've heard (UK) is "up sticks" - I think it came from the days of horse travel where the 'picket' was a rope strung from sticks/stakes where the horses were tethered. To 'up sticks' was to depart for a fresh pasture/camping ground.