Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a general excl. of surprise, amazement etc.

1819		P. Egan Key to the Picture of the Fancy going to a Fight 10: ‘Blow my Dickey, if I know, but they tell me, so and so is a strange good one’.
1822		Life and Trial of James Mackcoull 100: Then blow my dickie, an’t it queer that the other parties have never called on me?
1823		Morn. Post (London) 27 Mar. 3/4: The Commissary-General [...] blowed his Dickey if it was not giving away a chance.
1826		Pierce Egan’s Life in London 26 Feb. 453/1: ‘Blow my ducky, Tom; I prognosticate that to be a bad omen’ [...] ‘Blow my ducky, Tom, but Byrnes has set the sponge in Manning’s eye’.
1827		Bell’s Life in London 29 Apr. 3/1: ‘Blow my Dickey,’ exclaimed Tom.
1830		Egan Finish to the Adventures of Tom and Jerry (1889) 222: Why, blow my dickey! your are the same imposter that devoured my beef-steaks [...] six months ago.
1842		Dublin Morn. Register 19 Dec. 4/3: ‘Blow my dickey!’ exclaimed the commisary.
1895		Scranton Trib. (PA) 18 May 11/5: ‘Blow my dickey,’ said he, ‘give it a name, guv’nor!’!
1904		Eve. Star (Wash., DC) 25 June 30/1: Nlow my Dickey. It would make a cat sick.
1926		‘Sapper’ Final Count 814: Why, blow my dickey if I ain’t been and forgotten young Isaac.
1927		(con. 1835–40) P. Herring Bold Bendigo 60: Blow me dickey! He’s a-giving him pepper. [Ibid.] 136: Well, blow my buttons!
1954		J.E. Macdonnell Jim Brady 32: ‘Blow me bilges!’ he grinned, quoting Old Peter.