sand boy

[Shandyjewell]

What is a Sand Boy?

[Cetti]

As in 'Happy as a Sand Boy'

It's from the days when sand-boys (or men) drove their donkeys through the streets hawking bags of sand, usually obtained from beaches. The sand was used by people for their gardens, by builders and by publicans for sanding their floors.

The happiness of sand-boys was due to their habit of indulging in liquor with their takings!

[Quizmonster]

Cetti is - as usual - right about the definition, but the source of the sandboys' happiness was not that they drank away the proceeds of their sales.

The phrase first appeared in print - in exactly the 'happy' form we're all familiar with - in a publication called 'Life in London' in 1821. That referred to someone who "appeared to be as happy as a sand-boy who had unexpectedly met with good luck in disposing of his hampers" of sand. In other words, it was the mere fact of getting rid of the wretched stuff that pleased them so much. (Of course, they may well have gone straight to the pub thereafter, C!)

[Cetti]

Naughty Brewer's then Quizmonster - that's where the info was gleaned, including the imbibing bit. I don't know, can't trust anything these days. :-D

[Quizmonster]

As ever, C, one finds variant explanations of idioms and - also as ever! - I go with what the word-bible (the OED) says is the right one. I do so simply on the basis that the scholars involved in the rolling production of the dictionary for over a century have found no earlier reference than the one I included above.

When this question was asked before, another answerer said sandboys were employed in pubs to sweep up the sand scattered on the floor. When they found a dropped coin therein, they were delighted...so there's another conceivable pub-related explanation. I'm perfectly sure there's an element of truth in all of them and all I'm claiming for 'mine' is that it seems to have been the original. Cheers, Ma'am.