Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a walk.

1927		Eve. Herald (Dublin) 24 Nov. 6/4: The East End tongue is rich in quaint idioms and rhymed slang. [...] To go ‘for a ball of chalk in the Joan of Arc’ simply means to go for a walk in the park.
1930		(con. 1910–20s) D. Mackenzie Hell’s Kitchen 118: Ball of chalk ... walk.
1938		G. Kersh Night and the City 28: Go to ’ell! Take a ball-o’-chalk!
1944		C. Fluck ‘Bubbles’ of the Old Kent Road 41: After a pause someone would say, ‘Better take a ball of chalk (walk), chum’.
1957		G. Kersh Fowlers End (2001) 58: ‘Oh, for Christ’s sake, take a pen’orth!’ said Copper Baldwin. ‘Take a ball-o’-chalk!’.
1959		I. & P. Opie Lore and Lang. of Schoolchildren (1977) 344: As far away as Newcastle respectable children can be heard saying they are ‘going for a ball of chalk’ when setting out for a walk.
1969		F. Norman Norman’s London 22: Just then a motor comes flyin’ round the bend and knocks ’er for a ball of chalk.
1976		(ref. to 1930s) R. Barnes Coronation Cups and Jam Jars 72: Having no kids to play with where we lived [...] I used to take a ball of chalk round to Poysner Street.
1979		R. Barker Fletcher’s Book of Rhy. Sl. 25: I will take a ball of chalk into the town.
1992		R. Puxley Cockney Rabbit.
2001		M. Coles Bible in Cockney 13: Later on in the evening, they heard God taking a little ball in the garden.
2002		D. Shaw ‘Dead Beard’ at www.asstr.org 🌐 We’ll go for a ball and chalk down to the end of the beach and don’t bother putting on your lochinvar again.

2. a talk.

1992

R. Puxley Cockney Rabbit.