Cheese at fourpence

Posted by R. Moore on August 14, 2005

Cheese at fourpence"
A woman might say ... "He left me standing there like Cheese at fourpence". This phrase may be a little confusing to the world at large, but it is a lovely, quaint and amusing expression. I believe it originates from the poor mill towns of Lancashire, where the normal shop price of cheese was twopence say and nobody could afford the luxurious fourpenny stuff. This was left languishing in the shop window, just like the lady was left waiting for her date.
Am I correct in believing this?