Thursday 13 December 2012

Christmas already!!!!!!!

A Christmas cracker: When cannibals ate a missionary,
did they get a taste of religion?


Christmas time is upon us and I cannot believe how quick the time has gone since we moved into our new house.


Thank you for all your cards and best wishes on our move into Tea Tree Way.

We have been in the house now for two months and with a little bit of painting and the arrival of some new furniture, it really feels like home.


The boys lounge has now been
furnished with a new settee, two
chairs and a television unit, and
the family room (our room) has
a new television unit and coffee
table. We also now have a new
dining table and buffet unit, just
in time for Christmas lunch.











A Christmas cracker: The midget fortune-teller who escaped
from prison was a small medium at large.

So let me get back to my original reason for having my Blog:

Growing Family Trees and Vegetables



  • Growing Family Trees: Can you remember a couple of Blogs ago (Doesn't time fly) I was looking at the first Nickisson's in my Family Tree to arrive and live in Australia? I will continue the story in a moment.

A Christmas cracker: The soldier who survived mustard gas and pepper spray,
is he now a seasoned veteran?

  • Growing Vegetables: How is the allotment idea growing in Australia?


Well, this is where my 'allotment' is going to be. It is at the rear of the house, aside my workshop and it is where the clothes drier used to be. It's an ideal area and I will use the existing paving to built raised beds. Hope to start it in January.


Meanwhile;


I have planted some Cherry Tomatoes in containers and started to get a good crop from them. I have also planted out some chilli last week, lets see how they go.






A Christmas cracker: She was only a whiskey-maker, but I loved her still.


  • Growing Family Trees: The continued story of the first Nickisson's from my Family Tree to live in Australia

As I mentioned in my previous Blog, Australian roots, my Great Great Grandfather's brother, William Nickisson died and his widow, Mary Ann Nickisson (nee Parkes) emigrated to Queensland, Australia. Along with her went three of their children, Alfred Parkes Nickisson, Frederick Nickisson and Louisa Nickisson. Their other daughter, Elizabeth Nickisson had already emigrated to Australia.

My following Blog, Australian roots continued, continued the story of what happened to Mary Ann Nickisson (nee Parkes), Frederick and Louisa.

The story of Elizabeth Nickisson's life in Australia was featured in my Blog Doesn't Time Fly.

So that leaves Alfred Parkes Nickisson.

A Christmas cracker: Two fish swim into a concrete wall.
One turns to the other and says, 'Dam!'

Alfred Parkes Nickisson (1840-?):
Alfred was born in Birmingham in 1840 and continued to live there and worked with his father as a Saddler (making saddles and harness for horses). The 1871 Census shows he was a soldier based in the District Royal Artillery Barracks, Woolwich Dockyard. It was the depot for the Royal Horse Artillery and he continued his trade as a "collar maker".
Alfred married Hannah Frances Hancox in 1874 and then they emigrated to Brisbane, Queensland, Australia in 1875.
Whilst living in Queensland, they had Joseph Arthur Nickisson and then sometime after 1876 they moved to Sydney, New South Wales. They had three more children, Frederick W Nickisson, Herbert S Nickisson and Alice Eva H Nickisson.
After the birth of their last child (1882), I have not been able to find any more information about Alfred Parkes Nickisson.
Does anyone out there know any more?

A Christmas cracker: Two hydrogen atoms meet. One says, 'I've lost my electron.'
The other says, 'Are you sure?' The first replies, 'Yes, I'm positive.'

Hannah Frances Hancox (c1840-?)
A little mix up with actual name as many documents state different names - Marriage Documents show name as Hannah Frances Hancox - Emigration to Australia shows name as Harriet (Nickisson) - Birth of children shows name as Harriet Frances Hancock / Harriet F (Nickisson) / Harriett (Nickisson) / Harriett F (Nickisson).
As you can see, little is known about Hannah Frances Hancox (or her other names)
Does anyone out there know any more?


A Christmas cracker: Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly, so they lit a fire in the craft. Unsurprisingly it sank, proving once again that you can't have your kayak and heat it too. 

Children:
Joseph Arthur Nickisson (1876-?)
Joseph was born in Queensland, Australia in 1876 and moved to Sydney with his parents but in 1880 he is found living in the Destitute Children's Asylum, Randwick: The Blacket building (now known as part of the Prince of Wales Hospital Administration block, Randwick) had been built for the Asylum for Destitute Children and was occupied by them. These children were to be cared for and educated until such time as their parent(s) or family members could reclaim them. Alternatively, at the age of 13 years the children could be apprenticed to anyone who made a donation of two guineas to become a Subscriber to the Society for the Relief of Destitute Children.
I have not been able to find out what happened after Arthur went into this place.
Does anyone out there know any more?

A Christmas cracker: No matter how much you push the envelope,
it'll still be stationary.

Frederick W Nickisson (1878-1878)
Born and died in Sydney, NSW, just a few months old.

A Christmas cracker: A rubber-band pistol was confiscated from an algebra class,
because it was a weapon of maths disruption.

Herbert S Nickisson (1879-?)
Born in Sydney, NSW. Little else is known.
Does anyone out there know any more?

A Christmas cracker: A sign on the lawn at a drug rehab center said:
'Keep of the grass.'

Alice Eva H Nickisson (1882-1882)
Born in Sydney, NSW and lived for just a few months.

That completes the story of the first Nickisson's in my
Family Tree to move to Australia.

A lot more questions to be answered.
Does anyone out there know any more?


Post boxes:
In one of my previous Blogs I mentioned that nearly all Australian houses do not have letter boxes in their front doors. The postboxes are situated somewhere in the front garden and the variety and styles of the boxes can be so different. Here are a couple of examples above; More to follow.




The final Christmas cracker:
An Irish woman is cleaning her husband's rifle and accidentally shoots him. She immediately dials the telephone emergency operator.

Irish woman: "It's my husband! I've accidentally shot him. I've accidentally killed him!"

Operator: "Please calm down Mam. Can you first make sure he is actually dead!"

*click* .... *BANG*

Irish woman: "Okay, I've done that ..................  What's next?"

Merry Christmas to you all.          Speak to you soon.

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