Cribbeys, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

Cribbeys n.

also Cribbey islands

[derived f. older nicknames Bermudas n. and thence Caribee Islands n., both of which had been applied to the alleyways of 16C–18C Covent Garden, then a centre of vice and criminality. Grose (1785) offers an alternative ety.]

back alleys, narrow courts and by-ways.

1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: Cribbeys, or cribby islands, blind allies, courts, or bye ways; perhaps from houses built there being cribbed out of the common way or passage; and islands, from the similarity of sound to the Caribbee Islands.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		‘Jon Bee’ Dict. of the Turf, the Ring, the Chase, etc. 59: ‘Cribby islands,’ said of populous poor neighbourhoods.
1848		‘Ned Buntline’ Mysteries and Miseries of N.Y. I 113: ‘Cribbeys.’ Blind alleys, dark narrow ways.