Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. orig. £10; £1.

1909		J. Ware Passing Eng. of the Victorian Era (£10).
1960		J. Franklyn Dict. of Rhy. Sl.
1972		Dodson & Saczek Dict. of Cockney Rhy. Sl.
1992		R. Puxley Cockney Rabbit.

2. (N.Z. prison) the punishment block [pound n.⁴ ].

1982		G. Newbold Big Huey 250: lost-and-found (n) Detention unit.
2001		D. Looser Boobslang [U. Canterbury D.Phil. thesis] 110/2: lost-and-found n. 1 the solitary confinement cell [‘It has been suggested that lost-andfound refers to the fact that when an inmate is on solitary confinement, he is isolated from the rest of the inmates. Therefore, he is 'lost' during this period, and then 'found' again when he later returns to mainstream prison life’ Looser (2001)].

3. (N.Z. prison) a cell used for the mentally unbalanced and possible suicides.

2001

D. Looser Boobslang [U. Canterbury D.Phil. thesis] 110/2: lost-and-found n. 2 the cell reserved for mentally unbalanced and/or suicidal inmates.