Creating New Memories

Hi everyone, sorry for not keeping in touch as it was July when I produced my last Blog (Distant Memories). I have no excuses either. I've been busy decorating, gardening, football watching, but I cannot say that I didn't have time to write a new one.

There was even a new index of Parish Records on Ancestry.co.com, 'Birmingham, England, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials' that gave me some updates and new additions to my existing Nickisson Family Tree. So I could easily have added information to a new Blog! More of that later.

We have also had our first UK visitors staying with us since our move to Australia.

Then, how have my vegetables etc. been growing/surviving through the winter and now spring is here?

But first, remember those post boxes?

Will it create a memory for you?.....................

Memories: Right now I'm having amnesia and deja vu at the same time - I think I've forgotten this before.

So new memories were added to my Nickisson Family Tree over the last few months, this creating the start of the Birmingham branch of the family.

The new Parish Records for Birmingham gave me some interesting updates on the existing family from Birmingham but also some new Nickisson's to add to the tree.
I had a note in my 'Things to do' file about a Thomas Nickisson who was born around 1831, the information coming from the 1841 Census. Who was he?
Looking for Thomas Nickisson in the new parish records, I came across a brother and two sisters to Thomas that I had not been aware of. I thought it was strange that I originally recorded that Thomas's parents had only two children, as families in those days always seem to have many children (no television etc.???)

So who started the Birmingham branch of the Nickisson Family Tree?

Charles Nickisson 1805-1864
Charles was born in Stone, Staffordshire to Charles Nickisson (1771-1852) and Elizabeth Stubbs (c1777-1850). He married Elizabeth Oseland (nee Barratt) (c1806-1875) (widow) in 1832 in St Georges Church, Birmingham. Elizabeth was previously married to John Oseland in 1825.
Charles and Elizabeth lived in Moor Street, Birmingham after they married until around 1855 when they moved to Marshall Gardens, Birmingham. His occupation was a Saddler and Harness Maker, a person who makes, repairs or sells saddles or other furnishings for horses.
Elizabeth was born in Henley in Harden, Warwickshire and she and Charles had
six children, Thomas, Ann, Robert, Frederick, Emma and Charles Edwin.

Thomas Nickisson (c 1832-?)
Little is known about Thomas. He was born around 1832 in Birmingham according to the 1841 Census.

More investigation needed. Do you know more?

Ann Nickisson (1833-?)
Again, little is known about Ann. She was born in Moor Street, Birmingham according to the Parish Record of Baptism.

More investigation needed. Can you help?

Robert Nickisson (c1837-1880)
Robert's marriage certificate shows that he was born around 1837. He lived with his parents until he married Susannah Whateley (c1835-1890) in Birmingham Register Office in 1864. They lived in Chequers Walk, Birmingham and then moved to Cox Street, Birmingham. Robert's occupation was also a Saddler and Harness Maker whilst Susannah's occupation was a Saddle Stitcher/Seamer.
I have not been able to find Robert Nickisson in the 1871 Census, although there is an entry in the Census for Susannah and Caroline Nickisson (1865-1925), their daughter. It shows Susannah as still married. Was Robert in prison? In 1867 he was sent to prison for Larceny (see more details of the crime by clicking on the link Robert Nickisson (c1837-1880)1

Need to find more details on the birth of Robert and Susannah.

Frederick Nickisson (c1837-1839)
Frederick the fourth child of Charles and Elizabeth was born around 1837 according to the Parish Record of Burials. He died just two years later.

More investigation needed on Frederick's birth.

Emma Nickisson (1842-1846)
Emma was just three years old when she died.

Charles Edwin Nickisson (1845-1871)
Charles Edwin continued living with his parents until he married Mary Elizabeth Hallam (1846-1905) in 1865 in Birmingham. He followed in his father's footsteps as a Saddler and Harness maker. Charles Edwin also committed a criminal offence (larceny) in 1867 but was acquitted. Was he in collaboration with his brother Robert?
They lived in Marshall Street, Birmingham, moving to Gregoe Place, Birmingham in 1870 just before Charles Edwin died. He died in Queens Hospital, Birmingham under tragic circumstances. Cause of Death; Accidental fracture of the skull and other injuries by fall from water closet window when getting out in a state of delirious tremors!!!!
Mary Elizabeth Hallam was born in Aston, Birmingham and they had four children, Polly Nickisson (1866-?), Alice Jane Nickisson (1867-?), Charles Edwin Nickisson (1869-1870), Fanny Emily Nickisson (1871-1910).
Mary Elizabeth married a James Glover (1844-1913) following the death of Charles Edwin in 1873.

More on the next generation of Nickisson's from Birmingham in my next Blog.

You can also find more information about the Nickisson's mentioned in my

previous Blogs by clicking on their name links to the left of this page.

Memories: Remember Barbie, if she was so popular, why do you have to buy her friends?

Just over a week ago we had our first visitors from the UK stopping with us for four nights. Julie and Paul are friends of ours from the school where Sue worked in Stoke on Trent before we came to Australia.

This could have been a nasty moment!!!

Stoke City v Port Vale.

Only one winner?

They are doing the Australian 'tour', visiting ourselves in Perth then going to Melbourne for one night to meet up with family. They all then fly to Tasmania for a family wedding before going to Sydney. Then it's back home to England.

Fantastic time, so good to see you both, new memories made.

Memories: I remember when I was in the waiting room of my doctor's when the doctor started yelling,! "Typhoid!! Tetanus!! Measles!!"! I went up to the nurse and asked her what the hell was going on.! She told me that the doctor liked to call the shots.!!

The vegetable patch, my 'allotment', has really struggled over the winter here in Australia, it has been the wettest winter for 40 years!!!! I planted Beetroot, Lettuce, Onions, Potatoes and Cabbage but the opportunity to look after the plants during the wet weather hindered the progress. The Cabbage really grew well but was attacked by caterpillars and ended up being thrown away but we had a good crop of Lettuce, although small in size. The Beetroot and Onions were very slow growing but now the hotter weather is here (35° as I write this and it's only spring), they really have started to grow.

The potatoes at the back of the patch grew very well but because the soil is very sandy and compact and the wet weather, I couldn't mound up the plants as they grew. This meant that they really only grew close to the surface.

Not a bad crop under those circumstances, about 6kg of potatoes. Need to remember for next winter what will grow and what will suffer!

I have now started to make frames to cover the area so that there will be some shade to the plants as they will just burn during the hot summer months, then I will need to plant out again. I also have Tomatoes, Chilli (Capsicum) and various herbs growing in pots around the garden.

Some things I need to remember, but good memories created. They will still be created over the next few months when Sue's mum, Diane and Allan come to stay with us.

Looking forward to creating those memories.

And a final memory:
I remember reading in the local paper about this man who went to see his doctor, he was feeling quite ill.
The doctor checked him over and says, "Sorry, I have some bad news, you have Yellow 24, a really nasty virus. It's called Yellow 24 because it turns your blood yellow and you usually only have 24 hours to live! There's no known cure so just go home and enjoy you final precious moments on earth"
So he trudges home to his wife and breaks the news.
Distraught, she asks him to go to the bingo with her that evening as he's never been there with her before.
They arrive at the bingo and with his first card he gets four corners and wins $35. Then, with the same card, he gets a winning line and wins $320. Then he gets a full house and wins $5000.
Then the National Game comes up and he wins that too, getting $780,000.
The bingo caller gets him up on stage and says, "Son, I've been here 20 years and I've never seen anyone win four corners, a line, the full house and the national game all on the same card. You must be the luckiest person in the world!"
"Lucky?" he screamed. "Lucky? I'll have you know I've got Yellow 24".

"Bugger me!" says the bingo caller. "You've won the meat raffle as well!!!"

Speak to you soon.