Green’s Dictionary of Slang

bucket and pail n.

prison.

1935		A.J. Pollock Und. Speaks n.p.: Lard and pail, a jail; Mop and pail, a jail.
1957		G. Kersh Fowlers End (2001) 60: I mean inside—bucket-and-pail.
1981		J. Franklyn Dict. Rhy. Sl. (2nd edn).
1999		R. Walton ‘Cockney Jack’ 🌐 ‘Well,’ said the spinning top, ‘It’s the bucket and pail for you, babbling brook.’.
2002		D. Shaw ‘Dead Beard’ at www.asstr.org 🌐 Tell him that every weekend at visiting time, do you, Dionne? At least it’s convenient for the bucket and pail here. Only one sea, one ocean and a few counties to go – call a sherbert dab, do you?