Iliff-King phrasebook
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definition
how many matches? expression or saying
I suspect you of having used more than one match to light the fire today
Origin
The challenge in an undeclared contest between Mum and Dad to be the one to light the coal fire in the drawing room, and to do so with only one match
Collector
Bel – 1970s
Annabel Iliff (Iliff, Burn) – sibling of Mark
Notes
Mum & Dad originated the phrase, but Bel is credited as collector:
After Dad retired he and Mum both enjoyed lighting the fire, so they decided to take turns (though cheating sometimes occurred).
Neither claimed to be better at lighting fires than the other, but either could ask ‘how many matches?’ if they thought they heard more than one being struck. Mumblings of ’the match broke’, ’the match failed to strike’, ‘damp coal’, ’the Financial Times doesn’t burn as well as the Guardian’ might be heard, but mostly shame ruled: both judged using more than one match as poor firelighting skill, and evidence that *they* should really have done this most enjoyable task of the day.
I still hear ‘how many matches?’ when I need to use more than one to light a fire – even if the flame blows out on a windy day or the kindling is damp.
—Bel¹ (précised)
¹whose fires are all of the outdoor variety