Apparently, cockney rhyming slang is dead (brown bread) or at least taking its last breath. Rather sad if that is the case although I suspect some of it is deeply entrenched in most people’s language, such that they don’t even realise it emanates from cockney slang. The fun comes from the fact that the actual rhyming word is usually missed out. I have heard somebody say, affectionately, ‘oh look here comes trouble,’ meaning their wife. Trouble and strife =wife. I was familiar with the term ‘butchers’ meaning to have a look but it was a long time before I put it together with ‘hook’. Butcher’s hook = look.
I like ‘porky pie’ reduced to just ‘porky’ meaning to tell a lie and also ‘China.’ I have heard someone say ‘ hello me old China’…..China plate = mate.