Andy lives on the dole - which means that he gets a payment from the government because he does NOT have a job. Don’t know if anyone here gets any British TV through PBS or not but there is ONE series called “Keeping Up Appearances” which is about the antics of Hyacinth Bucket (she pronounces it Bouquet!). Hyacinth has sisters Daisy, Rose, and Violet. Hyacinth is married to Richard, a hard-working government employee who is nearing retirement. Sister Daisy is married to Onslow, who lives on the dole (i.e. - he has no job!) Onslow lays around the house, watching the telly, etc., while Daisy keeps house. They must be doing pretty well on Onslow’s payment from the dole - because Daisy’s sister, Rose ALSO lives with them. Rose must get some kind of government pension as well - since Rose spends most of her time switching out boyfriends. The father of Hyacinth, Daisy, Rose and Violet ALSO lives with Onslow and, since Daddy is a war veteran, Daddy probably also receives some kind of pension. The fourth sister, Violet, lives in the country and is rarely seen. Violet is actually married to someone who really is in the house of Lords or part of the peerage in some fashion - but Violet’s upper crust husband is as dotty as a June bug. Hyacinth’s next door neighbors are Elizabeth and Liz’s retired brother, Emmett.
So the underlying joke in Andy is that Andy gets paid by the British government NOT to work while Flo wasn’t all that lucky (or maybe just chose NOT to depend entirely on the dole) - so Flo goes out to work. Andy Capp first appeared about 1959 - so - for someone who has spent the last 50 years living on the dole - Andy seems to be looking pretty good!
You can read more about Hyacinth “Bouquet” and her whacky family at WIKIPEDIA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyacinth_Bucket
Andy lives on the dole - which means that he gets a payment from the government because he does NOT have a job. Don’t know if anyone here gets any British TV through PBS or not but there is ONE series called “Keeping Up Appearances” which is about the antics of Hyacinth Bucket (she pronounces it Bouquet!). Hyacinth has sisters Daisy, Rose, and Violet. Hyacinth is married to Richard, a hard-working government employee who is nearing retirement. Sister Daisy is married to Onslow, who lives on the dole (i.e. - he has no job!) Onslow lays around the house, watching the telly, etc., while Daisy keeps house. They must be doing pretty well on Onslow’s payment from the dole - because Daisy’s sister, Rose ALSO lives with them. Rose must get some kind of government pension as well - since Rose spends most of her time switching out boyfriends. The father of Hyacinth, Daisy, Rose and Violet ALSO lives with Onslow and, since Daddy is a war veteran, Daddy probably also receives some kind of pension. The fourth sister, Violet, lives in the country and is rarely seen. Violet is actually married to someone who really is in the house of Lords or part of the peerage in some fashion - but Violet’s upper crust husband is as dotty as a June bug. Hyacinth’s next door neighbors are Elizabeth and Liz’s retired brother, Emmett.
So the underlying joke in Andy is that Andy gets paid by the British government NOT to work while Flo wasn’t all that lucky (or maybe just chose NOT to depend entirely on the dole) - so Flo goes out to work. Andy Capp first appeared about 1959 - so - for someone who has spent the last 50 years living on the dole - Andy seems to be looking pretty good!
You can read more about Hyacinth “Bouquet” and her whacky family at WIKIPEDIA http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyacinth_Bucket