Green’s Dictionary of Slang

the Serpentine, Hyde Park, London.

1937		J. Curtis You’re in the Racket, Too 191: In front of them was the Serpentine. [...] Snowey took his cigar out of his mouth and gazed at it [...] he would like to sling it into the Serps.
1942		Liverpool Echo 31 July 5/5: Mr F.J. Evans [...] bequeathed £100 to the Serpentine Rowing Club for an annual race in the ‘Serps’.
1965		Stage (London) 20 May 5/4: The chestnut trees are in full bloom and form a superb background to the lovely bridge that crosses the Serps.
1972		Dodson & Saczek Dict. of Cockney Rhy. Sl. 39: turpentine. Serpentine; usually reduced to Turps.